Silene's Cellar

Wine Profiling, What Should Really Matter.

2011-10-12T13:00:00.000-04:00

I am sure we all know what profiling is; some people know of it first hand, targeted in airports or in towns and cities by local law enforcement. But what about wine profiling? Labels, grape varieties, places from where the grapes were grown and the wine was made, these are all signals to the buyer. These signals, for better or worse, promptly inform most people if they are interested in that particular wine or not. Sometimes this stems from trying hundreds or even thousands of wines and developing your palate. This reveals to you what you like and what you don't based on sensory evidence. It seems to me, however, that wine profiling by the majority of wine consumers, is the effect of one or two bad bottles of wine from a particular grape, or even an ugly label.

A couple of months ago a new sales rep was in the store showing me three of her company’s wines. None of them were exciting and two of them were nearly awful. She seemed pleasant and I wanted to like at least one of her wines or at least give her encouragement. I managed to say something generically nice about one wine but explained that I didn’t need a wine from that region and category in that price range. She started putting the bottles back into her rectangular black wine case, the kind with the long extending handles – easier to drag behind you, but always makes me think they are on their way to catch a plane to return the sampled bottles to the producer – “I can’t sell this crap!” She then turned to me with a thoughtful look in her eye and queried, “Do you like Zinfandels from old vines?” Surely this was an innocent enough question, perhaps too innocent, bordering on the inane? I had to pause before I answered.

Later in the same day, a customer struck up a conversation with me. “How are sales,” she asked? This was August, infamously known as one of the slowest months in retail, unless you are in a tourist town. “Not too bad considering it is summer,” I replied. She told me she was still working on a bottle of Brokenwood Semillon I sold her. “What wines are you featuring this month,” she asked? I had chosen to feature four white wines in August for summer drinking and suggested she try one of the sampler packs. “Oh, that’s interesting,” she responded “but you don’t like white wine.” Why she thought she knew something about my likes and dislikes is beyond me. Again, I had to pause before I responded.

Where does the dismissal of a single grape or an entire wine region by someone stem from? In a word, ignorance. Ignorance is not a crime, if it was I would be doing some time. Sure, some wine drinkers have, over the years, had a go at various styles of wine made from one grape or from various regions and have decided that it just doesn’t suit them, but the majority of consumers have made their mind up after one or two tries. They try KJ or YT Chardonnay and either swear off the grape entirely or buy stock in the company and drink only that for the rest of their lives, existing in a ho-hum mono-culture of wine drinking. Yes, I know, to each his or her own, but...

I can’t count how many times while pouring wine at a tasting, and this seems so much more frequent when Chardonnay is the grape, that the person shakes their head while extending hands with palms towards me and tells me, “Oh no, I don’t like ‘fill in the blank’.” “I don’t like Chardonnay or Riesling or Merlot (some remaining fallout from Sideways and the awful stuff pumped out by the majority of California producers) or Pinot Noir (also fallout from Sideways) or Syrah.” Then there are those who say with a straight face while clutching a Bordeaux or Chianti, “I don’t like blends.” Is this simply the effect of drinking one bad bottle of a particular grape, or is it from years of drinking the same wine every day to the point of contempt. I might get tired of drinking Montrachet every day of my life; I might. I guess it would depend on who made it. Honey, I am just going to run to Costco and grab another 5 cases of Kirkland Montrachet. Oh no, not that again!

So, back to the wine rep. Her question to me regarding old-vine Zinfandels was akin to asking if I liked cheese from France, lawyers, people named Joe, or pants. It depends! I answered her so: I don’t like or dislike old-vine Zinfandels. I have neutral feelings towards the category. I like well made, delicious wine, period. It’s not the label. It’s not the region. It’s not the variety or even the blend. It’s not even necessarily about the producer. It all comes down to what is in the bottle. If the wine inside the bottle is good then I’ll like it. If the wine in the bottle is awful then, perhaps I could politely say it is a matter of taste; or perhaps it truly is awful. Wines are like individuals, you can’t honestly judge them by appearance or if their name is Joe. You have to open them up and get to know them. You either like them or you don’t, and it’s not necessarily their fault if you don’t.

I found myself answering the customer who thought I didn’t like white wines, very much the same way. I love wine. I like well-made, balanced wine - red, white, rosé and yes, even sparkling. I asked her why she thought I didn’t like whites. She hadn’t a clue. Perhaps it was because I was a guy. I guess the reason I was so compelled to jot all this down is this. I am disheartened by those who lump wine into broad categories and either dismiss them or embrace them blithely; even more so when the person in question is in the wine trade. There is so much information out there about wine, probably too much, and yet there is still a shocking amount of ignorance not only at the consumer level but in the professional sphere as well.

I am not excluding myself from wine profiling or ignorance. I drink very little domestic wine at home. I have a very euro-centric palate that leans decidedly to French wine. But this arises from experimenting with wine for over 25 years. I rarely drink the same wine in a calendar year and I am willing, even excited, to try any new wine shown to me regardless of where it comes from or who made it. It is unimportant what the label looks like, what grape the wine is made from, or what country the wine stems from. A friend of mine queried on Twitter this morning, "Do you like field blends? Or would you rather know exactly what grapes & percentages are in your wine?" I responded, "@RichardPF It's always nice to know what is in the bottle, but all that really matters is how good the wine is." And that just about sums it up.

On The Road To Becoming A Master Of Wine: Hitting Some Bumps As Insanity Sets In

2010-10-27T13:26:00.001-04:00

Am I insane for wanting to be a Master of Wine candidate? Quite possibly. I am starting to think that trying to become a Master of Wine might be a nutty way of proving to myself that I just don't have the skills I think I have and spending a lot of money to find this all out.

Having passed the Level 2 Wine Studies Program at Boston University in May early this year, I have signed up for Level 3. I am about 7 weeks into this course, which roughly marks the halfway point, and I have the mid-term coming up this Wednesday, oh wait, it's today! I am not feeling all that confident. The midterm is almost all blind tasting. Ten wines from a pool of fifty-seven to identify blind, three taste components (bitter, sour, sweet, astringency, heat, etc.) to identify from solutions, and three Le Nez du Vin aromas to identify. I am having nightmares. I am dreaming I am taking the test and I can't identify a single wine and I can't even come up with one wine term to describe them. I think I am trying too hard. I am taking Level 3 more seriously than Level 2. Am I taking this too seriously? Probably. Well, maybe not.

For me, Level 2 was a breeze. I scored 100% on the mid-term exam and scored a steak dinner at a Boston steakhouse. I scored 94% on the final exam, and, with rounding up, my final grade was 96%. Pass with Distinction is what it says on my certificate. I was in the Finger Lakes wine region the weekend before the exam and did not manage to get any studying in. I was able to answer all the blind wine tasting questions correctly, which was very important to me, but I failed to answer six multiple choice questions correctly. If I remember right, three of them were beer questions. I would have preferred another perfect score but I really can't complain.

Level 2 focuses on all the major wine regions in the world with some attention paid to the minor ones like Romania and Croatia. The course also illustrates an analytical way of tasting. Not tasting blind so much, even though there were blind tastings on both exams, but tasting systematically, and learning to identify acid, tannin, alcohol etc. and where and how they affect your mouth and tongue. It also focuses on tasting as a group and the importance of having a common language to discuss the wines, making sure everyone knows the difference between sour, astringency, bitter and heat and using the right words to describe them. If we are all talking about different sensations but using the same words, that won't work. Conversely, if we talking about the same sensations but using different words to describe them, that doesn't work too well either.

Level 3, at least the first half, is all about blind tasting. Level 3 blind tasting takes the basic principles of tasting wine in Level 2 and magnifies them; evaluating a wine by deconstructing it, looking at its parts, taking climate into account, and by deducting what it can't be, coming up with a sane answer/guess. This is how I am looking at it anyway. The exercise is meant to discourage sniffing a glass of wine and immediately pronouncing its identity. There are some amazing people out there in the world of wine who seemingly do this, but this is generally not true for the majority of us. Even if, on some occasions, I have managed this feat I am by no means amazing; nor is this a consistent way to successfully taste wines blind.

I have been meeting with a small group of fellow students on Sundays to re-taste the wines we tasted during the Wednesday class. I have had some good days, some mediocre days, but never a truly bad day - well, not until this past Sunday that is. This past Sunday I identified an Australian Semillon as a German Riesling; I got petrol, peaches, low alcohol, high acid and a general softness in the mouth damn it! I thought an Anjou Blanc was a simple Chablis. Oddly enough, I got the Verdejo and the Gruner right; and I was shocked. I got the Torrontes from a sniff and a check on the hue; yeah I know, I didn't use the process. It was Torrontes! What really upset me the most, however, was that I screwed up four wines completely: a left and right bank Bordeaux, a Washington Merlot, and a Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. It wasn't that I confused the right and left bank,or even Washington and California. I confused the two countries! I was thoroughly humbled. The selected Bordeaux are of a modern style, but I guessed them correctly in class. Sometimes my notes of a particular wine in class did not resemble in any way the notes I made days or weeks later. I am very humbled and I am not confident of doing well on the exam.Hence the dreams of me taking the test in my underwear.

I realize I can't expect to do great at every level and at every test. Well, at least that realization is starting to solidify for me now. For now all I can do is look over my consolidated wine notes, read over the grape characteristics from Essential Winetasting by Michael Shuster (Level 3 required reading) and How To Taste by Jancis Robinson and maybe do a little praying. While I am at it I'll pray for my sanity as well.

A Day Trip To New York City: Walking Around A Sense Of Place

2010-10-01T14:05:00.000-04:00

Terroir, a sense of place, is an interesting idea. The idea that a place, a piece of ground, weather, various elements and influences all play a part in the make-up and sensations you get from a bottle of wine. Terroir is applied to other foods as well: coffee, tea, chocolate; even various meats, fish and cheese can be described as having terroir. I say it can sometimes be applied to people, to some extent, as well. If you are steeped in the place that you live, New York City, parts of California, Texas, Maine, astute or sensitive people can pick out accents, traits and mannerisms that are telling signs of your terroir. I think you lose that sense of place if you have lived in many locales or if strong influences from other cultures or lands affect your character. With regards to wine, when the wine-maker adjusts and fiddles too much, the wine can become characterless, lose its sense of place. It is not necessarily a bad thing for a person to not have or exhibit a sense of place. We are living thinking people who can express who we are with our ideas; and while some could argue that it isn't necessarily bad if wine doesn't exhibit a sense of place, wine isn't really capable of expressing, differentiating itself in a meaningful way other than by its terroir.

I was born in New York City. Queens, one of the five boroughs to be precise, but I made many trips into Manhattan as a kid with my grandmother. I loved taking the bus from Queens Village to a hazy location where we entered into the subway that took us into the City. She would take me, annually, to the Christmas and Easter show at Radio City Music Hall, where, on one occasion, I confided that someday I was going to marry a Rockette. I was probably six at the time and I think I was in love with everything New York. We would go to the Museums, Times Square, Roosevelt Center, Broadway, Chinatown, Little Italy and of course Central Park and its little zoo. Central Park, I think, was the nearest thing to a forest I would know for most of my pre-teen life. I have no recollection of my outward projection of terroir but it definitely wasn't a pre-adolescent version of Archie Bunker.

My family moved (essentially dragged me kicking and screaming) from Queens when I was twelve, to the culture shock known as New Hampshire, with its bad food, big lakes, Quoddy moccasins, Anna Lee dolls, and never ending forests of pine sticking out of granite. New Hampshire had its share of fun things for kids. Lots of swimming, building forts in real forests, and, in the winter, snow that a New York kid, if so inclined, could only dream about. In typical New Yorker fashion, however, even at twelve, I would point out to anyone who would listen how life outside of New York was a form of banishment from the one true glorious place on earth and my situation here in the sticks was only temporary. I would complain about the food, the lack of exciting things to do, and the lack of myriad transportation options, but mostly I whined about the food. I would have killed for a good slice of pizza or a real bagel with lox and cream cheese. Life moves forward, sometimes spiraling away from beginnings and I didn't visit Manhattan again until I was in my twenties.

I remember clearly the last time I was in Manhattan. It was pre-Giuliani, mid-eighties, and I was wandering around somewhere near Columbia with my girlfriend, at that time, and a friend of hers, who lived there. The friend's apartment was essentially a large walk-in closet with a heavy duty door that stayed secure with the help of a half dozen assorted deadbolts placed at varying heights and an iron rod that was planted into the floor and then leaned up to the door. I was sure there must be a boiling pot of oil on an electric hot plate handy in case there was an attack by the natives or coked up pre-law students. We left the safety of the reinforced closet to walk around and get a slice of real pizza, the kind you can only get in New York City (or Queens). But instead of being transported back to the city of my youth, I was struck by how filthy everything was - garbage everywhere, the streets and sidewalks covered with permanent stains of unknown origin. Derelicts staggering along and muttering to themselves or at anyone stupid enough to get close enough. The city didn't seem big and glorious to me; it seemed small and ugly.

It was shortly after leaving the apartment to begin our wanderings that the lights went out. The City blacked out! The energy changed; people around us got louder, agitated. Some people around us went from walking around placidly to walk/jogging with intent. I have to admit I became concerned. I was torn between getting that slice of pizza and bee-lining it for the apartment with all its locks and bolts and making sure the oil was hot and ready. I decided that life was too short to forgo good pizza and we pressed on. Shortly after procuring that heavenly slice a police officer passed us and I had a momentary sense of relief. I then watched as he took a swig from a brown paper bag. I guess that clinched it.

A couple of months ago a friend contacted me about a gallery show of Monets at the Gagosian in Chelsea. The exhibit would feature works that hang in private collections and homes and rarely if ever see the inside of a museum. There would be a private tour by a renowned Monet historian. Would I like to go with her and some friends?

So there I was, south of Houston St., SoHo - it was where we parked- walking up towards Chelsea. It was blazing hot. No one wanted to take a cab. It took us about forty minutes to reach the gallery. We passed stores of international stature, little shops that catered to a select few (one appeared to only sell chess related items) and street vendors selling truly useless items. The energy of the city? Electric, and I felt this was more like the city of my youth than of the last time I was here. The garbage and the stench, however, was invasive. As much as I was enjoying myself, wandering down big avenues and smaller side roads with their little villages tucked in a big city, I was repelled by the palpable filth the streets and buildings exuded from years of overuse and overpopulation of the inured. Somewhere on 10th we passed a nondescript building with an open door, a sliced up plastic curtain, moving slightly, in the doorway. The stench, of what I imagine a slaughter house stinks like, pushed its way out and all but knocked us over. I nearly puked. I blurted, "What the fuck was that?!" Maybe it was a slaughter house. We didn't investigate. When we found and entered the gallery with it's pristine white walls hung with expansive colorful Monets, it was like entering another world, and I really wanted a glass of wine.

I had other reasons for wanting to come to Manhattan other than the Monet exhibit. After 20 years, I sincerely wanted to see the City again and to see if had changed for the better as I had read and heard. I also really wanted to visit a wine bar and I was hoping to have a good but not terribly expensive dinner. As for the wine bar, after listening to people on Twitter and doing a little research online I decided I had to pay a visit to Terroir in the East Village. So after convincing the rest of the group that we needed to check this place out we trudged from Chelsea across the Island to what I was hoping would be a memorable drinking experience. I was not disappointed.

Terroir in the East Village is located at 413 E. 12th St. across from an open patch of green and a small concrete playground/skate-park. The earthen flat stone facade makes the little bar easy to pick out in the mostly red-brick building neighborhood. Inside, although very small and narrow, the atmosphere is lively, yet down to wine-business. The servers are not only knowledgeable and helpful but they were friendly as well. The bathroom is awesome.

The eclectic, raucous and sometimes hilarious wine list (which is viewable online) is loaded with bottles of interesting, obscure and potentially great wines. They have more Riesling, arguably the greatest white grape in the world, per square footage than perhaps Alsace. They have six, yes six, different vintages of Trimbach's Cuvee Frederick Emile Riesling! They have a page devoted to Blaufrankisch. They have the 06 Domaine Leflaive Batard-Montrachet ($1,100) for when you can expense it. They cater to the adventurous or, I am certain, anyone really.

The day I went was the first day of their Summer of Riesling promotion. Twenty or so Rieslings were offered by the glass. My only negative critique? There wasn't much choice of another white varietal by the glass to be found. I found this a bit odd. Not a problem for me, but I could see how this could turn some people off.

I started off with a Rose from Lopez de Heredia which was insanely good after a very long morning car ride and the hot walk around NYC that took up much of the afternoon. Dry, faint strawberry and raspberry aromas, with toasted hazelnuts and vanilla. I was in a little oasis and was feeling quite joyous. My second glass was the 07 Hermann Wiemer, Magdalena Vineyard, Riesling. Both wines were very good and I would have been quite content if we spent the rest of the evening there sipping different wines.

I enjoyed everything about Terroir; the cheese and charcouterie plate was delicious, but the thing that struck a chord within me and resonated the core of my wine beliefs, the one thing that made me say, "Oh my God, that is so obvious, why doesn't every restaurant or bar do this!?!" was the way they served you a glass of wine. In my experience, when you order a glass of wine at a restaurant, bar, or even a wine bar, you are served a glass of wine. That's it! You are sitting at a table and your waiter delivers to you a wine glass filled with, presumably, the wine you ordered and that's it! The way they serve you a glass of wine at Terroir is different. The waiter brings you an empty glass or glasses and the bottle or bottles of wine you ordered. They show you the bottle to make sure there is no misunderstanding about what you ordered and after confirmation they pour a small taste for you to make sure you indeed like the wine and to check if it is perhaps flawed. After accepting the wine, they pour you a decent glass of wine and take the bottle back to the bar. Now, that is it! That is the way all glasses of wine should be served. If I ever open a wine bar ...

We then moseyed over to the Apiary on 3rd Avenue. It was Monday and they have "No Corkage" on that night. I wanted to find Chambers Street Wines and grab a couple of bottles for dinner but my companions were getting tired and we did have a long trip back home to Massachusetts. It turns out, after looking at a map, we were nowhere near Chambers Street. For some reason I thought it was in the East Village, ah well. The Apiary turned out to be a very good choice for food and can I recommend it for that. The service however was less than stellar. Our waiter was indifferent and sullen, just took our orders and seemed displeased at the fact that he had to work this shift or perhaps at all. The other complaint was over a glass of wine. After finishing off a bottle of a light and lively Bruno Giacosa Arneis, my friend and I were still working on our dinner. The other two said they had had enough wine so we just ordered a couple glasses. The disgruntled waiter brought them to the table, wine in the glass. They were corked. Not terribly so, but musty enough. The glasses were whisked away. The waiter came back with new glasses filled and informed us that the bartender said the wines were not corked. We asked if these glasses were from a new bottle. We were told that they weren't, the wine isn't corked. I took a whiff: corked. The wines were taken off the bill at least. I can't condemn the place after one visit, and the food was quite good, so perhaps it was an off night with the B staff. We struck up a very brief conversation with the group next to us, they had a plethora of yummy looking wine bottles littering their table - they were taking advantage of the no corkage fee - and, oddly enough, one of the diners was John Truax of Chambers Street Wines, who gave us his card. What a strange coincidence.

I find it hard to fathom why anyone in their right mind would deign to to live in Manhattan; yet I still have strong feelings for New York and a subtle connection to it. I am not sure I project a specific terroir and I think my sense of place has been muddled over time. I don't have an accent, or at least not any specific regional accent. My sarcastic nature generally draws bewildered stares from true New Englanders, yet they are still very surprised when I say I am originally from Queens. This is all fine. Manhattan, though, most certainly has its own terroir and it's own micro-climates of terroir. I think there is also a polluted nature to Manhattan's terroir; the air, the water, the ground and even the psyche of those who blithely inhabit or wander the streets are complicit and seemingly complacent to the filth and squalor around them. Despite that, I still view Manhattan as a magical, wondrous and thriving city; and what I think makes it so are the many oases like Terroir, planted or germinated in the compost of the sense of place in which they exist. I am very much looking forward to my next visit.

Stewed Smith Is A Hoax

2010-07-21T15:48:00.000-04:00

Stewed Smith is a hoax. There, I've said it. Someone had to speak up, even if only from the internet. Now it is up to anyone out there, who cares, to prove me wrong. I started this post to offer nothing in the way of actual proof, but prefer to throw out my opinions as they come to me. I am pretty sure Stewed was fabricated, or at least embellished upon by jUiCy Davis in an effort to stem the growing legions of biodynamic wine growers fascinated by potent and tasty teas, such as cow intestines stuffed with chamomile. I can only imagine the enormous sums of revenue lost by jUiCy and Celestial Seasonings, as young ambitious grape growers and wine makers reject jUiCy's cookie cutter methods in favor of natural wine making, tea brewing, Anthroposophia and Astrologically charged viticulture. To put an end to this mass exodus and to keep the coffers full and the tenured professors employed, it seems they may have co-opted a winery and a blog called "Biodynamics is a Hoax" managed by this apocryphal cheer leader. For my part, I intend to use the wackiest quotes attributed to Stewed to illustrate how hoaxy he is.

When purportedly asked who he would like to have dinner with, Stewed responded with this telling gem: "Aristotle after a day of teaching Alexander the Great. Thomas Jefferson after the ratification of the Bill of Rights. Papa Hemingway while on safari in Africa" News to Stewed or whomever: All of the people are dead! Stewed doesn't want to just eat and talk with dead people, however; it seems he wants to protect his grape-growing and wine-making interests from Rudolf Steiner, father of biodynamics, who is, predictably, but unfortunately deceased as well. Rudy and his growing legion of followers apparently have been disrespecting non biodynamic wines and not mowing their lawns. It is unclear at this juncture what percentage of Rudy's followers are dead. From Stewed's supposed blog "...Steiner also spoke with the dead." It seems Rudy actually spoke with the dead and Stewed thus far only yearns to. This just adds fuel to the fire and must really stick in Stewed's craw.

These fermented quotes from this hoaxotical bottle tilter are numerous and in no way coherent:

"Yes, Biodynamics is a little kooky, but so what- no harm, no foul!"

"WHY IS BIODYNAMICS HARMFUL! ...I answer, not in my own words, but from an article... they are more eloquent and persuasive than I could be:"

"...like sausage it’s not something you’re supposed to see..."

"Everyone who eats a carrot today will die!"

Whether these quotes can be ascribed to Stewed or some huge thinking machine is unclear, but here is another sampling. "I have attached my wagon to science." Stewed has attached his imaginary Radio Flyer wagon, (which contains most of his beliefs, a refractometer, pruning shears, twisty ties, sacks of N-P-K, a pair of boxing gloves, sentimental knick knacks, some elk jerky and a change of shorts) to science. It's bad enough that, for what seems eons, the scientific world has been besieged by religious fanatics, reactionary nut-sacks and evolutionary naysayers of all political factions. Now, it seems agricultural science, jUiCy and Stewed's beloved wagon are under attack from beyond the grave. Joining the fray are Mendocino, Joly Nick, and quite possibly the Atlanteans who will arrive from another solar system after visiting some friends in the Middle East. Rudy's spirit is accused of leading an army of zombie-like biodynamic hazards intent on converting conventional grape growers and wine makers into sandal wearing, dung-stuffed cow horn brandishing, compost-brained eco-terroirists.

The legendary Stewed - who, if proven not to be a hoax, seems to be a cross between a Yeti, a garden gnome, and what I think is a toupee wearing ex-landlord of mine named Rocco - has allegedly been spotted roaming Napa Valley's Spring Mountain. Stewed, it has been said grows grapes on a hillside that the man-creature de-forested with his bare hands and has been fighting an uphill battle with erosion ever since. It is said that Stewed makes wines from these grapes with his brother, Madrone, who resembles, or may in fact be, an ericaceous broadleaved tree. The relentless taunting and constant nyah nyahs by Stewed's biodynamic neighbors has forced this presumably solitary creature out of the safety of a hillside winery and onto the safety of the internet. Sightings include the dubious yet innocuous Cork'd website.

If all else fails, Stewed seems to be intent on boxing Rudy in the nether regions, which, I am fairly certain, is generally considered a foul and a good excuse for being sent back your corner of the world. This, as long as you still have your little red wagon, is probably for the best.

I have no idea who will win this battle, but I plan on hedging my bet by taking positions in both Constellation Brands (STZ) and laying down cases of DRC. Monsanto and Whole Foods could be another option.

I have much more to say on this matter and in the coming decades I hope to convince someone that Stewed is, indeed a hoax. It may come down to these simple, but quite obviously logical and true statements. If you believe in Stewed then you can't possibly believe in Rudy. And conversely, if you believe in Rudy then you can't possibly believe in Stewed. For that matter, if you believe in KJ then you can't possibly believe in DRC. So if you believe in DRC then you are forbidden to believe in KJ. Also, if you believe in the FDA then you couldn't possibly believe in Demeter. While believing in Demeter automatically nullifies the FDA.

It's Above 80 Degrees! Time For The First Rosé of the Season

2010-06-06T16:16:00.001-04:00

This year, up here in the northeast, it took a while for the temperature to rise above eighty degrees . We had a high of eighty-three degrees on May 25th and, while I had tasted a few samples for work, I used this opportunity to open the first rosé of the season in my own kitchen. To be honest, we did have a freaky hot day on April 7th when it hit ninety, but I was unprepared for that event, so it doesn't count.

I usually prepare for this yearly celebration, "The Official Start of Rosé Season", by leaving one bottle of rosé, from the previous year, untouched. This takes forethought and a bit of will power, but sometimes it simply comes down to a looming winter with its northeasterly frigid winds extinguishing the desire for pink juice and thereby leaving a cellar orphan in my closet. This year, however, I was out of luck, unprepared, and without a rosé from last year's vintage. Yet providence shined on this year's ribbon cutting, ceremonial, pop of the cork; I experienced, what I will call, a happy accident.

Sometime in April, the wine/liquor store I work at part-time had started to put this year's selection of rosés out onto their metal racks, and I noticed what I thought was a 2009 Couly-Dutheil, Chinon, Rosé. I picked one up, brought it home and lined it up with the growing horde of wines I have been meaning to try. When, weeks later, May 25th came around with its forecast of temperatures reaching pink wine levels, I reached for the 09 Couly-Dutheil first thing in the morning, and shoved it in the fridge. Later in the day, when I got home from a sticky, humid day of gardening, I pulled the bottle from the fridge, set it on the counter where it immediately started to form beads of sweat. I uncorked it without much thought, poured a glass and started to sip while I assembled dinner, which was to be yogurt, lime, and garlic marinated chicken breasts grilled on the Weber. I even tweeted that I had just opened the bottle. I was still a bit perturbed that I wasn't drinking an 08, but I should have paid attention to the little le Mondial du Rosé silver seal, given by The Union des OEnologues de France, on the front of the bottle, which I ignored when I bought the bottle. The year on the sticker, quite plainly, was 2009, which meant that there was no way this rosé could have been from that vintage. I didn't notice this obvious discrepancy until I was half-way through the bottle. I turned the bottle around and found the vintage: 2008! All was well; the wine gods looked down on me with favor or pity; the first rose of 2010 was, indeed, from the 2008 vintage!

2008 Couly-Dutheil, Rene Couly, Chinon, Rosé - Clear, watermelon pink with an orange tone. Nose had strawberry, watermelon and papaya fruit aromas, as well as green bell pepper and a hint of burnt sugar. The palate was very bright, tart acidity balanced by a little bit of sweetness up front, but finished long and dry. The fruitiness as well as the bell pepper flavor carried over nicely from the aromas. Good concentration of flavors. 100% Cabernet Franc. Alcohol as stated on the label: 12.5%. $19.99. Very Good.

So far this spring I've tasted a little over a dozen rosés from the 2009 vintage. I highly recommend the following if you prefer, as I do, a very crisp and dry style:

Commanderie de la Bargemone, Coteaux d'Aix en Provence. $15ish

Domaine Houchart, Provence. $10ish

J M Raffault, Chinon. $17ish

A quick take on dinner and the marinade. I served this wine with grilled marinated chicken breasts, fiddle-heads and Israeli couscous with cranberries and pecans (purchased at Whole Foods). The wine went seamlessly with every aspect of the dish. The woodsy demeanor of the fiddle-heads sidled up nicely to the bell pepper in the wine, the cranberries mirrored the wine's tartness, and the fruit and zip of the wine brought out the spices and natural flavors of the chicken. The marinade is very simple, and doesn't have to be exact, but I am always amazed at the delicious results. Cheers!

cup of yogurt

juice of one small lime

T. freshly grated ginger

2 cloves of garlic

t. coriander

t. cumin

t. salt

Finger Lakes, NY - TasteCamp East 2010, Day One.

2010-05-24T12:28:00.001-04:00

Well, it has been little over a week since I left the Finger Lakes wine region, tired and palate-fatigued, yet brimming with excitement after meeting some great people and tasting some very well made wines. I have let my mind's dust settle and allowed the afterglow of a good time fade to a flicker. If I am to relate what I tasted with little impartiality, I feel I should get back to the normal rhythm of my life, such as it is. Not that this trip was an expense paid free-for-all booze fest. Contrary to that idea, every person on this trip paid their own way, and with the exception of a couple fellow participants, we all managed to stay sober.

The Finger Lakes, geologically speaking, were formed by glaciers, but I am partial to the Native American legend. The Creator looked with favor and blessed this land by pressing his hands into the earth creating the lakes. Some of these lakes, such as Seneca and Cayuga, are named after tribes in the Iroquois Nation and all but one lake were name by Native Americans. The hills and valleys I saw here were green and fertile; and while the lakes here can turn quite choppy, I had a mostly tranquil feeling throughout the weekend. I wish I could have stayed and explored longer.

Day One: Keuka Lake

The first stop was Heron Hill Winery. The winery's architecture reminded me of something out of "The Village" from the British TV series "The Prisoner". Modern, with interconnected buildings, clean lines, a cupola and a columned structure, it was a work of art. It was here I got my name tag and first met my fellow bloggers/tasters for the weekend. A very friendly and lively group, and all very eager to sample what this region had to offer.

There was a grand tasting and buffet lunch in Heron Hill's tasting hall. Wineries on Keuka Lake, and other lakes west of Seneca, were invited to bring their wines, or at least a sampling of them for us to try. The selection was varied, not only in varieties of grapes, but in styles and quality. I was quite pleased to find a few wines I liked very much and also quite disappointed in a few wines I found lacking. The majority fell somewhere in the middle; not bad but somewhat lacking focus or a quality that excited me. I didn't have the time to try all the wines at this tasting, but a few that stood out in a positive way: 2002 Heron Hill, Riesling, Ingles Vineyard; 2007 Heron Hill, Riesling, Ingles Vineyard; 2007 Arbor Hill, Traminette; 2009 Hunt Country, Riesling; 2009; Dr. Konstantin Frank, Semi-Dry Riesling; 2008 Dr. Konstantin Frank, Riesling, Bunch Select Harvest (TBA); 2009 Imagine Moore, Sauvignon Blanc. A smattering of wines that, for me, really missed the boat: 2009 Imagine Moore, Passion; 2008 Imagine Moore, Truth; 2007 Wilhelmus, Riesling; 2007 Wilhelmus, Cayuga; 2008 McGregor, Dry Gewurztraminer Reserve; 2008 McGregor, Rkatsitelli-Serekslya.

From here we all caravan-ed over to the other side of Keuka lake for a sit down tasting at Ravines Wine Cellars. We were greeted by Morten and Lisa Hallgren, owners of this more humble looking estate. I had actually met Lisa once before in Newton, MA at the wine shop where I work part-time. I had liked what she brought around then and I was looking forward to trying some of these wines again. I also was looking forward to trying their Cabernet Franc, which I had not managed to get a sample of back home.

Here, Morten talked about the history of their winery and lamented, to some extent, about the backward perception in the New World of cold climate vs. warm climate wines. He explained that generally, in Europe, cool or cold climate regions are commonly considered to produce finer wines - more elegant and nuanced. Think of Piedmont in Italy or Burgundy, Alsace and Champagne in France. While warm or hot climate regions are generally considered to produce everyday table wines - chunkier, denser, less elegant.. Think Puglia and Abruzzo in Italy or Languedoc and Southern Rhone in France. In the New World there is a big focus on warm climate wines with big fruit and alcohol. The leaner, more nuanced styles tend to get short shrift. Morten believes that based on the cool climate/fine wine assumption, the Finger Lake region should have the potential to become an important wine region with world class wines. It's a compelling argument, and one that I mostly agree with.

We tried three basic Rieslings here: the 2006, 2007 and 2008. All were bone dry, very precise and delicious. I found the nose on all three to have a similar underlying brightness of fresh cut limes, but beyond that they each displayed their own nuanced personalities. We also tried the 2008 Riesling, Argetsinger Vineyard which had more richness and intensity than the other three. It also made apparent, the good sense of Morten to bottle this vineyard on its own. We had the 2008 Pinot Noir Rose as well as the 2007 Pinot Noir; both solid, but each had a component that prevented me from liking them more. The last three wines we tried here were red wines made from Bordeaux varieties. The 2007 Cabernet Franc knocked me back with its intense aromas that almost had me convinced I was drinking a Chinon. A really beautiful translation of this grape and at $18.95 was one of my take home wines of the trip. The last two wines, a 2007 Meritage and a 2007 Merlot, while solidly made, just didn't do it for me.

We all finally got a breather and convoyed back to the hotel in Watkins Glen. I had not checked in yet and had no idea what to expect, but was mildly surprised to find the Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel quite nice and staffed with very friendly people. The room was spacious and inviting, with a view overlooking Lake Seneca. I threw my gear on the floor and promptly took a hot shower. I thought I might have time to relax and/or study, but I realized that there were two shuttle buses anxiously waiting to take us to our next destination. I needed to get downstairs to the lobby if I was to enjoy the evening's event of a co-sponsored wine tasting and wine dinner.

The Bistro at Red Newt Cellars was a short bus trip from the hotel along/near the east coast of Seneca lake. We gathered on the deck and looking west it promised to be a good view for a sunset. I was thinking reclining deck chair and a cocktail at this point. Not to be; we had our work cut out for us before sitting down to dinner. Inside, at three tasting stations, we had the opportunity to taste through three horizontals of Riesling. Red Newt Cellars, Fox Run Vineyards, Anthony Road Wine Company and Tierce (which is a collaboration from all three) brought out their 2004, 2005 and 2006 Rieslings, each vintage at its own station. The wines that stood out for me here were: 2004 Red Newt; 2006 Tierce and the 2006Anthony Road which was so delicious, so mouth filling (it made me salivate), that I was devastated when told there was none for me to buy and take home (or just guzzle in my hotel room when no one was looking).

I should also note that it was on the deck before the Riesling tasting where I finally met Joe Roberts (1WineDude), who types a very well written and entertaining wine blog, and who proved to be a very nice guy in person; and despite all the chatter on Twitter and elsewhere, was much taller than I expected. I also got to meet and talk with Sue Guerra (NJ Monthly). The three of us talked WSET and it got me thinking how I really ought to be studying for my final in four days.

Dinner was served family style with everyone passing platters of beautifully prepared food. As I have the advantage of hindsight, I can safely say, this was the best meal I had all weekend! Kudos to chef Debra Whiting! Before dinner and at various points during, our hosts talked a bit about their wines, their philosophies, and whatever moved them. David Whiting, owner/winemaker at Red Newt, mostly played host and seemed very friendly and down to earth. Peter Bell, winemaker at Fox Run, was a more severe character and delighted in talking about the technical aspects regarding their endeavors. I believe it was he who emphasized the trio's mission to eliminate Brettanomyces (Brett) from their wines and wineries. A little sad for me; I like a little Brett in some of my wines. Johannes Reinhardt, winemaker at Anthony Road, was the more emotional speaker and on at least one occasion had the majority of the group quite moved by his intensity and obvious passion for his craft.

With the main dinner we were served various reds from all three wineries. At one point, as my ADD kicked in and I helplessly scanned the table I was seated at, I tried to locate the "Red Tears" wine our host was talking about, only to realize he was talking about the red "Tierce". The 2007 Tierce Red is a blend of Lemberger, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah and was one of the wines that stood out for me. My favorite red of the evening, however, was the 2007 Anthony Road, Cabernet Franc/Lemberger blend, which showed beautiful balance, with a smoky, wild red fruit character. Another Anthony Road offering, a Trockenbeerenauslese style Riesling served after dinner, also impressed. The 2007 Red Newt Syrah, while a good effort, failed to convince me that Syrah should be taking up vineyard space in the Finger Lakes. I tried a few different Syrahs from the area over the weekend, and felt the same way about all of them; I just don't think that this is a good grape for this climate.

After dinner chats and a short bus trip back to the hotel, I was welcomed by the turned down sheets of a spacious bed. Closing my eyes and taking in the day's events, I only slightly dreaded the 8 am start time of the next day's lineup, before drifting off to slumberland.

The Finger Lakes from space (Slumberland?).

Finger Lakes, NY - TasteCamp East 2010, Fingers Crossed

2010-05-06T13:08:00.000-04:00

This weekend I will be attending the TasteCamp East 2010 in the Finger Lakes of upstate NY. This was put together largely by Lenn Thompson of the New York Cork Report and a host of wineries from that area. The area is beautiful. I have been there before. Lake areas have always appealed to me even though I am a landlubber at heart; it took me a long time to teach myself to swim. I like to stare at water, Zen-like, or perhaps in just a comatose-like state, for a fairly long time. I will be driving and using the journey for a detour to put flowers on my grandmother's grave in Little Falls. A somber moment to be followed by a weekend of education and fun. Everything in moderation and balance. Hopefully.

Castel Grisch's B&B looking through the vines

The opportunity to taste a large sampling of wines produced in this part of the world stirred mixed feelings on my part. First and foremost, I am very interested in assessing the quality and style these wines represent. I will meet wine makers and other wine enthusiasts with whom I can share ideas and opinions. There will be delicious dinners and party on a boat. I think it should be a fun adventure. Nagging at me, however, are the experiences I have had with NY wines in the past. Generally I thought the wines to be Good to Poor. To be fair, the "past" was fifteen plus years ago, and I have had a few NY wines in the last three years that I thought were very good, if somewhat over-priced. I tend to think, however, that most wines are overpriced. I am keeping an open mind and my fingers crossed.

Castel Grisch, circa 1994?

My biggest dilemma, however, with regards to mixed feelings, is what wine to bring for the BYOB wine dinner. My first thought was to bring a wine made from a grape variety that the Finger Lakes is known for. Riesling, Cabernet Franc, or Pinot Noir seemed like good choices. But... won't we be tired of tasting the same varieties all day and night? It might be good for a change of pace and place. So I though Bordeaux or maybe Rioja. Then I thought, boring. I should bring something that would excite a crowd of forty or so wine geeks. Ugh, I hate these kind of decisions. Perhaps a Bully Hill wine... just kidding. As I type, I am juggling, (yeah, I got skill) a Burgundy a Chinon, and a Cremant du Jura.

Hosmer Winery, circa 1994?

Well, it should all be a blast and I hope to meet great people. I just have to remember to find time for studying for my final on Tuesday. I really thought I should use this weekend for cramming, and this almost prevented me from attending, but kind of damage could a little more information cause? Still keeping my fingers crossed, and I still don't know what to bring.

The Gorge

A long time ago.

Jura Wines, Not Just For Wine Geeks - Three From Tissot

2010-04-30T12:31:00.000-04:00

What do you do when you have three bottles of wine which can be described as obscure at best, and which have been staring at you from their corner for over two months? What if these wines were all from the same producer from a little known area in France called the Jura? Well, if you were me, you'd cook a three course meal inspired by the area, and you'd invite some people over who aren't wine geeks but like wine, and you'd see what happens.

All three wines were made by Stéphane Tissot who is now making wine at his family's domaine and is using bio-dynamic practices. With very little intervention, native yeasts and less sulfur, his many cuvees express terroir - a sense of place. For me, these wines all displayed a minerality best described as a marine like salinity. It was if the vines were pulling the essence of a long dried ocean from the earth.

The Jura, which lies east of Burgundy, south of the Vosges mountains and west of Switzerland, is in the Franche-Comté region of France. The main grape varieties here are Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Savignin, Poulsard and Trouseau. Except for those first two varieties, these are grapes that most people have never heard of. It is also where Comté cheese, a Swiss Gruyere type, comes from.

For the sake of transparency and full disclosure: I received two of these wine as samples.

Cremant du Jura and Appetizers

I felt lazy with this course. I asked guests to bring cheeses, pates and baguettes for appetizers. I expressed my preference for Jura inspired cheeses but added that it wasn't absolutely necessary. As it turned out, my guests got into the spirit of it and procured a wild mushroom pate; a duck, chicken, truffle paté; a Morbier cheese and, of course, a Comté cheese. There was also a third cheese, its name...no one could remember. The wine paired best with the Comté and the duck paté as the savory flavors were intensified. It was a flavorsome beginning.

NV Tissot Crémant du Jura, Brut - Light yellow-gold in appearance with small persistent bubbles. Aromas of medium intensity with a fresh yeasty component, followed by green apples and minor hints of flint and mushroom. The palate had a nice balance of fruit and acidity along with fine to medium bubbles. The flavors and smells in the mouth ranged from apples and lemon to earthy mushroom tones. I also noticed some salinity and umami. Light to medium in body with a clean finish. $19.99. Good+ I think this wine is a fantastic value. Made from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and in the traditional method, this wine costs roughly half of what an equivalent Champagne would.

Chardonnay and Scallops

I saw this great recipe for scallops and Morteau, a French sausage, on a website. The Morteau sausage, apparently, is a local specialty in the Jura and is smoked with pine. Unfortunately I can only imagine what it tastes and smells like. The sausage was impossible to locate so I used andouille instead. The dish was relatively simple. Slice the sausage into thin wheels and then roast in the oven. Brown the scallops. Slice a fennel bulb into eighths and steam it. Make a sauce with fig vinegar and the scallop juices remaining in the pan. The recipe actually called for raspberry vinegar, but I didn't have any on hand. Put the scallops and sausages on skewers and cook for about a minute in oven. Arrange fennel, scallops and sausages on plates and drizzle with the sauce.

2008 Tissot Chardonnay, Arbois, France - Very pale yellow, almost clear in the glass. Fairly intense aromas of ripe apples with a touch of lemon, marine salty minerality, sweet almonds and chamomile. Soft on the palate except for a little heat, the flavors carry over from the palate seamlessly, including the salinity, and add a touch of creaminess. Medium bodied with a very fine texture. Alcohol as stated on the labe 13%. $25 retail. Very Good-.

*Disclaimer: I received this wine as a sample from the importer.

There was a quick interlude, sans wine, with a palate cleanser of roasted beets, blood oranges and raw fennel.

Poulsard and Chicken

On the same web site I found a recipe for Coq au Vin Jaune et aux Morilles, which is Chicken with Yellow Wine and Morels. I found the yellow wine very hard to find and when I did the cost was prohibitive. I made some adjustments to the recipe, including substituting two bottles of Beaujolais Blanc for the Vin Jaune. I did use morels which added a nice earthy component to the dish and some bacon to kick up the salty fat goodness. The Coq au Vin was served alongside roasted asparagus, and a puree of potato and roasted parsnip. I can't wait for an excuse to make this again. Unfortunately I did not write down my adjustments, so next time may be different.

2007 Tissot Poulsard Vieilles Vignes, Arbois, France - A very brilliant, clear ruby red. On the fairly intense nose, I immediately breathed ripe red cherries, hints of earth, mushroom and forest like cedar notes. This wine also carried smoothly from nose to palate with very pure flavors and had a sour cherry component with a bit of umami, savory character. Not a hint of bitterness, this medium to light bodied wine did have some lingering soft astringency, which gave it very nice length. A beautiful wine that paired very nicely with the dish. Alcohol as stated on the label 12.5%. $25 retail. Very Good.

*Disclaimer: I received this wine as a sample from the importer.

Dessert

One of our guests made a fabulous dessert to top off the evening. A tiramisu to die for.

At the top of this blog I alluded to the idea that these wines are a bit out of the ordinary, not only for where they come from, but also, in the case of the Poulsard, for the grape variety used. I also intimated that although these guests like wine, these wines were probably out of their comfort zone. While pouring each wine, I repeatedly said, "Please be honest if you don't like these wines. I didn't make them, so you won't hurt my feelings." Well, unless everyone was just being polite - and this crowd definitely doesn't fit that description when it comes to wine - the wines were immensely enjoyed by everyone. So, just a friendly reminder; push your boundaries and don't be afraid to push someone else's. Cheers!

On The Road To Becoming A Master Of Wine: First On-Ramp; Scoring A Steak Dinner

2010-04-09T13:19:00.001-04:00

I am still taking the wine course, Level 2, given by Bill Nesto and Sandy Block, at the Elizabeth Bishop Wine Resource Center at Boston University. At this point I am a little over halfway through. Study materials include The World Atlas of Wine by Hugh Johnson, which we are expected to read in its entirety, and a fairly thick red binder that serves as a study guide. That, along with three-hour lectures from 6PM to 9PM, weekly for fifteen weeks, is a fair amount of information to absorb.

A few weeks ago we had the mid-term examination which counts for 30% of the final grade. The test had a total of 48 questions and we had 45 minutes to finish. It consisted of, primarily, multiple choice questions, a process question and a few map questions. There was also a tasting part; we were asked to identify the variety of grape, or type of wine, from three different glasses of wine.

I believe in positive reinforcement. That is how I train my dog. I also like to give it a go.The class was to go over each question when the test was completed and we could ask questions if we had any. This meant I would know how many answers I got right and/or wrong, right then and there. Very convenient, because, before the test I came up with a reward structure that I hoped would motivate me additionally to do well on the test. I set for myself, with regards to taking the test, the following instructions:

Don't think you know everything.
Take your time.
Reread questions and go over the test once after completing it.
Take your time!!!

The reward structure went like this:

0 questions wrong = Steak dinner with a bottle of wine at nice restaurant.
1-3 questions wrong = Meal and glass of wine at inexpensive restaurant.
4-5 questions wrong = Burrito.
6+ questions wrong = Go home, have leftovers.

I felt confident of at least a burrito at the end of the exam. There were three questions that I had to spend some time with, painstakingly examining each choice and I went over the process question a few times to be sure I wasn't missing something. As it turned out, I scored 100%. A steak dinner it was then.

I hadn't thought this part out. Where to eat? While heading into Boston, I decided, quite quickly, that if I am going to have a good steak I may as well go to a good steak house. They should know their steak and hopefully they know their wine. Boston may not be the steak house capital of the world, but they have their share; Capital Grille, Smith & Wolensky, Morton's, Ruth's Chris, Grill 23. The Grill 23 is an exclusively Boston restaurant, which in itself, has appeal to me, as I generally avoid chains. That, and that there was a spot three cars from the door clinched it for me.

I sat at the gorgeous bar, which I practically had to myself; it was 9:30PM, after all. I have been to some trade tastings but have never dined here. I ordered a flat-iron steak and, in a convenient half-bottle size, a 2005 Chateau de Pibarnon, from Bandol.

I hadn't been eating long when a young couple came in, sat a few chairs away from me, and asked for the wine list. They poured over it with a seemingly rapturous intensity. The wine list at Grill 23 is packed with gems of all sorts. I thought they were going to order something quite interesting and tasty. I casually tried to listen in to their exchanges as they pointed to various entries on the list, but couldn't make anything out. I am always curious what wine other people buy, but I gave up trying to eavesdrop. I figured all would be revealed when the bottle arrived. After about twenty minutes they called over the bartender. They had a brief exchange, the bartender said "I'll get the wine director," and left. Now I REALLY thought they were getting something exciting, perhaps something expensive, perhaps one of the La La's (La Mouline, La Turque, La Landonne) or a DRC or a first or second growth Bordeaux or a cult Cab. I think, however, we all know where this story is going to end.

The bartender came back, accompanied by the "Wine Director" who was dressed in a white restaurant smock and looking very professional. The couple then proceeded to ask their question. "What's the difference between the Turley Old Vines Zin and the Merryvale Starmont Cab?" I wanted to blurt out, "20 bucks!" but instead I poured the remainder of my wine into the glass, took a sip, and had the disappointing feeling of being cheated by this couple. The "Wine Director" started to describe the wines. I didn't hear the entirety of the exchange, but it was brief. He said something about the Turley having dried fruit, prune-y flavors accompanied by high alcohol. The Merryvale he described simply as having dusty fruit from the flat floor of Napa Valley, while sweeping his arms and hands in front of him, like an umpire making the "safe" sign. I guess the thought of drinking alcoholic prune juice didn't sound as good as dusty fruit and they ordered the Merryvale. I imagine that, on a subliminal level, they thought it was the safe choice.

When I asked for my check a few minutes later, I asked the bartender, "So, that was the Wine Director?" He responded, "No, I couldn't find a wine associate; that was a waiter." Ah, well that explained the less than enticing description of either wine. You'd think a restaurant of this caliber would have a handy wine expert on deck at all times. Or perhaps they could enroll their waitstaff in the Level 1 Wine Course at BU, with the added incentive of a free steak dinner for doing well.

2007 Southern Rhone Blind Tasting: Part 1, Or, Check Your Equipment

2010-03-30T21:20:00.004-04:00

I was fortunate to be invited to a blind 2007 southern Rhone tasting by fellow blogger Adam Japko who crafts a well written and quite slick looking wine blog called WineZag. This was to be a gathering of sixteen or so fellow tasters, some, also, wine bloggers, but the majority were simply wine enthusiast friends of Adam's. I had met Adam, once, for ten minutes at a Loire Valley wine tasting event in Boston; other than that there wasn't a single person I had met before, face to face. There were three other local wine bloggers there with whom I had exchanged verbal shots over the internet via Twitter but had never met in person. Social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter are bringing people together in ways I never would have imagined.

When I arrived, possibly the last to do so, the event was in full swing. Our host had arranged an appetizing spread of cheeses, cured meats, bread, crackers and dips, which everyone was sampling while chatting. After a few introductions and a chance to nibble, there was a brief explanation of what we were tasting, and how we were tasting them. We would be tasting primarily Chateauneuf du Papes with a couple of Cotes du Rhones, all from the 2007 vintage. We were tasting them blind, and in two flights of six. We were asked to bring our own glasses, but if we couldn't or if we forgot (guilty) our host would supply glasses.

The 2007 vintage in the southern Rhone Valley is much talked about and, in a fairly unanimous chorus, is considered a banner year. Below are a few popular wine reviewer's in their own words.

They range from riot inducing hyperbole:

"... after tasting the 2007 southern Rhônes, (presumably from barrel) especially the top wines from Gigondas, Vacqueyras, Côtes du Rhône, and the most hallowed appellation of the south, Châteauneuf du Pape, I stated it was “the vintage of a lifetime.” I also suggested it was a hypothetical blend of a very hot yet opulent, powerful, sumptuous year such as 1990 and a cooler, drought and Mistral-affected vintage such as 2001. Tasting the 2007s out of bottle has confirmed my thoughts – this is a truly historic and profoundly great vintage. ... this may be the most compelling vintage of any viticultural region I have ever tasted." - Robert Parker, Wine Advocate

...to a measured approach:

"The 2007 vintage in the southern Rhône has been the subject of intense scrutiny and sometimes overheated rhetoric virtually since the grapes landed in the presses. For the most part, the hype is justified. ...the winds of September ensured impeccably clean grapes and a healthy harvest. An extended growing season, with little in the way of heat spikes and capped off by moderating breezes and cool nights in September, allowed for the steady build-up of both grape sugars and skin maturity, yielding wines with balance and complexity. For the most part the 2007s feature abundant but not excessive alcohol levels. The charm of the vintage lies in great part with the seductive upfront appeal of the wines, but the best of them are built to last and improve in cool cellars." - Josh Raynolds, International Wine Cellar

And finally, praise with a minor concern:

"2007 is a vintage where ripeness plays a big role—a big role. The wines are fleshy, dense and intensely ripe, with many of the top Châteauneuf-du-Pape cuvées topping out above 16 percent alcohol. It's a hedonist's dream vintage. ...If there is an Achilles heel to the 2007s, it will be the yields, which are higher than in recent vintages. Some growers reported bringing in 30 or more hectoliters per hectare [2.2 tons per acre] after a run of low-yielding vintages from 2003 through 2006 that averaged in the range of 25 hl/ha (1.8 tons/acre). In that way, 2007 may be akin to 1998—a vintage that produced extremely ripe, flattering wines, many of which now are starting to show a slightly fluid edge on the finish as they hit maturity." - James Molesworth, Wine Spectator

I had tasted a few dozen CdRs from 2007, but only a few CdPs before this tasting. My general impressions: most of the wines had big fruit, richness, and high alcohol. My only concern was structure for future balance. Most of the wines I had tried were, simply, yummy. I was very eager to get down to it and sample these, principally, CdPs even though the identity of the wines had yet to be revealed to me. I unpacked, from a tan cardboard holder, the six glasses that were given to me . I didn't yet know that the first flight was to be marred by some bad luck and me not checking the equipment.

The first six wines were poured and I started tilting the glasses back and forward, left and right. I checked their hue and density, which for the most part were quite similar, with wine #1 standing out for its darker and deeper color. I started to smell the wines, but starting with wine #2 I noticed an off odor of chlorine and something metallic and swampy. This showed up in wines #3, #4 and #6 as well. I had tainted glasses! I quickly informed my host, who apologized profusely, went into another room and returned with six new glasses. The damage, however, was done and I was reminded of a valuable lesson taught to me ages ago: always check/smell your glasses before pouring wine into them.

I perused the room, checking out the other tasters. No one else seemed to be having equipment failure. I also noticed that no one else was spitting. I was slightly concerned that it might be a social faux pas, but I asked for a large glass to spit into. The fumes from a few of these wines had me fearing for open flames and I had a long drive home. I am glad I went this route for safety and clarity sake, and it turned out that the host had two extra wines to pour which we squeezed in between the flights of six without incident. The conversation was lively and everyone contributed by verbalizing their thoughts during and after both flights. The whole event was engaging and loads of fun and at the end we were all asked to name our top three wines, which someone tabulated. We each had our personal faves, and of course the top three wines of the night were recorded for posterity.

I ferreted out four wines that stood out and above the rest. When asked to name our top three in order, I wasn't sure which criteria to use. Best drinking now? Best wine overall regardless of drink-ability? In the end I chose in a descending order of approach-ability and deliciousness.

2007 Vignerons d'Estazarques, Domaine d'Andezon, Cotes du Rhone
2007 Domaine du Vieux Lazaret, Chateauneuf du Pape
2007 Le Vieux Donjon, Chateauneuf du Pape
2007 Roger Sabon, Cuvee Reserve, Chateauneuf du Pape (honorable mention)

The following is the list of wines tasted, in the order tasted, before they were revealed, with my notes. I highlighted the wines that stood out for me and the four label shots below, were, for me, the best wines of the group in descending order. With the exception of the Sabon Reserve, my palate was in the minority. I generally liked the wines everyone else disliked and vice versa.

Le Vieux Donjon, CdP - Med. red, blue rim. Nose med. intensity of red fruits and spice. Smooth texture, balanced, long finish. Very Good+
Clos du Mont-Olivet, La Cuvee du Papet, CdP - Light to med. red. Metallic... Bad glass.
Domaine les Mas du Bouquet, Vacqueyras, CdR - Bad glass.
Delas Freres St. Esprit, CdR - Bad glass.
Domaine du Vieux Lazaret, CdP - Light to med. red. Tight with some dark fruit aromas. Nice acidity, spicy fruit. Moderate finish. Good+.
Paul Autard, CdR - Bad glass.
Les Bosquet Papes, CdP - Light red, tight nose, lots of heat! Simple, short. Fair.
Roger Sabon, Cuvee Reserve, CdP - Light red. Cherries, spice, cocoa, touch of earth. Modern. Good+
Domaine Giroud, Les Gallimardes, CdP - Med. red. Very ripe, sweet fruitiness, floral, hot, hot!!. Finishes very light. Big upfront and dies. Fair.
Les Cailloux, CdP - Light red, cooked fruit aromas, cola. Lean and bitter on the short finish. Fair-.
Vignerons d'Estazarques, Domaine d'Andezon, CdR - Dark deep red, hint of blue. Dark fruit aromas, blackberries, earth tones, game. Nice acidity, tart/sour, no bitter. Full to med. body, coarse texture. Very Good+.
Domaine de la Janasse, Terre d'Argile, CdRV - Dark red. Oaky, red sweet fruits, lush. Sweet and slight bitter. Modern. Good-.
Cuvee du Vatican, CdP - Light red. Wild berries, gamey. Bitter and astringent, light bodied and watery finish. Fair-.
Roger Sabon, Le Olivets, CdP - Med. red. Red berry fruit, oak, spice, cocoa, burnt sugar. Hot!! Cherries. Long finish. Good.

After the tally was finished, we had the three top wines, according to the crowd, of the evening.

1st Place - Domaine Roger Sabon, Reserve - 35 pts.
2nd Place - Domaine de las Janasse, Terre d'Argile - 7 pts.
3rd Place - A tie between Domaine Roger Sabon, Le Olivets and Delas Freres, St. Esprit - 6 pts. each.

Interestingly enough, the highest rated wine, Clos du Mont-Olivet (98+ Parker pts.) was, based on its score and the stated opinions of all gathered, the least favorite wine of the group. It scored 0 pts., which basically meant; no one scored it as one of their top three wines. Food for thought. Cheers!

Vinsobres AOC, A Lesser Known Cotes du Rhone

2010-03-24T14:17:00.000-04:00

I have had, maybe five Vinsobres in my entire life. This fairly new AOC is not yet known by many, and I should probably start seeking them out. Vinsobres, a village in the Vaucluse, is an island in a sea of Cotes du Rhone Villages. It lies north of Rasteau (another island) and east of Coteaux du Tricastin. The village began its progression towards its own AOC status by becoming a Cotes du Rhone Villages in 1957, then Cotes du Rhone Villages Vinsobres in 1967, and was granted Vinsobres AOC status in 2005. It is an agricultural area that, before 1957, was not known as much for its wines as it was for olives and other produce. In 1956 the area was hit with a harsh winter that killed many of the olive trees growing there, and many farmers wisely declined to replant them and to plant more vines. Protected by mountains to the west, Vinsobres is not affected by the mistral and is considered a Mediterranean climate.

View Larger Map

I received a Vinsobres from a Massachusetts wholesaler some time ago, and while I was eager to try it, the dinner that this wine was waiting to be paired with seemed elusive. I confess to having a particular fondness for southern Rhone varieties, Grenache, second only to Syrah. I drink my and maybe a few others share of Rhone wines. To me, they are very good food wines and generally represent good value. The wine below is 100% Grenache.

I thought a roast chicken with roasted mixed root vegetable and beet greens would work nicely with this wine.. If I had truffles for the chicken it probably would have worked even nicer.

I opened the wine about three hours before dinner to get a feel for where the wine was at. This proved to be a good idea, because, after a quick sampling, the wine smacked of reticence, very tight and closed up. I decided to decant and wait for dinner. The wine married very well with the chicken, the parsnips, beets and carrots, not so much with the radish or beet greens.

2004 Domaine de Deurre les Rabasses, Vinsobres - Light to medium red, with a tinge of orange at the rim. The nose had a medium intensity, with cherries and boysenberries, burnt sugar, game, animal and almonds. On the palate which was medium bodied and straight forward, I got sweet cherries, milk chocolate and dried cherries. The wine showed some heat, fine grained tannins and some lingering astringency with good length. I suspect this wine has a future of good drinking ahead, 5+ years. Alcohol 14% as stated on the label. $20 retail? (not sure) I would rate this: Good+

I love the purple oak leaf on the label. The family (Valayer) who own the winery also broker truffles. I imagine the leaf represents the oak trees from, under, which they hunt their truffles.Yum.

*Disclaimer: I received this wine as a sample.

One Way to Get Less Respect: Beat The Little Guy Down.

2010-03-18T11:57:00.000-04:00

Wow, so Stephen Tanzer publisher and editor of the International Wine Cellar has started a free wine blog, called Winophilia, sometime in February and has already started a $#!*-storm amongst other wine bloggers. Apparently, in his "About Winophilia" page he used some language that not only had the potential to piss some wine bloggers off, but actually did piss some wine bloggers off. I normally wouldn't care about a situation like this; the war of words between bloggers and subscription based wine writers generally doesn't interest me or raise more than a furry eyebrow. This time, however, after reading a post by Dale Cruse over on Drinks Are On Me which then sent me to Steve Paolo's post on the same subject I got to thinking about the intent of Mr. Tanzer's wording. Below is an excerpt from the "About Winophilia" page:

"At Winophilia, we’re not armchair tasters who pretend to speak knowledgeably about regions we’ve never visited. We’re not amateur bloggers whose coverage of wine is limited to a handful of random samples we’ve just received, a trade tasting we’ve attended, or a press junket we’ve just been treated to. We live wine. Each of us spends several weeks to several months on the road each year, visiting wineries and tasting thousands of wines annually with their makers. And that’s not even including the thousands of bottles we taste each year in our own dining rooms."

The whole page can be seen here. I personally don't think what he or any one of his staff members wrote is untrue, but I'm not especially concerned here with the veracity of his statements. What I have a problem with, is the tone and the smallness of mind in regards to the intent. If the only way you can make yourself feel bigger and more important is to make others seem smaller, inferior or irrelevant, then I have to say with no reservations, "I have no respect for you." Quite frankly, when someone takes this route, it says to me that they are insecure and small minded, and I can not understand what could make Mr. Tanzer doubt his credibility or ability. I've always found him to be an excellent subscription based wine reviewer.

I don't have an "About Me" page, and I probably should. If mine were to resemble the one at Winophilia, however, it would go something like this.

My intention with this blog is to share my thoughts and reviews of wine and occasionally the wine industry with any one who cares to listen. I strive to be entertaining and informative and I hope to turn at least one person on to a wine they have never tried.

I work in the wine trade at the retail level, albeit, part-time. Currently my main job is owning my own small Professional Gardening company, which, perhaps, is a fancy way of saying I am a landscaper who doesn't cut lawns. I am a Certified Specialist in Wine. I am considering working towards the Masters of Wine program and I am currently taking courses under two Masters of Wine at Boston University.

I occasionally look at a handful of wine publications and reviews. Unlike these reviewers, I don't get paid to write about wine, either from subscription fees or from advertisers whose product I am reviewing. I hardly ever visit wineries and meet with their owners as I feel their charming personalities or expansive estates may cloud my opinion of their wines. I sample 1000's of wines each year and I strive to try them in my dining room with food as much as I can. I don't pretend to know everything about wine. I don't inherently believe that anything I say about a bottle of wine is a universally undisputed truth. I believe that each bottle I try represents a moment in time spent with that specific bottle and anyone else's experience may differ. I don't utilize the 100 point scale because I feel it has, unintentionally, created an army of zombie like wine consumers with an obsessive need for 90 point wines or above. I don't employ a staff of tasters, I do this all myself because I love wine.

I started this post last night and since then, Megan/Sonadora over on Wannabe Wino also has something to say on this subject and other interesting matters as well. As I finish this up, I also notice that, Stephen Tanzer has edited his "About Winophilia" Page. The removal of "At Winophilia, we’re not armchair tasters who pretend to speak knowledgeably about regions we’ve never visited. We’re not amateur bloggers whose coverage of wine is limited to a handful of random samples we’ve just received, a trade tasting we’ve attended, or a press junket we’ve just been treated to." makes all the difference in the world in how the remaining reads. Bravo! Mr. Tanzer I may have more respect for you than I did before all this started. Cheers!

Valentine's Day 2010, And Only a Month Late

2010-03-17T23:59:00.001-04:00

Ok, so this is old news, but I feel the wines I had Valentine's Day need to be talked about. So, even though the day has passed more than thirty days ago, these wines are generally available out there and would be equally good on some other day. First, a quick bit about Valentine's Day.

Valentine's Day, a day for loved ones to shower special attention on one another or a collusive plot between greeting card companies, chocolate makers and florists? Well we can't blame them for starting the holiday, but we can certainly throw some blame their way for the marketing frenzy it has become. The holiday gets its start in Roman times when Pope Gelasius I in 500 AD established a feast day to honor two, or quite possibly more Christian martyrs turned saints with the name Valentine. The holiday turned romantic in the Middle Ages with the help of Geoffrey Chaucer. This is one theory.

For me, the day is to be enjoyed with my loved one, eating, drinking, chatting, and keeping gift giving to the bare minimum. Flowers are nice, but good conversation, food and wine, not necessarily in that order, are better.

I wanted to do three wines, one for each course. The first course was seared scallops with a tarragon white wine sauce. The wine I decided to go with was a 2005 Grand Cru Chablis. I love Chablis yet I rarely drink it and as for Grand Crus, the occasions are even less frequent. I should have scallops more often as well and this might feed the need for more Chablis. I pledge to drink more Chablis of all levels in 2010!

2005 Louis Michel Chablis Grand Cru, Grenouilles - Clear, light yellow with a tinge of green around the edges. Clean and super intense nose of ripe apples, lemon, flint and a tiny nuance of mushroom. The aromas were coming out of the glass at least a foot away. Palate carried seamlessly from the nose with an intense burst of sweet fruit held up nicely with good acidity. More lemony on the palate with that hint of mushroom and flint. This was a complex wine with a medium to full body and a smooth texture, delicious concentration and length. Long finish. 13% alcohol as stated on the label. $70 retail. I would rate this: Excellent. While I wouldn't say that drinking this wine should be considered infanticide, it most certainly will improve over the next 3-5 years, and should last for quite some time after that.

The second course was Chateaubriand with a Bearnaise mushroom sauce. This is also something I don't have often (you need a serious hunk of beef tenderloin), and unlike scallops is generally out of my price range when it comes to food. So I don't see an uptick in frequency for this dish. The Chateaubriand was served with artichoke hearts steamed in wine and herbs, and oven roasted potato wedges. The wine I decided to go with was a 2000 Bordeaux and one that had a Valentine's Day appropriate label.

2000 Chateau Calon Segur, St. Estephe, Bordeaux - The color was garnet, with a slight orange hue at the rim. Fairly intense (not as much so as the Chablis) nose of dusty blackberry fruit, green pepper, mint, menthol and caraway seed. The palate was slightly grainy, medium bodied wine showing blackberries, roasted herbs, menthol and dark fruit of the nameless kind. Very nicely balanced with just a bit of soft tannin. Decent length. Moderate finish. 13% alcohol as stated on the label. $100-$145 retail. I would rate this: Very Good-. I would say this wine has a long life ahead of it, however, I don't suspect it is going to get much better.

The third course, dessert in this case, was chocolate baby lava cakes with whip cream. The whip cream, or ice cream if you prefer, is essential, in my opinion, as it is necessary to cut the chocolaty coma inducing richness of these decadently simple brownie/pudding thingies. I almost went with a Brachetto d'Acqui but I decided to stay with the French theme. The wine I chose for this was a Vin du Bugey from the Savoie in France. A sparkling wine made primarily from Gamay with some Poulsard thrown in.

NV Patrick Bottex Vin du Bugey-Cerdon, "La Cueille" - The color was a beautiful limpid rosy-pink. Good nose of raspberries and red delicious apples. On the palate I got a fruity sweetness which was definitely not cloying. The raspberry flavor was precise and the bubbles kept it light and bright. 8% alcohol as stated on the label. $20 retail. I would rate this: Good+ with a fun factor of 10.

The food was memorable and looking at these pictures again, as I write this, has me salivating a bit. The wines were all fantastic, however, while I feel the Chablis was money well spent, I can't say the same about the Bordeaux, even though I paid less than current retail for it. It lacked complexity and weight and perhaps my expectations were set too high. The Bottex Vin du Bugey-Cerdon, Imported by Kermit Lynch was fun and delicious. If you have never had this wine, please, run out and try it. Domaine Renardat-Fâch, imported by Louis Dressner is another excellent example. The conversation was delightful and focused on the wine and food pairings, which by the way, were all good marriages. So there it is; good food, good wine and good conversation, and yes, I bought flowers.

Things I Tasted/Drank on Saturday 2/27/10

2010-03-03T14:18:00.000-05:00

Just a quick take on the various beverages I sampled and/or drank on 2/27/2010. Prices are generally approximate.

Mist Valley Estate Nepal SFGTFOP1 (Super Fine Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe, Grade 1) $12.80/100g - Fruity, toasty herbal nose. Delicate flavors of damp straw and honey. Soft astringency on the finish. Very Good

2007 RockBare, McLaren Vale, Chardonnay. $15 - Weak lemony nose with a hint of wet wood. On the palate, the fruit is tired, finishes with viscous salinity. Fair-

2008 Dog Point, Wairau Valley, Marlborough New Zealand, Sauvignon Blanc. $24 - Tropical fruit and asparagus, fairly intense. Bright acidity, medium body with focused fruit flavors. Touch of bitter on the back end. Lingers. Good

2008 Wild South, Marlborough, New Zealand, Pinot Noir. $21 - Aromas of spices and strawberries. Slight reduction that blows off fast. Very light bodied, tart red berries and a bit of bubblegum. Good-

2008 Fairview Goats do Roam, South Africa $8 - Medium intense nose of baseball mitt leather, red fruits and spice. Light bodied with red fruits aromas carrying to the palate. Touch of bitter. Value. Good+

2008 Palo Alto, Maule Valley, Chili, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere, Syrah $16 - Deep red hue. Herbal, smoky, dark and red fruits, hint of burnt rubber. Well balanced, medium body. Black berries and cherries. Good-

2006 Belasco de Baguedano, Swinto, Mendoza, Argentina, Malbec $43 - Oak-y spices, blackberries, cinnamon, cocoa and eucalyptus and/or mint. Palate starts off smooth, shows its heat in the middle and finishes with lingering astringency. Similar aromas in the mouth as nose. Good+

2008 Chateau d'Oupia, Minervios, France $12 -Light red. Mild intensity of roasted herbs, wild red berries, forest and game. Palate is rustic with subdued fruit flavors of raspberries. More structure on this wine and less grape-y than I expected. Value. Good+

On The Road To Becoming A Master Of Wine: First On-Ramp, Thinking Twice

2010-01-27T12:20:00.001-05:00

I haven't been in a classroom, taking a course, in nearly 30 years! I never went to college, and I actually left high school in my senior year. So, why am I now taking the Elizabeth Bishop Wine Resource Center, Level 2: A Comprehensive Survey of Wine, Spirits, and Beer at Boston University? Well, the primary reason is that the instructor for this course is Bill Nesto, MW along with Sandy Block, MW. To train under two Masters of Wine is the main reason I decided to jump back into formal training and take this course. I have been to two classes at this point and while I think the course will offer a valuable structured means of learning I can't help but notice a couple of things that remind me of what I disliked about school in the first place.

The first is pace. Self-studying, which is the way I have always learned best, is all about pace and of course, degree of interest. With self-study, you spend more time on the things that you fail to grasp and less time on the things that come easy. In the classroom I find that a few topics are covered in too much detail, while others are lightly touched on. This can be rectified in two ways. One is to ask the instructor questions about topics that you need more breadth on. The problem I have with this is me. I am hesitant to have the instructor expand a point that perhaps the rest of the class doesn't care to have elaborated. I don't want to waste someone else's time. This is something that some of the other students apparently don't have qualms about, and ask questions that I usually find tangential at best. The other way to rectify this, is to go home and study the points that need elaboration. This, however, is a good argument for self-study.

The second is me. I just don't like how I perform in groups. I shy away from participating in groups. I think twice before answering a question posed to the class, even when I know the answer. Example from last night, and I am paraphrasing here, "What are the two main things a grape vine is concerned with?" Making food for itself and trying to reproduce, I think to myself, but don't offer up, and I sit through various answers that are not altogether wrong but not what Bill was looking for. I am thinking two, three and even four times before speaking and then the moment is gone, the teacher answers the question. I did manage to speak a couple of times during class, but not without heart palpitations. If nothing else I hope this course teaches me how to speak freely and comfortably in front of, or within groups.

After class I went to a nearby restaurant for a glass of wine or two and some tapas. Taberna de Haro in Brookline was a place that I had been itching to get to, but never found a good opportunity. I had a glass of Lustau, Don Nuno, Dry Oloroso (nice and nutty, moderate richness, a nice start) and a glass of Luna Beberide, Bierzo, made from the mencia grape (very primary, ripe red berries with a tang, and minerality). The tapas were excellent, a "chorizo butter" on toast and red peppers stuffed with brandada (a potato and cod mixture). I also chatted with Deborah Hansen, chef/owner for most of my time there. A very interesting and gracious hostesss, with formidable wine knowledge, she has put together an all Spanish wine list that is quite impressive. I will most certainly go back to sample more food soon and I recommend it to all.

After leaving the restaurant, and heading for my car parked on busy Beacon St., I passed a guy urinating in the street into a drain. "Wow, that's really nice buddy! You couldn't find a better place to do that? Fucking drunk!", I shouted at him. Why? Why didn't I think twice about that one? Maybe because he wasn't in a group or maybe the wine I had was acting as liquid courage. As I get into my car he comes up to the driver side door and starts shouting something, so, not taking my eyes of him or his hands (not that this would help if things got ugly), I roll down the window four inches to hear what he has to say (not that I should care). He asks (in a drunken way) if all my decisions in life have led to a happy life. I say "mostly" and he continues to ask if I am happy with what I said to him, I say "mostly". Then he says "Well, maybe next time you will think twice." He actually says that twice, and shuffles off. I probably should have thought twice about that entire encounter. I probably should have said nothing. In class I probably should have spoken more. Someday, I hope to get this right.

WBW #64 Winter Holidays, Colds and Port

2009-12-23T12:34:00.000-05:00

The holidays are here! They are everywhere! Pick a day, and most likely, you will find that that day has been selected by someone to mark a passing, celebrate an event, or give acknowledgment to some estranged group of under-appreciated people, animals, or food. The following list demonstrates some of the lesser known, and even odd, holidays in December.

December 1: World AIDS Awareness Day
December 2: National Fritters Day
December 4: Wear Brown Shoes Day
December 7: National Cotton Candy Day
December 8: National Brownie Day
December 10: Human Rights Day
December 12: Poinsettia Day
December 13: Ice Cream Day
December 13: Violin Day
December 15: National Lemon Cupcake Day
December 16: National Chocolate Covered Anything Day
December 17: National Maple Syrup Day
December 19: Oatmeal Muffin Day
December 21: Humbug Day
December 24: National Eggnog Day
December 27: National Fruitcake Day

This month, for Wine Blogging Wednesday, wine bloggers were asked by El Jefe of Twisted Oak Winery to write about the following:

"Pick any winter holiday or observance EXCEPT Hanukkah, Christmas Day, Kwanzaa, or New Years Day or Eve, and choose a wine to celebrate it! For purposes of this WBW, the holiday date chosen must be between December 7, 2009 and January 7, 2010. You may also pair a food with your chosen holiday and wine, but that is optional."

I chose, early on, that I would celebrate the Winter Solstice because I am more of a Pagan at heart. The shortest day of the year for those of us in the northern hemisphere, it marks the official beginning of winter. The celebration doesn't only mark the beginning of winter, it also reminds us that days will, henceforth, be getting longer. We are already looking forward to that first day of spring!

Unfortunately, as my bad luck would have it, three days before the 21st, I came down with a cold or a sinus infection. Drinking wine was not high on my list. I was hoping for a quick recovery, but as I type this two days later I am still not 100%. When the day did finally arrive, I decided that I HAD to celebrate with something, and that it should resemble cough medicine with codeine. This was something I had as a child, and my parents should have enrolled me in the Betty Ford Clinic after every bout with a cold. I do recall loving the stuff.

So, what to have to toast the earth's furthest axial tilt away from the sun? Port. Yes, cough medicine from Portugal would do just fine. Big and bold so I could smell and taste it. Its sugars might even soothe my throat.

I picked up a bottle of 1999 Warre's Late Bottled Vintage Port, $29.99 retail. It was delicious! Dark fruited and spicy, it had some sharp tannic acid up front but went down smooth. I didn't take any notes and I didn't evaluate the wine. I just enjoyed it with my girlfriend near our little balsam fir decked out for the holidays and retired early.

Maybe next year I will celebrate the 13th by eating ice cream while playing the violin, although Chocolate Covered Anything Day sounds too good to miss. Cheers!

Wine term of the day: Late Bottled Vintage Port or LBV. These are Ports that are from a single vintage and are bottled four to six years after the harvest year. They can be bottled filtered or unfiltered, and they are usually ready to drink when the winery releases them, three to five years after the bottling date. Vintage Port is usually bottled after spending two to three years in wood and can take decades to mature.

A Mercifully Short Thanksgiving Wine Recap

2009-12-04T00:10:00.000-05:00

It has been a week since Thanksgiving, yet there is still a little turkey lurking, along with some stuffing, in the fridge. Over twenty people, but as usual, there was way too much food. There was a turkey and a ham. The sides included stuffing, mashed potatoes, creamed spinach, roasted squash, and things, probably because of the food coma I suffered, that I can't remember. The desserts, well, there were copious types and amounts. It doesn't matter how many people come to Thanksgiving dinner, there always seems to be leftovers. I think I actually like the turkey sandwiches on day two better than the actual meal.

We did an away dinner and I was in charge of the wine. For the last couple of years I had chosen to drink all American for Thanksgiving. This year I did the same, except for the one request for Prosecco. While I didn't take notes while drinking the wines, (I thought that would be a social faux pas) I do have a pretty good memory and some basic thoughts about what we had. All of these are current vintages and can be found fairly easily.

NV Nino Franco "Rustico" Prosecco - Dryer than most Proseccos out there. Nice fruit, soft bubbles and a touch nutty. Good. $15

2003 Wesport Rivers Brut RJR Sparkling Wine, MA, USA - I have had this two or three times over the last year and a half and I remember it more fondly than it showed on Thanksgiving. Some toasty notes, fruit seemed a bit oxidized, fat bubbles. Fair. $24

2007 Neyers Chardonnay, Carneros District - This was my second favorite of the day. Lemony and slightly understated for a California wine. Bright acidity but balanced. Nice long finish. Very Good. $34

2007 Ramey Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast - Super rich fruit, lemony and slightly tropical. The acidity seemed to be playing in its own band, not well integrated. Big mouth feel. Might just be too young. Very Good-. $40

2007 Ridge Three Valleys Zinfandel, Sonoma County -Beautifully ripe, clean fruit. Red berries, mouth-filling and luscious. A crowd pleaser. Very Good-. $26

2006 Copain Harrison Clarke Syrah, Santa Ynez Valley -This was my favorite. It did start out a bit nervous, a touch of spritz, which blew off. Dark concentrated fruits that stayed light on their feet. No dried fruits. Palate coating richness. A bit of game, great acidity and a super long finish. Very Good+. Except for the initial spritz, I might have given this an Excellent. $42

Still River Winery Apfel Eis, MA - Nice amount of sweetness. Not cloying, yet held up to all the desserts. Apples and honey coat the whole mouth. Good+. $24 (half bottle)

Three More Wines Reviewed With Thanksgiving in Mind

2009-11-25T22:48:00.000-05:00

Originally, when I received six wines from Frederick Wildman and Sons, I had planned to review each one separately in its own little post. It was suggested by F. W. and Sons, that these wines would be good to have with Thanksgiving, so I was trying to taste them before that date and get the reviews out as well. Well, I managed to taste them all over the course of a few days, but I do not have enough time, at this point, to do a post for each before the holiday. I decided to cram the last three into this post so I can move on to other things.

I had previously tasted the 08 Folonari Pinot Grigio, the 04 El Coto Rioja Riserva, and the 07 Castello Monaci Primitivo. On the docket today are the Trapiche Broquel Chardonnay, the 05 Jaboulet Parallèle 45 and the 07 Hugel Gewurztraminer. I've had all of these in previous vintages so I am fairly familiar with each style of these wines. The Broquel has tended to be tropical and oak-y. The Jaboulet tends to be simple but can offer a good value. The Hugel tends to be about varietal correctness, precisely spicy.

Broquel is a brand owned by Trapiche. Trapiche, in Argentina, is probably the most widely exported of all brands from that country and has been around, in some form, for over 120 years. They own over 1000 hectares of vineyards in Mendoza.

2007 Trapiche Broquel Chardonnay, Mendoza, Argentina - Clear, pale golden color with thin fast legs. The nose is fairly intense and shows tropical fruits, pineapple and papaya. There is a butterscotch aroma as well, with some nuttiness, almost slight oxidation in the background. The palate has some structure. There is quite a bit of acidity which I found slightly out of balance with the fruitiness. I also got lemons, pineapple, spices, nutmeg and butter. The wine also seemed to have salinity that stayed with the moderate finish. I generally like a wine with bright acidity, but this seemed out of control or contrived. Aged in French and American oak for nine months. Real cork closure. Alcohol as stated on the label is 14%. Retails for about $14.99. I would rate this Good-. While I personally would not care for this on Turkey Day, I think that for folks who like tropical Chardonnays, this would pair fairly well with traditional Thanksgiving fare. Besides it is an American wine, South American.

Twenty plus years ago, before I know very much about wine, I used to recommend P45, as we in the industry call it, all the time. It was a great value at around $5 a bottle. The price has doubled since then and I have generally found it to be a fairly reliable quaff. Paul Jaboulet Aine have been making wines for over one hundred and fifty years in the Rhone Valley. Their flagship wine, Hermitage "La Chapelle", is consistently rated one of the best wines of the world. Unfortunately, that isn't what I am reviewing here. They have been owned by the Frey family, who also own Ch. La Lagune, since 2006.

2007 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Côtes du Rhône "Parallele 45", France - Clear, light purplish red, with hints of blue on the edges. The nose has a light intensity of grapes, raspberries and a hint of dry earth. A bit reticent, it has slightly more intensity after some time. Flavors are primary and simple. Red fruits, touch of earth. Very light weight, flat texture, and honestly, not much more substance than a Beaujolais Nouveau I tasted recently. No length to speak of. 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah, fermented in stainless steel. Real cork closure. Alcohol as stated on the label, 14%. Retails for about $12.99. I would rate this Fair-. Again, I would not personally have this on Thanksgiving, and actually would skip this vintage for this wine altogether, but, if you were planning on having Beaujolais Nouveau, this could work for you as well.

Hugel et Fils has been around in some form or another since 1639. A producer in Alsace, they have their own vineyards largely on Grand Cru slopes. They also purchase grapes from growers, with whom they have long standing contracts. The wine I am reviewing is one of their "Generic" Hugels, which is made from grapes grown by other folks.

2007 Hugel et Fils Gewurztraminer, Alsace, France - Color is clear and resembles very pale lemon juice. It is almost colorless. The nose has a medium intensity initially, then becomes fuller with time. Lychees, pear, coriander and rose petal. The palate is very pure and precise with fruity nectarine and pear flavors, licorice and Asian spice, all held up nicely with good acidity. Very well balanced, the wine has a dry finish with very good length. 100% Gewurztraminer, fermented in temperature controlled vats. DIAM composite cork closure. Alcohol as stated on the label, 13%. Retails for about $23.99. I would rate this Very Good. If it weren't for the fact that I am doing exclusively American wines for Thanksgiving, I would be more than happy to serve this with dinner.

I am going to be drinking American wines this Thanksgiving. I don't always do this, but for the last few years this has been the route I took. Some work, some don't. The fun is in the experimenting. Whatever wines you have on Thanksgiving, don't stress about the choices. Drink what you like. Cheers!

Disclaimer: I received all of the above wines from Frederick Wildman and Sons as samples.

Show Me The Money or Show Me Some Love or Just Leave Me a Comment

2009-11-24T16:36:00.002-05:00

I don't expect to get rich from blogging. I don't expect to make more than a few pennies (as I type this, AdSense says I have earned $5.39 since I started blogging in April of this year). I started blogging for myself. This is what I said to myself when I started. Yet, I am starting to feel I want more from this relationship. Hmm, I have heard that before, but no need to digress. I would like to think that there are people out there reading what I write, and there are. There are, but they don't leave comments. I am not bitter. Really I am not. Just a little disappointed.

Comments are the little pats on the back or the slaps in the face that I assume most bloggers aspire to. I mean, how many really rich and famous bloggers are out there? How many can quit their day job? What else is there, with regards to blogging, but the give and take of writer and reader? Or perhaps, there is only "give" with the hope of "take".

I'm sure it doesn't help that I don't know precisely what I want to discuss in my blog. Do I want to review wines? Do I want to cover industry trends? Do I want to interview wine personalities? Do I want to educate people about wine? I am not sure what my purpose or motivation is, but I suspect strongly it lies with education. Education, most specifically, of wine regions of the world and what they produce and even more specifically, about individual wines in particular. I want to educate others and myself further. I am still trying to find my voice.

A few days ago I published a blog, "Minnie Gets Popped", that I was very happy with. It was a wine review of a sort. It was storytelling of a sort. It was, I would dare say, creative. It was my attempt at 'Wine Review Noir", to coin a phrase. This post got more hits than any other post before it, yet it didn't garner a single comment. Was it bad? Maybe people just don't have the time for comments. Maybe it is just the folks reading my blog who don't have time for comments. Maybe some people think that leaving a comment on someone's blog puts their soul in jeopardy of being stolen, like those old-worlders' fear of cameras. Or perhaps it is a fear of submitting your email into a form with no knowledge of who is on the other side. Whatever the reasons, I decided to force the issue. I decided to force the issue on my friends.

I sent out an e-mail to about twenty-five friends who are either in the wine business, love wine or are generally, in my humble opinion, creative. I sent a link to my blog (something I have never done before) and asked for some feedback, anything, praising or panning. I received a total of six responses, OK, five; one person emailed me twice. They were all positive, although, one perhaps, alluded to the state of my sanity. I could, however, be reading too much into that one.

So, the reviews are in! And the critics and press, i.e. my friends, loved it! Soon to be a major motion picture!

"I absolutely love it. Very clever, and well written too."
JW in Grafton

"Nice touches of mystery, humor... And the surprise ending (I was sure that would be a $50 bottle)."
SS in Watertown

"I clicked, I read, I loved!"
EK in the North End, Boston

"Both [she] and i loved that post! Great imagination..."
CH in Lunenberg

"I just read this again, and it’s enormously entertaining."
JW in Grafton

"Hope all is well"
PG in Lincoln

OK, "Minnie Gets Popped" is not going to be a major motion picture. I feel a little better, though, now that I have some feedback. The kicker for me, however, all this feedback was in e-mailed replies. No one left a comment!

Wine Blogging Wednesday , WBW#63: Find Your Muse or Minnie Gets Popped

2009-11-18T14:16:00.000-05:00

I walk into the restaurant and sit down in a familiar, low booth in the back. The maroon vinyl cushions exhale the breath they've been holding all day and my eyes wander the overly oaked room. Nice joint, but poorly lit. The waiter, a tall, stretchy guy with a pinched face asks if I'd like to see the wine list. A big list, but it's all French to me. And besides, I am here for Minnie.

I ask the Waiter about Minnie and place an order. I figure I better get some of the day's grime off, before my appointment shows up. I get up to use the washroom, which, with the ornate and intricate fixtures, looks like most of the restaurant's take ends up here. The mirror over the porcelain sink looks back at me with the same tired face and asks what I am doing here. My mind swirls back to when I first glimpsed Minnie lounging at Marty's as if on display, and I knew that I had to get to know her. I towel off my hands, check inside my jacket for a ready corkscrew and hope my expectations are met with a happy reality. When I get back, there is a pert blond in my booth, and I notice something askew; Minnie is on the table but she's been popped! It's 5:35 PM and it's looking like an interesting evening.

The blond sitting at my table says it wasn't her but her red stained teeth tell me she's either lying or it's only a half truth. I ignore the blond and lean over Minnie checking for a pulse. I try to get Minnie's story but she is not saying much. Eventually I get some information from her but this takes a toll on her resources. The waiter with the pinched face comes over, corkscrew dangling precariously from the lip of his apron. He has a concerned but not too surprised look on his face. A small, buzzing crowd starts to move towards the table, curious filings attracted to the magnetic pull of a mystery. I tell everyone to get back and give her some air, but it doesn't look good. It doesn't look like she will last the evening.

She's wearing a short tapered skirt as thin as paper, with a pastel print, and not much else. Slender neck, sexy shoulders with nicely rounded hips, she's a very attractive package. The color in her cheeks is a bright, deep ruby hue, but I remind myself this won't be the case by the end of the evening. I catch a whiff of her perfume. She is wearing a very pure cocktail of red raspberry, cherry, cocoa and caramel. Then it hits me, there is some caraway in there too! I bend over her and try to resuscitate her, my mouth on hers and all I can think of is bunches of ripe plums, dried cherries and heaps of glycerin. She's throwing some heat and built with a structure you could certainly hang some fruit on. The taste of her lips stays with me for a good length of time. The girl is a bird barely out of the nest, but I expect she would have had a great future ahead of her. Someone popped her way too soon.

Through all of this the small crowd has gone back to their tables and filled the room with quiet chatter. Back to telling their little stories, while the real story is right in front of me. The blond has also vanished. She must have slipped out towards the end while I was engrossed in deciphering Minnie. I'll have to track her down for questioning. See what she knows.

Gus, the sommelier, a roundish, balding, pug with a permanent smile etched onto his face pronounces her dead at 7:25PM. We don't hang out much together, he and I, but I have taken a liking to him over the years. He has proven to be a reliable snitch. This night was no exception, and he proceeded to fill me in on Minnie's past.

She was just a country girl from the AOC Minervois in the south of France, but she came with a hefty price tag. Her parents, Claude and Isabelle Fonquerle, raised her in a ritzy sounding estate called L'Oustal Blanc, an address I think I need to visit. They also own property in St. Chinian and Minervois La Liviniere, so they were doing fairly well for themselves. I don't picture them standing in any welfare lines. It seems Minnie made her way over here with the help of some character named Peter Weygandt. Gus asks me if I've heard of him. I nod, who hasn't? He has quite the reputation for bringing talent to the New World, but I've never met him.

It turns out Claude and Isabelle have produced quite a few "Minnies". If these "sisters" are anything like the Minnie I experienced tonight, I hope to bump into them soon and often.

I spent less than two hours with Minnie and while I was able to scrape together bits and pieces of her story, this little number is going into the open case file.

Fin

For those interested in finding out what that was all about visit, Rob Bralow, who is hosting this event over on Wine Post. To see who started Wine Blogging Wednesday check out Lenn Thompson's first WBW challenge, over at Lenndevours The New York Cork Report. Thanks to Lenn for starting WBW and Rob for hosting.

The technical details:

2004 L'Oustal Blanc Minervois - 70% Grenache, 15% Carignan and 15% Syrah. The Grenache is fermented in open concrete tanks. The Carignan and Syrah are fermented separately and aged in oak barrels for 14 months. Real cork closure, alcohol as stated on the label is 14%, retails for $32.99. It was served with Coq au Vin and I would rate this wine Very Good+.

2009 Thanksgiving Wines: 2007 Castello Monaci Primitivo

2009-11-17T21:04:00.000-05:00

With little more than a week to go before relatives and friends descend on your home, or perhaps, you descend on someone else's home, the question still lingers; what wines should we drink that day? There are pre-food wines, maybe bubbly, appetizer wines, maybe more bubbly or a light white. Then there is the main dinner wine, or wines, for those who like variety. And finally there are dessert wines, perhaps a Moscato.

The other day while looking through some samples I have, I had what I would consider a solid choice for the dinner part of the day. It was a Primitivo A Primitivo that had good balance, wasn't watery, or conversely, wasn't dark and thick as prune juice. I opened it on Saturday night to have with a meatloaf made of veal, beef, and pork. Primitivos make good meatloaf wines, as do it's cousin Zinfandel. They, with the Crljenak grape, a Croatian variety, all share DNA and are considered, at the very least, related.

The wine comes from the Puglia region in Italy, which is the heel of the "boot". More specifically it comes from Salento which is the southern most part of the peninsula. The grapes are harvested by hand in the cool hours during and shortly after dawn. The wine is aged in French barriques and stainless steel. Real cork closure. Alcohol level 13.5% as stated on the label.

2007 Castello Monaci Piluna, Primitivo, Salento IGT - Clear medium ruby to garnet color, thin and quick legs. Nose is clean, with a light to medium intensity. Aromas of blueberries, boysenberries, red licorice, mace, and toasted marshmallows. Fairly developed wine and probably won't get better with age. Palate is mostly dry with moderate acidity. Flavors of fresh black fruits,blueberries, plums, prunes, spice and burnt sugar. The soft tannins give this wine a bit of structure which helps when pairing with food. Touch of chalky earthiness on the finish which has a medium long length. This went very well with the meatloaf and I would rate it: Good+.

This should do quite well with a traditional Thanksgiving dinner of turkey and the trimmings. Cheers!

Disclaimer: I received this wine from Frederick Wildman and Sons as a free sample.

Word of the day: Puglia. Puglia is know in English as Apulia and is a region in Italy known as the heel of the "boot". The Adriatic lies to the east and the Ionian Sea to the west. It is broken up into three sections: the north, around the city of Foggia, the center, Barletta being the main city, and the south, or Salento, which has the highest quality of wine made from Negroamaro in the east and Primitivo in the west. Salento has eight DOC's which are all Negroamaro based wines. Copertino and Salice Salento are probably the two most well-known.

Thanksgiving Wines 2009: A couple of Riojas

2009-11-15T20:06:00.000-05:00

After posting my previous blog a few days ago, I realized the title was misleading. The wine I reviewed did not make the cut to be on my Thanksgiving dinner table, so it ought not be a 2009 Thanksgiving wine, at least for me. This El Coto Rioja may not make the cut either. It was, however, given to me by Frederick Wildman and Sons and was recommended as a wine to have with Thanksgiving dinner. Spanish wines generally don't leap to my mind when considering Thanksgiving dinner, but I try to be open minded.

The wine in front of me at the moment is the 2004 El Coto Rioja Reserva. The winery has been making wine since the 70's and their first commercial release was in 1975. This wine is made from 100% Tempranillo grapes grown exclusively in the Rioja Alta region. The wine is fermented in stainless steel for 3 to 4 weeks, then aged for 18 months in American oak. This is followed by an additional 2 years of bottle aging before being released. The wine regulations in Rioja stipulate that Reserva wines must be aged for a minimum of 3 years, and at least one of those years must be in oak. The wine has a real cork closure and the label states an alcohol level of 13.5%. Suggested retail price: $19.99.

The color is a bright ruby red of a light medium intensity. Thin, fast legs slide down the glass. The nose shows vanilla, spice, and a non-specific red berry fruit all of medium intensity. Unfortunately, there is also a slight wet cardboard aroma lurking in the background. I can't decide if the wine is truly corked i.e., TCA taint from a bad cork, TCA taint from something in the winery which would be a serious problem for the whole bottling, or whether it is just an aroma inherent in the wine that I just don't care for. The level of this odor is extremely faint and I did not detect any corkiness on the cork itself. The palate is buttery, spicy, has red berry flavors, but the wet paper flavor is discernible in the mouth as well. Finish is of medium length. Not having another bottle of the same to open, I am going to assume this is a bad bottle and will withhold a rating. I do think, however, that if it were not for the wet cardboard odor, the flavors and aromas of this wine would make it an appropriate and complimentary choice for Thanksgiving.

I was planning on having this wine with pulled pork shoulder, vegetable paella and kale. After rooting around, I came up with a bottle of 2005 Sierra Cantabria Rioja Crianza and decided to try this as well. I bought this not too long ago at a wine shop outside of Boston.

Sierra Cantabria as a winery has been growing grapes and making wine since 1957. The Erugen family, who own this property and a few others, however, have been growing grapes since the 1870's. The vineyards are situated between the Ebro River and the Cantabrian mountain range in the north of Spain. The wine is 100% Tempranillo, although sometimes they add a little Graciano. The wine is aged in French and American oak for 14 months. This wine, unlike the El Coto, is bottled unfiltered. The wine has a real cork closure and the label states an alcohol level of 14%. I paid $15.99.

Color is medium ruby and clear, with thin legs. Aromas are clean and youthful, displaying red berries, sweet cherry and burnt sugar. Palate carries over from the nose seamlessly, but shows some over-extracted notes of burnt dark fruit. Medium length of a finish. I would rate this Good. I also think that this wine would manage a Thanksgiving dinner with little effort.

Word of the day: Tempranillo. The most popular red grape in Spain, the name is the diminutive of Temprano meaning early. Aptly named, this variety is early ripening and usually ripens two weeks before Grenache. The main grape of Rioja, it is also know as Cencibel in Castile-La Mancha and Madrid, Tinto fino in Ribera del Duero, Tinta del Toro in Toro and Aragonez in Portugal. It is often blended with more aromatic and assertive varieties such as Grenache, Graciano and even Cabernet Sauvignon.

Thanksgiving Wines 2009: 08 Folonari Pinot Grigio

2009-11-12T22:59:00.001-05:00

Thanksgiving is approaching. This makes me think of good food, not great food, but solid home cooked food in large quantities. It also makes me start thinking of wine, or more specifically, what wines to have with Thanksgiving dinner. I wouldn't normally consider having a Pinot Grigio from Italy with Thanksgiving dinner and I don't think I would normally consider having it as a starter wine with appetizers. I lean toward American wines for this holiday feast. I like to pair food with wine from the country that the cuisine hails from. Except for the Fourth of July, what is more American than Thanksgiving? Frederick Wildman and Sons, however, gave me a sampler of six wines to try and their premise was; these wines would be good for Thanksgiving. Let's see if that premise holds up.

I couldn't find much information on Folonari wines, except for information provided by Wildman and Sons. The wine is an IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica) from the Veneto, so the grapes could have come from anywhere within this large geographical region, but is typical of the area. 100% Pinot Grigio fermented in stainless steel. 12% alcohol on the label. Screwcap closure. Suggested retail price: $8.99.

2008 Folonari Pinot Grigio - Clear pale lemon-green, almost white color. Initially I detected a bit of sulfur but it blew of fairly rapidly. Clean fruit, youthful, primary honey dew melon with moderate intensity. Palate was dry to slightly off-dry with less than average acidity. The flavors were fairly muted, but some citrus and melon flavors peeked through.The slight fruitiness or sweetness was followed by some unfriendly astringency. Light bodied and a short finish. All in all, a fairly typical Pinot Grigio in its price range, but there was nothing there for me to recommend it as a Thanksgiving wine. I would rate this Fair. Considering the price point I might go Fair+.

I had this with pasta and a lemon shrimp scampi variation. It went fairly well with dinner, but I'd rather spend the extra few bucks and drink a Pinot Grigio with better acidity, balance and less astringency.

Word of the day: Pinot - The first word of many grape vine varieties, referring to grape bunches that resemble pine cones. The more famous varieties being Pinot Noir, Pinot Grigio (Pinot Gris), Pinot Blanc and Pinot Meunier. Even Chardonnay is believed to be a cross between a Pinot variety and Gouais Blanc, and was called Pinot Chardonnay by some.

Disclaimer: I received this wine from Frederick Wildman and Sons as a free sample.

Some Thoughts on "On the Road to Becoming a Master of Wine: First Speed Bump, Certified Specialist of Wine"

2009-11-12T00:52:00.000-05:00

It has been a week since my last post. I needed some downtime. I took the Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW) exam last Thursday and now it is just a waiting game. Waiting for the results which will take anywhere from four to six weeks to arrive. I hate waiting. I'd rather do something now than plan ahead, and I will procrastinate if I can't see a reward in the short term. A set of character flaws that I will probably never grow out of. These flaws make my ambitions either more difficult than they need be or too far out of reach.

This, hopefully, explains my decision to jump in and take the CSW exam without a decent period of study time. I decided to take the exam 13 days or so before it was given. It was rather impetuous. I had also started a new part time job at a Liquor/Wine store. Between working my main job (Professional Gardening), studying and learning the ropes at the liquor store, which was certainly more frenetic than the wine shop I had worked at previously, my stress levels were high and I wasn't getting much sleep. It was very exciting and I enjoyed the challenge. My next challenge will be either taking the Certified Wine Educator exam or a Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) exam. I probably won't jump willy-nilly into either of those, but then again I might. What the heck.

After taking the CSW exam, I tried to figure out what I knew I got wrong. I came up with six questions that fell under that category. I won't go into detail because I see no reason to give away questions that were on the final exam. I imagine that the Society of Wine Educators would not appreciate anyone giving away even one question on their exam. I am very confident of passing and I am also fairly certain of scoring over 90%, but we shall see.

As for becoming a Master of Wine, I am uncertain if this is a road I will actually travel. It is a daunting process, both mentally and financially. I, at the moment, fail to see the immediate rewards and I don't imagine that leaping in is a good idea. Yet, the challenge of it provokes me to test myself in this fashion. It is like a game to me, and I love games. Time will tell. I love wine, good wine, and I love sharing it and the knowledge that I have with anyone that will partake. What I really want to do is open up my own wine shop and educate as many consumers as possible, but this has proven to be much harder than I imagined. I won't go into it here, but in most of America, because of remnants of Prohibition, the bureaucratic hurdles are legion. Quite frankly, raising the capital has been a hurdle as well. Sigh.

On a brighter note, Thanksgiving is only two weeks away, give or take a day. I will be reviewing, hopefully, a slew of wines appropriate or not, for the traditional Thanksgiving fare.

Word of the day: Abboccato - An Italian word meaning medium sweet or semi-dry. Orvietto Classico Abboccato is an example. The Spanish use the word Abocado to signify medium sweet, but Semi Seco is the official labeling term used, as in Cava Semi Seco. Semi sweet wines can prove to be quite useful in Thanksgiving Day meal pairings.

On The Road To Becoming A Master Of Wine: First Speed Bump, Certified Specialist Of Wine, Part 12

2009-11-04T22:26:00.000-05:00

This is my last day to study for the Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW) exam given by the Society of Wine Educators (SWE). The test is tomorrow at 9:00 AM, which I find completely uncivilized. I should be thankful it isn't earlier. I am not worried or nervous, exactly. I have a sense of excitement and urgency, which can have the same effect on your heart rate as nervousness, but I am definitely not worried. It is not that I am supremely confident in my ability to spew out the correct bits of information on any given subject of wine. Au contraire, I am quite cognizant of the fact that there is still so much I need or would like to know about wine. My lack of worry stems from ignorance and a cavalier attitude of life. How much of any of this really matters, taken in context with life as a whole? I find it hard to take much of life too seriously, and can find humor in most anything. Maybe it is just my sarcastic nature. A trait of mine that, I suspect, is not appreciated by the majority of people on the planet. OK, enough about that. The extra long preamble, must be a sign that I do not relish discovering how much I don't know about these last two subjects, "Wine Chemistry and Composition" and "Wine Making". For the first part of this series click here.

I started with Wine Making section, but the online module informed me that if I wanted to get the most out of this section I best start with Wine Chemistry and Composition. Fine. So I spark up that module instead. One moment while I take the pre-test. This is probably going to be ugly... There were 31 questions and I answered 10 of them incorrectly, making my score a 67.1%. As I suspected, I did very poorly here. Let's see what I got wrong.

Wine Chemistry and Composition

Wine's four fundamental structural components are sugar, acid, alcohol and phenolic compounds. Structure refers to the finished wine's detectable sensations, flavors and aromatics. I thought the question was asking about the base components needed to make wine. I need to focus on wording.

The primary product of fermentation is ethanol. This question had me confused. At least the 4 choices confused me. Ethanol, which I thought was the answer, was not one of the choices. Ethyl alcohol WAS one of the choices and I almost picked that assuming they were the same thing, but the next question on the quiz had both ethyl alcohol and ethanol as choices. As my chemistry knowledge is quite poor, I thought maybe they weren't the same thing and chose another answer. I should almost always go with my gut.

The "recognition threshold" is the term used to define the smalllest amount of stimulus needed to create an identifiable sensation.

The three grape acids are tartaric, malic and citric. Acetic acid is the only acid in grapes or wine that is volatile. Even though I knew that one I thought it would be good to write it down.

Grape vines metabolize malic acid during respiration.

Red wine with a low pH (more acid) will have more of a red hue and wine with a high pH (low acid) with have a blue hue.

The "legs" that form on the inside of the glass after swirling, are mostly composed of water because as the wine forms a film on the inside of the glass some of that alcohol evaporates out. What drips down the sides of the glass has a greater percentage of water than what is in the bowl. At least that is how I understand it.

Most phenolic compounds are attached to sugars and that increases the solubility of phenolic compounds in wine. This can make them them odorless. As the wine ages, the sugars are released. This could account for some wines being in a dumb phase, where you don't get much from smelling the wine.

Coopering/Barrel info with regards to tannin levels in the wine:
Imparts less tannins - Tight-grained oak, Air-dried staves, Hand-split staves, Heavy toasting.
Imparts more tannins - Wide-grained oak, Kiln-Dried staves, Sawn staves, Light toasting.

The pH range for wine is 2.9 - 3.9.

I took the post-test and scored 96.8%. Not bad, and although this was merely a cursory glance at all the chemistry involved in making wine, I feel much better about this subject. I am not planning, however, on enrolling in UC Davis anytime soon.

After a quick break for fresh air I am ready to start Wine Making, which the online study guide tells me is quite daunting. Oh well, here we go. There were a whopping 85 questions on this pre-test and I answered 13 of them incorrectly. I scored an 84.7% which, in my mind, is pretty good. The following is what I answered incorrectly.

Wine Making

Gelatin, egg whites, tannin (perhaps from oak barrel aging), bentonite and casein are all fining agents.

Carbonic maceration is a fermenting technique and is an enzymatic fermentation, as opposed to a yeast or bacteria induced fermentation.

15 months is the minimum time for NV Champagne to spend aging "sur lie" or on its lees. 3 years for vintage.

3 to 9 months is the typical amount of time a sparkling wine is released after the "dosage" or an amount of wine and sugar that is added back in to replace what is lost by degorgement.

Port, Sherry, Madiera and Marsala are NOT considered generic wine terms according to U.S. label law. I knew this, but I over-thought the question.

Residual sugar will inhibit the growth of "flor" yeasts in Sherry.

The primary food source of the "flor" is acid.

Port is traditionally fortified when 1/3 of the sugars have been converted.

Bottle-aged port does see barrel aging.

Ports are classified, matured and blended in the city of Vila Nova de Gaia

The driest style of Madeira is Sercial. The sweetest is Malmsey.

Their are 3 types of Marsala Oro (Golden), Ambra (Amber) and Rubino (Ruby)

Marsala may be produced in 3 versions or styles: dry, semi-dry and sweet.

I took the post-test and scored 100%. I am happy with that of course. And I did the two areas that I am weakest in on the day before the test. Hopefully the things I am shaky on will stick. Now I need to go to work. I will take the CSW Trial Exam later tonight.

The Trial Exam

I have not had a single sip of wine today. Just saying. I got home at 9:35 PM, settled into my computer chair and started the Trial Exam. It took me 21 minutes and I scored 95%. Not perfect, but I'll take it. It remains to be seen if I will do that well tomorrow. One more day to go. Actually, just one good night's sleep to go.

On The Road To Becoming A Master Of Wine: First Speed Bump, Certified Specialist Of Wine, Part 11

2009-11-03T21:43:00.001-05:00

I woke up this morning and mildly dreaded the study areas I have planned for today, USA and California. While the US has some really great wine, I generally view the quality and value of American wines as being in one of the lowest tiers. Overpriced, over-hyped by various wine critics and quite frankly a bit homogeneous, I steer clear of this category while shopping and for a large percentage of the time while selling. A customer has to ask specifically for an American wine suggestion before I will happily engage them on that topic. I realize that this attitude probably needs to change if I am going to be Certified Wine Educator (CWE), the next step after Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW), but for now my main tastes and interests lie in Old World wines. The first part of this series can be found here.

I am going to break studying into two parts of the day. This morning I will do the USA and later tonight I will tackle California. I will have to use the afternoon to earn some money.

I took the pre-test which consisted of 52 questions. Fifty-two questions! That is more than France and Italy had combined! I may be biased regarding Old World wines, but as stated in an earlier post I detect a bit of a bias in these modules. I did not do very well on the pre-test, however, I did a heck of a lot better than I expected. I actually expected to score 50%. I answered 15 questions incorrectly and scored 71.2%. Let's take a look at what I didn't know.

United States of America

American's drink about as much wine as they produce.

Three quarters of all wine sold in the USA are made in California. This makes more sense when you think of all the jug wine sold.

The Concord grape is not a hybrid. Actually I misread this question, otherwise I knew that.

The USA is ranked 3rd in wine consumption by volume.

Prohibition began in 1920. It was repealed in 1933. At least I knew that the 21st amendment repealed it. :-)

If a wine label lists a specific vineyard as its place of origin, then 95% of the wine in the bottle must come from that vineyard.

"Place of origin" legislation was introduced in America in1978. American Viticultural Areas, aka. AVA's, are registered with the Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, or TTB. I guess US wine folks couldn't get a more aptly named bureau for the job. After looking at their website, the TTB in actually now named The Alcohol Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. I don't know if they changed their name or if the online guide got it wrong. They fall under the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

Arroyo Seco and San Lucas are in the Central Coast AVA.

The five regional level or Super AVAs are North Coast, Central Coast, Sierra Foothills, San Francisco Bay, and South Coast. Actually, this is what the online guide says. I could find nothing on the web to corroborate this info and I actually found contrary information. More info here.

If an AVA is listed on the label, 85% must come from that AVA.

Santa Barbara has a cool climate due to the influence of the Pacific Ocean and a string of east-west valleys that allow sea breezes to penetrate far inland.

The Central Valley is not California's largest AVA. Why? Because the Central Valley in not an AVA. Hmm, they threw in a trick question.

The majority of Washington state's vineyards are located in the east, yet most of the wineries are in the west.

The Washington Wine Quality Alliance (WWQA) is the organization the was first responsible for US's first definition of the term "reserve". This organization was formed in 1999.

The TTB allows for a 1.5 percentage of alcohol content variation between what is on the label and what is actually in the wine.

I took the post-test and scored 98%. That makes me feel a bit more confident, but I know I am a little shaky on this subject.

Intermission

I have had dinner. And I just finished up a little Touraine (Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley) that I had opened the previous night. I feel I should open a bottle of California wine for this next section, but I am already extremely tired from a long day gardening.

I take the pre-test for California Wines and score 70%. There were 20 questions and I answered 6 incorrectly. There were, however a bunch of Gallo related questions, and I have half a mind to dismiss this entire section as pap and have a glass of Cognac. Sigh. There were some relevant questions I got wrong so let me share those.

Zinfandel grapes are apparently hard to grow/ripen so additional hang time is needed. Zinfandel is also the second most widely planted red grape, after Cabernet Sauvignon

The 3 largest AVAs in Sonoma County are Sonoma Valley, Northern Sonoma and Sonoma Coast.

About half of California wineries sell fewer than 5,000 cases per year.

Sonoma has the oldest wineries in California.

And for those who care, Gallo Winery won the VinItaly award 3 times. For what? I don't know, but you go Gal!

I feel a bit cheated. I could have spent my time this evening studying the written guide in advance for tomorrow's sections, "Wine Making" and "Wine Composition and Chemistry". These, I am thinking, will be difficult. The former moderately difficult and the latter very difficult. Time for that Cognac. Two days to go.

On The Road To Becoming A Master Of Wine: First Speed Bump, Certified Specialist Of Wine, Part 10

2009-11-02T23:16:00.001-05:00

I am studying for the Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW) exam this week, given by the
Society of Wine Educators (SWE). This morning, over a bowl of oatmeal, I am starting to feel a bit overwhelmed by the areas I still need to cover before Thursday. If you want to check out the beginning of this series, it can be accessed here. I am just going to jump right in today.

I took the pre-test for Grape Varieties. There were 40 questions and I answered 34 of them correctly, scoring 85%. I got 6 wrong, so let's see what those were.

Grape Varieties

Cabernet Sauvignon is not traditionally planted on chalk soils. Of the four choices I picked Sangiovese. I had at least narrowed it down between those two varieties and went with my first thought. Sangiovese prefers calcium-rich, chalky soils.

Chenin Blanc and Grenache are known for their wind tolerance. I had NO clue on the Chenin Blanc, but I suspected that Grenache might tolerate wind, due to the Mistral in the south of France.

Chile's Pinot Bianco, or at least quite a bit of it, is actually Chenin Blanc. This is true in Argentina as well.

Gewurztraminer tends to be low in acid at harvest.

Clarete is a word used, commonly, for rose in Spain. They also use the term rosado.

Madeira made from Bual or Malvasia are fermented on their skins and then fortified when sugar levels hit 7%. This halts the fermentation process and leaves residual sugars in the wine. Madeira made with Sercial or Verdelho are fermented dry and are then fortified and sweetened.

I took the post-test and scored a 100%. Feeling pretty good about varieties.

I also took the Labeling section pre-test this afternoon. There were 31 questions and I answered 4 of them incorrectly. I scored an 87.1%

Labeling

The wine's bottling date must be stamped on the case or the box the wine it came in. It is unclear to me if this is for all wines or just U.S. wines.

If an Australian wine label states a vintage, then 85% of the wine must be from that vintage. This was a true or false question and I thought it was more.

QbA wines CAN CAN CAN be chaptalized. I have to find a way to remember that.

The category that produces about half of the wine in France is Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée or AOC wines.

I scored 100% on the post-test and I think I am OK here. Unfortunately I have to head out, be responsible and go to work. (The PT wine/liquor store gig) I hope I have enough energy to do another section when I get home.

I just got home from work and it is 10:00 PM, but I am going to do Italy. I feel almost as confident about Italy as I do about France. I spark up the pre-test... The test had 20 questions and I got one wrong, scoring a 95%. This will be short but sweet.

Italy

The average Italian vineyard is approximately 2 acres. I almost chose that answer. I knew the average would be small and the choices were 2, 12, 20 and 200. I chose 12.

A few factiods to remember:

Sangiovese is the most commonly planted red grape
Barbera is number two.
Tommasi must be owned by Gallo because the module is showing pictures of their wines. (I don't know that for a fact, just saying)
The Apulia region in southern Italy produces more wine than any other, and according to the SWE's wine academy, more than all of Australia.
Ecco Domani must be owned by Gallo for the same reason Tommasi is. (actually I know that Ecco Domani is owned by Gallo)

I took the post-test and scored 100%. Too tired to go on. Counting what is left of today, three days to go.

On The Road To Becoming A Master Of Wine: First Speed Bump, Certified Specialist Of Wine, Part 9

2009-11-01T16:39:00.001-05:00

It is a beautiful Sunday morning. We just set the clocks back. The day we reverse daylight saving time is one of my favorites of the year. I get back that hour "they" stole from me in the Spring. I would love to spend most of the day outside but I have a shortage of days left to study for my CSW exam on Thursday. I think I need to tackle more than one subject today, so I am going to work on Spain and Portugal together. They are separate modules on the Society of Wine Educators' online Wine Academy so I will tackle them one at a time. I will have have three more wine regions to cover after the Iberian peninsula, Italy (shouldn't be a problem), the United States (could be a problem), and California (should be a problem, and I am saving it for last). If you want to read the first post in this series click here.

I started with Portugal. I took the pre-test and did very poorly. There were 23 questions and I answered 8 of them incorrectly scoring an embarrassing 65.2%. Looks like I need some work here. Let's see what I got wrong.

Portugal

It was common practice to fortify wines in the 18th century with about 3% of neutral grape spirits. This was to prevent microbial spoilage and to keep the wine stable. England went to war with France in the 1600's and Portugal became England's country of choice in regards to wine. Until this time most wines fortified were dry and it wasn't until the 1800's that sweet wines were fortified, essentially giving birth to Port and Madeira as we know it today.

The cadastro is a rating system that awards vineyards ranks of A,B,C,D E or F with A being the highest. These ratings also determine how much of the harvest will be made into port. The higher the rating the more port your vineyard can make.

The eight grapes recommended for port production by the Casa do Douro, which is one of Port's governing bodies are: Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesa, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Cão ( red varieties) and Gouveio, Malvasia Fina, Viosinho (white varieties).

About 50% of the wine produced in the Douro is made into Port. The same grape varieties that are used to make Port are used to make the area's unfortified table wines. The Douro region is broken into three sub-regions. From west to east: Baixo Corgo, Cima Corgo and Douro Superior (this eastern region has the highest quality and only produces about 15% of all Port production).

The Douro was delineated as an official zone of production in 1756 by Portugal's, Prime Minister at the time, the Marquis de Pombal. This makes the Douro one of the oldest delimited wine regions in the world.

The Estremadura is Portugal's largest wine producing region. This area is largely on the coast and has a maritime climate. The area reaches from Lisbon in the south to Bairrada in the north.

Esgana Cão is the same grape as Sercial from Madeira.

The most widely planted grape on the Island of Madeira is Tinta Negra Mole. While this grape is the most common on the island it makes the least consequential wines. It is also the main grape in the southern most region of Portugal, Algarve.

The regions of Portugal from North to south:

Vinho Verde - Despite the name, more red is made here. Largest area by geographic size.
Tras-os-Montes - Means behind the mountain. It lies between the Padrela mountains and Spain.
Douro - Tinta Francesa most widely planted grape. Where port comes from.
Bairrada - Vineyards destroyed in 1756 in effort to keep port undiluted and preeminent .
Dão - Primary grape the Touriga Nacional
Estremadura - Largest production of wine comes from here. May now be known as Lisboa.
Bucelas - White wine area, grapes are mostly Arinto and Esgana Cao
Colares - Phylloxera free. Ramisco principle red grape.
Carcavelos - Fortified wine region.
Ribatejo - Second highest in wine production.
Setúbal - Famous for its Moscatels.
Alentejo - Half of the world's cork supply comes from here.
Terras do Sado - Has a warm maritime climate. Aragonez (Tempranillo) is one of the main red grapes.
Algarve - Also known for cork production. Tinta Negra Mole is the principle red grape.
Madeira - 390 miles off the coast. Fortified wines made from Bual, Sercial, Malvasia andVerdelho are best.

I took the post-test and scored 100%. I feel a little shaky here nonetheless.I think I will take a break, go outside and split some wood. When I come back, on to Spain.

I took the pre-test for Spain which consisted of 25 questions I answered 4 incorrectly and scored an 84%. Over all, I am fairly happy with that result. I am certainly more satisfied with these results than my initial results from Portugal. I am going to focus on the questions I got wrong.

Spain

The Tempranillo grape doesn't have a strong or very distinctive character and is usually blended with other varietals that display stronger aromas and flavors. It ripens earlier than most other red varieties in Spain.

Albariño has, according to the Wine Academy online study guide, a peachy and distinctive aromatic signature that is comparable to Viognier from France. I have had a fair amount of Albariño and, while not claiming to be an expert on the grape, have never noticed any similarities between the two.

Navarra's traditional red wine grape is the Garnacha, but Tempranillo is becoming the principal red grape. There are also new plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Longer fermentation times are being used to create fuller, deeper wines and more producers are using barricas (60 gallon barrels made of French oak).

Priorat has vineyards that are terraced, cool, and slow ripening, have an unusual soil that retains moisture and produce low yields of concentrated grapes.

The main areas of wine making in Spain are:

Ebro River Valley - Rioja, Navarra, Carinena, Somontano
Duero River Valley - Ribera del Duero, Rueda and Toro
Catalunya - Penedès, Priorat
Galicia - Rias Baixas (Albariño)
Central Spain - La Mancha, Valdepenes, Valencia (Levante Region)

I found it odd that the Spain section online did not discuss Sherry at all.

I took the post-test and scored 100%. I feel pretty good about the Iberian peninsula. Four more days until the exam.

(images from viniportugal, wines of spain)

On The Road To Becoming A Master Of Wine: First Speed Bump, Certified Specialist Of Wine, Part 8

2009-10-31T22:58:00.002-04:00

It is All Hallows' Eve, and I have been working all day stocking, pricing and selling wine. I haven't had any good wine all day, and I am tired. The lights in and out of the house are off to ward away trick-or-treaters, and I sit in front of the computer screen trying to conjure up some inspiration to write my next blog, and in the process get some studying in. I did manage to study the Society of Wine Educators (SWE) written guide during lunch for about 20 minutes while eating a sandwich. I think the appropriate subject or module tonight should be Fine Wine Sales and Service. While I have much experience in fine wine sales, I have very little experience in service, not counting entertaining at home. If you are just joining me on this little journey, click here for the first part of the series.

I am figuring to get a 70% or better on this section, and the majority of the wrong answers to be on service. Let's see... Ha! I scored exactly 70% and got a total of 6 questions wrong out of 20. What isn't quite plain to me is what category those six questions fall under.

Fine Wine Sales and Service

I must say that this section was almost unbearably annoying to me. Almost all the questions had little bearing on what, I believe, would make someone a good wine educator. Maybe I am just tired, but I really doubt that is the real reason I found this section a bit ambiguous and annoying. Let's take a look at the questions I got wrong.

According to a 2005 Gallup poll the preferred alcoholic beverage of choice for Americans is not beer, as I supposed, but wine. 2005 marks the first time wine was preferred by Americans, over beer and spirits.

When assisting a customer purchasing wine, what is the most difficult scenario? Casual dinner, special occasion or gift. I chose special occasion because I want everything, especially the wine to be memorable. The answer the SWE was looking for was "gift giving", the area I have the least difficulty with. You ask a few questions such as; do you know what they like? what is the occasion? should they be able to drink the wine now or would you like them to age it? in what range should the cost of the gift be? Bam! Easy!

Food and wine pairing is based on understanding right and wrong rules of food and wine pairing. True or False? I said True. As I stated in my last post there are better pairings than others. This could be loosely translate as "rules", and I believe that wine and food pairings are "based", but not necessarily decided, on these "rules". Rules, however, are made to be broken. The problem I had with this question is a matter of semantics.

This next question definitely falls under the category of service. Which restaurant wine service protocol is INCORRECT? I chose "Servers should pour from the right." I racked my brain trying to remember how waitstaff have poured my wine and I came up empty. I just guessed.The answer they were looking for was, "Wine glasses are always set to the left of the waterglass, above the fork on the left side of the place setting." Maybe if I wasn't tired I could have pictured my table setting and gotten that one correct. I always put the wine glasses on the right.

Chilling the bottle reduces the pressure inside a bottle of sparkling wine and allows for more control of the cork when opening. I guessed false. I am generally not very interested in the technical aspects of things. Start talking numbers or what things are made of chemically, and my eyes glaze over. That said, sparking wine should be chilled to 40-45 degrees, not only for proper serving temperature, but because those suckers (the corks) can reach 65 miles per hour when released.

There are 6 atmospheres of pressure trapped in a bottle of sparkling wine. At this point I had reached 100 atmospheres of pressure in the space between my ears and just hoped that this interesting but useless information is not on the final exam. I mean seriously, can you imagine helping a customer either in a retail store or as a server in a restaurant and saying, "Now be careful with that bottle, remember it has 6 atmospheres of pressure trapped in there." Customer's response, "Really, is one of them Uranus?"

Picture from http://www.astro.virginia.edu/

I took the post-test and scored a 100%. Happy Halloween and cheers! Five days to go until the exam.

On The Road To Becoming A Master Of Wine: First Speed Bump, Certified Specialist Of Wine, Part 7

2009-10-30T22:50:00.002-04:00

It is a Friday morning in October and tomorrow is Halloween. I don't have to and I won't dress up tomorrow, but I have to put in a nine hour shift in the wine department in a liquor store where I just started on Monday. Between that and the fact that I have to get outside today and get some gardening done (my main source of income), I am not going to get much studying done, today or tomorrow. I decided to keep it light and easy today and do the Food and Wine Pairing section on the Society of Wine Educators (SWE) online study guide. I will also, as time permits, over these next two days, read from the SWE printed study guide and peruse Hugh Johnson's The World Atlas of Wine, an indispensable tome for anyone interested in wine at any level. If you want to check out the first part of this series click here. This will explain these posts.

I think wine and food pairing is a very subjective exercise. I am a firm believer in "Drink what you like, eat what you like and everything should work out fine." I believe some pairings are better than others and I also believe in the occasional perfect, or even sublime, pairing. I certainly have my personal preferences. I prefer to drink French wines with French food, Italian wines with Italian food and so on. I am more of complimentary wine and food pairing disciple than a contrasting one. For me these are, as I said, preferences, not rules. If they were rules, they were meant to be broken.

I think this is a foregone conclusion that I will have no problems with this subject. At least that is how I see it in my mind. I will now see if that is a correct assessment. (Time goes by) The test consisted of 12 questions. I got none wrong and scored 100%. It seems I have nothing to write about now, and my partner is telling me to get off the computer so I can get to my real job and actually earn some money.

(Time goes by)

The guide basically tries to educate you about the weight of certain foods and wines and how by keeping weights similar; this keeps pairings balanced. It talks about two kinds of pairings - complimentary (a crisp Sauvignon Blanc with white fish in a dill lemon sauce) and contrasting (a lemony, un-oaked Chardonnay with chicken in a cream sauce). It also talks about old beliefs which are no longer necessarily true, such as, matching the color of the entree with the color of the wine or pairing wines with food from the same country. As noted above, I have a preference for matching a country's foods with it's wines. There is also some reference to Julia Child and how she had a list of problematic ingredients, e.g. asparagus, eggs and spinach. Trivia.

At this point it is time for dinner. I have decided to relay my notes of how well the food and wine I had tonight paired. So much for relaxing on a Friday night.

Tonight's dinner is a rack of lamb, pureed turnip and creamed spinach with mushrooms. The wine is a 2000 Domaine du Vieux Telegraph Chateauneuf du Pape.

For the lamb, I rubbed it with cumin, coriander, salt and pepper and let it sit. I then rubbed honey over it and pressed fresh bread crumbs onto the sticky surfaces. I usually do this with mustard not honey, but the Chateauneuf du Pape which is primarily Grenache can have a burnt sugar component to it along with earthiness and leather. I am going for a complimentary pairing. The turnips have a sweet and earthy flavor, so again, complimentary. The spinach and mushrooms are a bit of a wild card. Spinach is high in tannins, oxalic acid to be precise, and this dries the mouth out and makes it a difficult food to have with wine. We shall see if the cream sauce and mushrooms help with this.

Wine notes: Color is a very clear but light ruby red with watery edges. Nose is a bit dumb, but with coaxing I get burnt sugar, caramel, red berries, red raspberries, damp earth, something sour and a bit of alcohol. On the palate I get red raspberry jello (very distinct memories from childhood), cotton candy and not much else. Still very tannic and bright. The wine is very clean and focused with a medium body and has a moderate finish. I would have to rate this wine, Good. It might get better with a few more years of bottle aging, so I will try another in a few years.

Wine and food pairing notes: The flavors of the lamb and wine marry well, but the weight of the wine just doesn't stand up. With the turnips the wine's acidity gets more focused and almost becomes unbearable. The spinach, even with the cream sauce and mushrooms, kills the fruit and the only survivor is the acid.

This was not a great pairing. It was OK, but clearly it was not a balanced one, and the wine was merely average, or perhaps too young.

I am not unhappy with this dinner or pairing, simply because I believe that wine and food pairing is an ongoing experiment in which everyone should push boundaries. Even if I learned little from the section on Food and Wine Pairing I learned a bit more about this Chateauneuf du Pape and this lamb dish.

Six days to go until I take the Certified Wine Specialist Exam. Cheers!

On The Road To Becoming A Master Of Wine: First Speed Bump, Certified Specialist Of Wine, Part 6

2009-10-29T22:05:00.002-04:00

This post will continue my self study exploration towards taking the Certified Specialist in Wine, or CSW exam, which is now only seven days away. I have started to make flash cards. I have never used this method of studying before, but I think the more ways I have to learn the better. The problem I have with these, however, is my tendency to write in a minimal shorthand kind of way. I will sometimes look at the question I have written on a card and say to myself, "What the heck is that supposed to mean?" Then I turn over the card for the answer and it becomes clear. It becomes clear that I need to write better questions.

I have four more wine regions to explore, but I have decided to take a break from them for a couple days. I am going to explore Viticulture, Vine Varieties, and Wine Chemistry and Composition next; maybe tomorrow I will do Food Pairings. Tomorrow is Friday and I think I will want to do an easy (my assumption is that Food Pairings will be easy) section, open a seriously good wine and relax.

I am going to do Viticulture tonight on the Society of Wine Educators online Wine Academy study guide. I am not a viticulturist, but I am a horticulturist. I was a Massachusetts Certified Horticulturist, or MCH, for many years, but I let my membership slide. I find it a bit silly, actually, that I am no longer an MCH. To become an MCH I needed to take a multiple choice test followed by a plant identification test which consisted of recognizing 50 different plants from twigs and naming them in Latin. This is akin to the Society of Wine Educators' exam to be a Certified Wine Educator, minus the essay part. The silly part of the MCH is that unless you keep up membership, which consist of dues and going to trade shows, your certification expires. A wonderful way to keep revenues rolling in. I hope no one from the SWE reads this and gets any ideas. Anyway, I still consider myself a horticulturist and feel that the viticulturist section should be fairly easy. Let us find out if that is true.

I open a bottle of 2005 Chateau Les Tours Seguy, Cotes De Bourg and spark up the pre-test. One minute while I sip some wine and actually take it. Yes, this is sort of live. So, the test consisted of 30 questions ranging from soil composition to canopy management to pests and diseases and reproduction. I got one wrong and scored a 96.7%. I should send the results of this test to the MCH board and see if I can get reinstated. The good news is, I did really well. The bad news is I have nothing to write about. Well, let's look at the one question I got wrong.

Transpiration is highest under cloudy, cool, still, humid conditions. True or False? I chose false. I had two different ideas in my head mixed up. First, let me explain a few terms.

Transpiration is when water evaporates through the stomata, which are like pores on the underside of the leaf. It is like sort of like human perspiration and helps cool the plant.

Respiration is when nutrients, like sugar and malic acid are broken down by the plant and used as energy.

Translocation is when nutrients are moved from one area of the plant to another.

I was thinking that when it was very hot the stomata would close and would not allow essential moisture to escape. As long as the plant's roots have water available to them in the soil, however, the plant transpires normally. So just like humans and perspiration, the transpiration rate for a plant in cool, cloudy, humid conditions is minimal. I should have known that.

I should add a few tidbits of information, because writing it down will reinforce these points in my brain and might educate anyone who finds this.

The three main nutrients that maintain plant health are Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium. (N P K) You can find these letters on fertilizer bags at gardens centers. Nitrogen for the foliage, keeps it green and healthy, Phosphorous for root growth and flowers, and Potassium for overall plant health.

Some basic nomenclature and reproduction terms:

Genus - A taxonomic ranking below family and above species. Vitis is the genus of grape vines.
Species - A taxonomic ranking below genus. Vinifera is the European species and labrusca or riparia is the American species.
Variety - A subspecies, like Chardonnay or Riesling.
Clone - Asexual reproduction of plants by way of cuttings, either self rooted or grafted.
Cross - Sexual reproduction of plants within the same species.
Hybrid - Sexual reproduction of plants between two different species.

The basic growth or yearly cycle of the vine as it pertains to wine is as follows.

Budbreak - This requires a an average air temp. of 50 degrees F.
Shoot and leaf growth
Flowering - This usually takes place 40-80 days after budbreak.
Berry set
Veraison - The grapes change color and soften because sugars are being translocated from leaves to fruit. Usually takes place 40-50 days after berry set.
Harvest
Leaf fall - Generally happens after the first frost.

For a list of disease and pests that affect the grape vine click above the picture of the cute little Phylloxera nymphs, here.

I took the post-test and scored 100%. I am very confident on this subject and probably won't revisit. Seven days to go.

On The Road To Becoming A Master Of Wine: First Speed Bump, Certified Specialist Of Wine, Part 5

2009-10-28T11:50:00.000-04:00

Today it is pouring! So I won't be going to work, gardening, that is. I still have to get to my new part-time wine job later in the day, which is in a retail, wine department. So, this should give me plenty of time to tackle one of the biggest sections of the CSW online study guide, France. To see what the CSW is about check here (part 1 of this series) or here (The Society of Wine Educators website).

To say I am a Francophile would be putting it rather mildly. I started drinking wine seriously in the early to mid-eighties and I started in France, not in the actual country, just the wines that came from there. Alsace and Loire was where I began, but I quickly moved on to Bordeaux and the Rhone. I was lucky and knew some people who had older vintages of both Bordeaux and Rhone wines, and were willing to share. I didn't start drinking Burgundy of any consequence, until I went to a DRC tasting in Boston sometime in 2002, and my life was changed. It was the 1999 vintage and they brought out everything they made from that vintage. Yes, the $1,300 a bottle (at the time)of 1999 Montrachet was there as well. I didn't spit that. So now I primarily drink Languedoc reds, Loire reds and whites, Burgundy when I can afford it and Bordeaux because I have tons of it from before 2002. I, of course, drink Rhone, Beaujolais and Alsace, but to a lesser extent. If I pass this exam I will be drinking a bottle of Champagne. Of that I am certain.

I figured I would have no problem with France. So a few days ago I dove right into the online module. I took the pre-test which consisted of a measly 25 questions. I would have to go look, but I swear that tiny New Zealand had more questions than that! I got 3 of them wrong and scored an 88%. First let us see what I got wrong.

France does not have grapes growing everywhere as they do in Italy. It just seems that way if you have never been there I guess.

The area with the most unique appellations is Burgundy. I had forgotten how crazy Burgundy is with the vineyards having their own appellations and chose the Loire.

Finally, the last question I got wrong was, at the very least, ambiguous. The question was: This region produces white wines with distinctive aromatic, floral and spicy qualities and a luscious almost oily mouth feel. I easily narrowed it down to two answers: Alsace and Rhone. I went eenie meenie miney moe and chose Rhone. I have had many white Châteauneuf du Pape, Condrieu and some basic white Rhones that fit that profile. In retrospect though, I would have to agree that that description does fit Alsace better as the standard.

Some things not on the pre-test to remember:

Wine making in France is over 2000 yrs old, at least since the Greeks and Romans occupied the country.

For most purposes there are three levels of French wine.

Vin de Table - The grapes can come from anywhere.
Vin de Pays - The grapes come from a specific region, but any variety or blend of varieties can be used.
Appellation d'Origine Controllee (AOC) - All the laws of the appellation stated on the label must be adhered to.

There is also the VDQS level which is hardly used and is below the AOC level.

The main regions of France are:

Bordeaux - Two rivers, the Garonne and the Dordogne feed the Gironde. This basically splits this region into a Left (west), Right (East) bank and an area called Entre-Deux-Mers, which is situated below the Right Bank. For reds, which are almost always blends of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot Cabernet Franc, Petite Verdot and Malbec, the Left Bank is dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon and the Right Bank by Merlot. The whites are usually blends of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. Bordeaux classified the Chateaux in 1855 into five ranking levels called Crus or growths. There are only five 1st growths. Lafite, Mouton, Latour, Haut Brion and Margaux. Mouton was added in 1973.
Burgundy- From north to south the districts are Chablis, Côte d'Or, Côte Chalonnaise, Mâconnaise and Beaujolais. Pinot Noir, Chardonny, Gamay and Aligoté are the grapes. In 1861 Burgundy was also classified. From highest to lowest they are Grand Crus, Premier Crus, Village wines, Districts and Regions. There are 32 Grand Crus in the Cote d'Or. Chablis has 7.
Rhone - Separated into north, Syrah the main, if not exclusive, red grape, and south, Grenache the main red grape, there are nearly 120 different communes.
Loire - White grapes are mainly Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc and Melon de Bourgogne. Red grapes include Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir and Cot (Malbec).
Alsace - Mostly noted for whites which include Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris and Sylvaner.
Languedoc-Roussillon - Much of the Vin de Table and Vin de Pays comes from here. The main grapes here are Syrah, Grenache, Mouvedre, Cinsault and Carignon, but Cabernet and Merlot have made inroads here of late.
Champagne - The main grapes here are Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.

I took the post-test and scored 100%. I will certainly look at the printed study guide for more nuggets of information, but I am very confident in this area. Eight days to go.

On The Road To Becoming A Master Of Wine: First Speed Bump, Certified Specialist Of Wine, Part 4

2009-10-27T22:20:00.001-04:00

I am going to complete the southern hemisphere with this post. I did the modules for Chile, Argentina and South Africa a couple of days ago and had some surprising pre-test results and some bad results. I drink a little South African wine and am quite fond of certain Pinotage wines. I felt pretty nonchalant about that area. South America, however, is an area I largely avoid. I was not expecting to do well here. So without further ado, let's see how badly I did.

I took the pre-test for Chile and Argentina. (They were lumped together in one online study module.) The test consisted of 43 questions, of which I answered 9 incorrectly, for a score of 79.1%. While I am not thrilled with that score, I was surprised to do that well. I will look at Chile first.

Chile

Chile apparently enjoys the pleasure of being phylloxera and oidium (powdery mildew) free. I chose false. I didn't think any country had escaped either of those plagues.

Maule is the sub-region where 1/4 of all Chile's grapes are grown. I guessed Maipo.

Most of Chile's Sauvignon Blanc is planted in the Curicó, not the Maule, which is what I guessed.

The northern reaches of Chile are desert, not tropical jungle as I guessed, again, incorrectly.

The southeast is the area in Chile that receives the most rain and has the coolest average temperatures. I said the southwest. I really thought that seemed right. Ah well.

When a variety is listed on the label, the wine must contain 75% of said varietal. I thought it was 85%. Can't we all just get along and use the same damn minimum percentage? Is that too much to ask? This same percentage rule also applies to origin of grape, estate bottling and the vintage. 75% across the board.

The five principal regions of Chile, from north to south, are:

Coquimbo - A fair amount of Cabernet Sauvignon is planted here and is generally a cool wine-growing area because of something called the Humboldt Current.
Aconcagua Valley - Two sub-regions, the Aconcagua Valley and Casablanca. Of the fine wine regions Aconcagua is the hottest while Casablanca is the coolest. Casablanca is also the newest, with the first vines planted in 1982.
North Central Valley - Two sub-regions, Maipo and Rapel, both are below Santiago the capital of Chile. Maipo was planted in the mid 1800's.
South Central Valley - Two sub-regions, Curicó and Maule.
Southern Region - Two sub-regions, Itata and Bío-Bío. Both areas grow mostly Pais a red wine grape and Moscatel. A lot of this is distilled into brandy or made into a rustic wine.

Some interesting trivia is that the Spanish brought the "Mission" grape to both Chile and Argentina in the 16th century. This grape was known as the "Mission" grape because the catholic church needed sacramental wine wherever they went, and made damn sure they had it with them! In Chile it is related to the Pais and in Argentina to the Criolla.

Argentina

The Argentinian area that makes a sherry and base wines for brandy and vermouth production is San Juan. I guessed Rio Negro. San Juan also produces much in the way of table grapes.

The most widely planted white variety planted in Argentina is Pedro Giménez, (which is not related to Pedro Ximénes of Sherry fame) not Torrontes, which is the third most planted.

Most of Argentina's vineyards are located in the northwest, not the northeast.

The principal wine regions from north to south are:

Jujuy
Salta
Catamarc
La Riojo - First grapes were planted here.
San Juan
Mendoza - 70% of the countries wine production comes from here.
Neuquén - This region along with Rio Negro are cool climate areas know for Torrontes and Semillon. Although I have had one or two delicious Malbecs from here.
Rio Negro

I took the post-test for these combined regions and scored a 93%. Not bad but I could use a little more study time here.

South Africa

South Africa had it's own module. I took the pre-test and scored a 62.5%. There were 24 questions and I got 9 of them wrong. At this point I am thinking two separate thoughts. My gosh, there is a lot I don't know! The second is, the CSW test only has 100 questions, what are the odds of there being more than one or two of these on it? I am not going to spend much time in South Africa, but here is what I missed.

Wine culture in South Africa dates back to 1655
The first person to cultivate grapes in South Africa was Jan van Riebeeck, a Dutch guy.
Hannepoot is the same thing as Muscat d'Alexandria and Cape Riesling is really Crouchen Blanc, and Weisser Riesling is true Riesling.
During the 18th century South Africa had a reputation for sweet wines, not Steen.
The northernmost region is Olifantsrivier
The largest wine-producing region is Worcester.
The region that is not hot and arid is Durbanville
Wine of Origin certification are granted by the South African Wine and Spirit Board.
Wineries don't have to participate in the Wine of Origin program, it is voluntary.

The regions are:

Breede River Valley - Districts include, Worcester, Robertson and Swellendam
Boberg - Districts include, Tulbagh, Paarl, Swartland and Stellenbosch
Coastal Region - Wards include, Constantia and Durbanville
Klein Karoo - Wards include, Tradouw and Montagu
Olifantsrivier - Wards include, Koekenaap, Spruitdrift, Lutzville-Vallei and Vredendal

I took the post-test and scored a 95%. Hopefully this newly gained knowledge will stay with me for awhile. I am not too concerned though, as I doubt much of this will be on the exam. Nine days to go.

On The Road To Becoming A Master Of Wine: First Speed Bump, Certified Specialist Of Wine, Part 3

2009-10-26T23:03:00.001-04:00

Continuing my education to obtain CSW certification from the Society of Wine Educators this post will focus on two areas/modules that were completed a few days ago, Australia and New Zealand. If you are just joining me the place to start is here. This will explain in more detail why I am doing this.

Australia

Australia is not a continent/country that makes wines that I enjoy. This is only generally speaking. They make some wonderful wines. It is just that the majority of their wines are too fruit forward, too jammy and too mass produced to be of any interest to me. Excess for the sake of excess seems to be their motto. With the exception of barbecue, it is not what I like to drink with dinner; that admitted, I felt I was fairly knowledgeable and thought I would do moderately well in this area.

I took the pre-test, which consisted of 19 questions. I got 6 wrong and that gave me a 68.4% on the test. Not very good. The following are what I got wrong and their correct answers.

Australian wine making started in 1830 in the Hunter Valley, which is north of Sydney, making it over 200 years old. I guessed 100 years. I really had no idea when it started, but I know it wasn't 1000 years old. Hopefully I will remember this.

The state of Western Australia, which produces only about 3% of Australia's wine, makes how much of the country's premium wine? <--- Actual question. Now, I like Western Australian wines much better than South Australia's wines. They seem leaner, more food friendly and to me, just more balanced. I figured they made a good amount of Australia's premium wine, and the way the question was worded you have to figure it is a large percentage. I guessed 1/2. The answer however was 1/3.

"South Eastern Australia" has become a good indicator of quality wines. Hmm. I actually thought that was false. My bias definitely played a part in my answer. However, Gallo, sponsors the wine academy training modules and I believe their bias plays a part in that answer, as their McWilliam's Hanwood brand uses a lot of grapes from this large geographical area. In this module there was actually a section that discussed Gallo wines from Australia. I can't say I cared for that.

Victoria produces and is known for Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and sparklers. Not by me, unfortunately. I said false.

Tasmania's cool climate is well suited for European varieties. So, I know very little of Tasmania, except they have these vicious little, what I thought were rodents, but are actually marsupials, that scared the bejeezus out of me as a kid while looking through a nature encyclopedia. That and the Warner Bros. character. I chose false.

Winemakers don't really play a leading role in Australia's wine industry. I thought they should. What do I know? This was a strange question and it actually read: "Many winemakers play a leading role in the Australian wine industry. T or F?" So my assumption here is, because a lot, if not most, of Australian wine is made by big conglomerates there just aren't many individual wine makers here. Sigh. Whatever.

The five main wine growing "States", as they are called in Australia are:

Western Australia - Perth is the main city. 3% of all Aussie wine made here, but makes nearly 1/3 of the premium wine. Districts include Margaret River, Swan River and Great Southern.
Southern Australia- Adelaide is the main city. 60% of Australian wine made here. Districts include Adelaide Hills, Barossa Valley, Coonawara, Clare Valley, McLaren Vale and Padthaway
New South Wales - Sydney is the main city, and the Hunter Valley the northernmost area. HV, a sub-tropical area, is most noted for Shiraz and Semillon. Districts include Upper and Lower Hunter Valley, Mudgee and Riverina
Victoria - Melbourne, the capital city resides here. Many varieties here, even 'stickies'. Cooler areas here, like Yarra Valley, make Chardonnay, Pinot and sparkling. Districts include Goulburn Valley, Rutherglen and Yarra Valley
Tasmania - In the last 30 years, many vineyards have been planted with Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Riesling. Cooler. Districts include Launceston Hobart

I took the post-test after reading the module and scored 100%. I am fairly confident here.

New Zealand

The pre-test had 25 questions, 6 more than Australia, interesting. I would have expected the reverse. I got 7 of them wrong for a score of 72%. Let's see what I didn't know.

I didn't know that in the early years New Zealand's wine industry was focused/dominated by sweet and fortified wines.

I didn't know that phylloxera affected N.Z. and that they initially responded to this with planting American grape hybrids. I bet the guy who came up with that was fired.

I didn't know Alsace and the Rhine wine regions were further from the equator than New Zealand.

I didn't know that Dr. Richard Smart pioneered canopy management in New Zealand, or that he was awarded in 2004, the Wine International Wine Personality of the Year for Innovation.

I didn't know that Montana Wines controls nearly 70% of New Zealand wine production. I guessed it was Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessey. Actually the module seems to have not been updated since 2003 or so. Pernod-Ricard bought Montana in 2005.

I also didn't know that the Gisborne region is known for Chardonnay.

And finally, I didn't know that the Hawke's Bay region's principal grapes were Merlot (predominately) and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Wine making in New Zealand started in the 1800's. New Zealand has 9 wine growing regions, and there are basically no regulations other than if the variety is listed on the label the wine must be at least 75% of that variety, and if a wine is labeled with two or more varieties, the combined total must be greater than 75% and the names of the varieties must appear in descending order. At least that is what the online study guide said. This is a bit confusing, but I believe that as of the 2007 vintage the 75% rule as been changed to 85% to be in accordance with the US and EU. Still trying to find the definitive answer. It seems New Zealand is a bit of a moving target.

North Island Regions

Aukland/Northland - Initial growing area and used to be the major area.
Waikato - No longer a major area. Chard., Cab. and S.B.
Gisbourne/Poverty Bay - Known for Chardonnay. Produces much bulk wine.
Hawke's Bay - Merlot and Cab blends. 2nd to Marlborough in volume and status.
Wellington/Wairarapa/Martinborough - Some small wineries. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. According to this map and a couple other sources, Martinborough is only a town and Wellington is the region's name. Wairarapa is a district. This differs from the module

South Island Regions

Nelson - Perhaps the largest amount of boutique wineries.
Marlborough - Currently the major wine area. Sauvignon Blanc.
Canterbury - Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
Central Otago - Most growth in new vineyard plantings. Pinot Noir.

OK, so I took the post-test and scored a 100%. Looking pretty good in the Pacific, at least short term. At this point I would like to say I was able to borrow a study guide from a friend in the trade. Thanks Matt! Ten more days to go.

On The Road To Becoming A Master Of Wine: First Speed Bump, Certified Specialist Of Wine, Part 2

2009-10-25T21:00:00.004-04:00

I am going to be using my blog as a personal study guide for the CSW exam for the next twelve days or so. The reason for that can be found on a previous blog, here. I am studying using the Society of Wine Educators' study modules. I completed these next few modules a couple of days ago with mixed results. My confidence waning a bit after taking the pre-tests, I generally felt better after reading the sections and taking the post tests. These, generally, I scored very well on.

Wines of Germany and Austria

Germany is an area that I know I need work on. I feel fairly confident on the basics, like Prädikat levels, grapes varieties and major growing regions. I have tasted a fair amount of German wines in the last 25 years or so, but they have been relatively minor players when I drink wine at home. Austria was another matter. With the exceptions of Gruner Veltliner and a handful of other grapes I was a neophyte at best. Austria definitely has me worried.

The pre-test consisted of 40 questions. I only answered 23 of those correctly. Scoring a 57.5% I felt fairly well beaten. Beaten by Austria. Of the 17 questions I got wrong, 13 of them were of Austrian origin. So let's see where I fell off the bus.

The four questions I got wrong in regards to Germany were as follows.

The largest red wine region in Germany is not the Ahr. While the Ahr is best known for light reds the largest red wine region is actually the Württemburg.

The German wine region that is comprised of one long hillside is the Rheingau, which flanks the Rhine as the river takes a sharp westerly bend. It is not the Mittelrhein, as I had so poorly guessed.

Pinot Noir Rose in Germany is called Spätburgunder Weissherbst. If I had looked at the answers more closely I would have narrowed it down to the answer that started with Spätburgunder, the German name for Pinot Noir. The region famous for this wine is Baden.

The warmest grape growing region in Germany is the Pfalz, not the Rheingau which for some reason I though was the most southern.

Some other factoids to memorize. Germany has 13 anbaugebiet or wine regions, and these are the largest geographical classifications. Alphabetically they are:

Ahr - One of most northern areas, best known for light reds.
Baden - Largest region in geographical size.
Franken - Main grapes Sylvaner and Muller Thurgau. Usually comes in those cute Bocksbeutels.
Hessische-Bergstrasse - East of Rhine, and wines consumed primarily locally. Locavores!
Mittelrhein - Because the Rhine flows mainly due north in this region, many wines planted here on the less desirable, east- west slopes.
Mosel-Saar-Ruwer - Some of the most famous einzallagen are here. Green bottles are most commonly used.
Nahe - One of the longest growing seasons in Germany.
Rheingau - All of the vineyards face south here, and mist off the river improve conditions for botrytis.
Rheinhessen - Largest of wine regions in hectares planted. Second in production to Pfalz.
Pfalz - Southernmost region, warmest and largest production.
Saale-Unstrut - North-east. Ripeness levels rarely reach Spatlese.
Sachsen- Even more east than above, about the latitude.
Württemburg - Largest red wine region. Main varieties Trollinger, Schwarzriesling and Lemberger.

There are 39 bereiche or districts in the anbaugebiet. Grosslage, within the bereiche, refers to vineyards that have been delineated and are similar enough to be grouped together. There are 160 grosslagen. The individual vineyards within the grosslagen are called einzellage and there are more than 2,600 of those. I am not going to be memorizing any where near all of those!

All in all, I feel fairly good about Germany, and I am confident the study module will solidify the subject for me. On to Austria which is just a skip to the south east.

I did get a lot wrong in Austria, so this may take awhile. Grape varieties handed me my largest amount of errors.

In Austria unlike Germany, Kabinett level wines are considered qualitätswein not prädikatswein. The prädikatswein are, in ascending order, Spätlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, Ausbruch, Trockenbeerenauslese. Eiswein (made from grapes frozen on the vine), Strohwein (the grapes are dried on straw), and Bergwein (these wines are made from grapes grown on at least a 25% gradient) are three categories that signify a winemaking technique or situation but aren't necessarily of better quality than Trockenbeerenauslese

This following little section encompasses 5 of the questions I got wrong, and all of these fall under the category of grape variety.

Morillon and Feinburgunder are synonyms for Chardonnay.
Spätrot-Rotgipfler is a blend of Zierfandler (Spätrot is a synonym) and Rotgipfler. The wine district that makes this unique blend is the Thermenregion.
Neuberger is a white grape variety.
Rotgipler is a white grape variety.
Zierfandler is a white grape variety.
There are only 4 or 5 red varietals of consequence grown in Austria and they are St Laurent, Blaufrankisch(Lemberger), Portugieser, Blauburgunder, and Zweigelt. I think if I keep those in mind it might be easier, as far as the exam goes, to assume most everything else is white.

There are four wine-growing regions in Austria.

Niederösterreich has eight wine districts, Carnuntum, Donauland, Kamptal,Kremstal, Thermenregion, Traisental, Wachau and Weinviertel(the largest).
Burgenland has four, Neusiedlersee, Neusiedlersee-Hügelland, Mittleburgenland and Südburgenland.
Steiermark in the southeast has three, Südosteiermark, Südsteiermark and Weststeiermark
Wien or Vienna is a region with no districts and is known for "heurige" (see below).

Answers I didn't know regarding districts and wines:

Weinviertel is Austria's largest wine district.

The Austrian wine district Wachau has its own classification system. Steinfeder are light dry wines 10% alc. Federspiel are medium-bodied dry wines under 12% alc. Smaragd are full-bodied dry wines over 12% alc. Smaragd are usually only made in the best vintages.

Ausbruch comes from the Burgenland region and more specifically the Neusiedlersee-Hügelland district. The wine is made by mixing botrysized late harvest must with unbotrysized late harvest must. The must must come from the same vineyard.

Heurige, which basically refers to new wine and also the taverns in which they are served in, is sort of a culture in the Wien district situated around the capital city of Vienna. Apparently, nearly every tavern or inn keeper makes their own wine and serves it on premise. You can even have bottles filled to take home. Sort of like a beer pub. I like this idea.

The name of Austria's steppe lake is Neusiedl and the Neusiedlersee district is named after it. Interesting little bit of trivia, but I don't see this as crucial knowledge. I will cry if this is on the final exam, but they will be tears of joy, now that I know it. :)

I scored an 89% on the post-test so I still need a little work here. I am also thinking there may not be many questions on the exam about Austria, so I may just focus on other areas, as the amount of time I have is limited. Eleven more days to go.

On The Road To Becoming A Master Of Wine: First Speed Bump, Certified Specialist Of Wine, Part 1

2009-10-24T22:50:00.000-04:00

A few days ago I decided to become a Certified Wine Educator (CWE). This is a certification that is awarded by the Society of Wine Educators. To become a CWE you must first become a Certified Specialist of Wine, or CSW, which is done by passing an exam of 100 multiple choice questions in an hour. A passing score is 75%. In addition to achieving CSW certification it is necessary to take another test consisting of 85 multiple choice questions in an hour, an essay in thirty minutes and two sensory evaluations, each in thirty minutes. Very exciting stuff indeed!

Shortly after deciding this wine-life affirming decision, I thought, "What the heck?" and decided to become a Master of Wine (MW), which, I believe, is one or two steps below Master of the Universe (MU). This is quite a bit harder than becoming either a CSW or CWE and usually takes a minimum of three years. I won't go into the details of how to become a MW now, because, quite frankly I am a very long way from this distinction. It is one thing to decide to become or do something. It is quite altogether something else to achieve that something. I am, however, a firm believer that if you put your will to something, you can do almost anything. Perhaps the ludicrous part of this is that I don't even need the CSW or CWE to achieve MW. For that I really ought to have a WSET diploma! I will do that next. One thing at a time.

Deciding to become a CWE is not nearly as pretentious sounding as, say, a guru deciding before conception to be born. That being said, I think my perception as to the difficulties regarding becoming a CWE was that this should be easy as cake, eating it that is. That is why I signed up for the test for the CSW, the first step to becoming a CWE, two weeks before it was to be given. "How hard could this be?" I thought. Perhaps harder than I thought.

So I joined the Society of Wine Educators as a Professional which costs $125. I did this for two reasons. One, it defrayed the cost of the exam. As a member it costs $180, but as a non-member it costs $255. Yes, I know, I lost $50 in that transaction. Two, being a member gave me access to their online Wine Academy study modules. I get a few other benefits from being a member, so, I am mostly happy with my decision to go this route. After looking at the study modules, I decided that two weeks may not be enough.

As I write this, it is October 24th and my test is on Nov 5th. I have thirteen days in which to broaden my mind. I have studied with the modules for two days now and I am finding that there is quite a bit that I don't know, much of which seems rather esoteric. Writing this all down should help me memorize some of this minutia. It may also provide some information and amusement. I am going to focus on writing about the things I know the least of, hopefully the reason for that is self-explanatory.

Wine Tasting, Etiquette, Service

This is an area that I thought I would have no problem with. Well, I took the pre-test of 21 questions and I scored a 66.7% Ugly, 7 wrong! After looking more closely, two of the questions I got wrong I had misread. I would have had a 76% if not for the reading error. Not that it would matter on the real test, but I knew those. Let's take a look at what I got wrong.

Sight gives us the least information about wine. I chose touch as my answer. This is because of the way my brain works. I was thinking fingers. If you put your fingers in a glass of wine I assumed you would glean very little from that experience. When they, SWE, say touch they mean tactile sensation on the tongue separate from taste. My bad. Even though sight is the least helpful of the senses, color and hue can give you a few clues about the wine. Age and weight of the wine are a couple.

Sight however is the most familiar and frequently used sense. I looked at this question solely within the realm of wine. They meant it in a more general way. I said smell is the most familiar and frequently used.

The olfactory epithelium is the sensory organ/tissue that allows you to smell. We have two of them and they connect to the olfactory bulb in the brain. I got that one right, but I guessed. What I didn't know was that only 5-10% of the air we breathe comes into contact with those tissues. I guessed 60-80%.

Apparently humans are least sensitive to sweet as a taste. I chose salty. We are most sensitive to bitter. (I got that one right.)

Humans, it seems, can be trained to identify 1000 aromas, out of the 10,000 we can detect, give or take. I chose 100. Wine is estimated to have 200 or so.

Lastly, 'aroma' when used to describe wine, technically, only refers to the scents of the grape variety itself, even though 'aroma' is commonly used to describe everything you smell. Bouquet, technically refers to the smells that come from the wine-making process, such as yeast, oak etc.

Those were the pre-test results. I then read the module and scored 100% on the post-test. Thirteen days to go.

WBW# 62 A Grape By Any Other Name

2009-10-14T19:23:00.003-04:00

This month's subject for Wine Blogging Wednesday is well known grapes and their other names. The idea is to taste wines labeled with their lesser known varietal synonyms, and it is being hosted by Dale Cruse over on Drinks Are On Me.

Garnacha is a name of a grape planted in Spain, and it has quite a few synonyms. It's roots may lie with the Phoenicians, who are suspected of populating the Iberian Peninsula with many varieties of grapes, although there is also the belief that viticulture in Spain progressed independently. In Italy, specifically Sardegna where the grape is called Granaccia or Cannonau, there is a belief that the grape is indigenous to the island and therefore originated there. Garnacha migrated north east over the Pyrenees into France. Of course, this is where the grape is probably best known as Grenache, the French name for the grape that is so ubiquitous in the Languedoc-Roussillon, and most celebrated in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, as it is the main or sometimes exclusive component of that wine. Regardless of where this wine originated from, I have been a fan of this grape in it's many variations of flavor, texture and style for a long time.

For me, the Garnacha/Cannonau/Grenache grape provides a very useful food wine. Usually a bit rustic in nature, but with a sweet ripe fruitiness. The grape tends to make wines of relatively light to medium red color, but some can be quite dark if yields are kept low, or when other varieties are blended in, such as Syrah or Cabernet Sauvignon. This is done in areas such as Châteauneuf-du-Pape in France and Priorat in Spain.

I chose to have two separate meals with two separate wines on two separate days, and I chose Garnacha and Cannonau for the wines.

Wine #1
2005 Celler de Capcanes Mas Donis Barrica Old Vines, Montsant Spain. $12.99
Celler de Capcanes is a cooperative that was started in 1933 in a sub-section of the Tarragona DO. They sold all their wine off in bulk until 1980 at which point they started to sell the unfermented grapes. In 1998 they started to vinify at the cooperative and sell the wine under their own name. Montsant was given DO approval in 2001. 85% Garnacha 15% Syrah

I had this wine with grilled pork chops spiced with coriander and cumin, sweet potatoes with mole poblano butter, and a corn, poblano, cherry tomato medley. The food was great! I wish I could say the same about the wine.

Notes: The wine had a purplish red color and was clear. The nose was very tight and faintly displayed red berries, oak and Elmer's glue. The flavors were equally muted. Some soft tannins, cherries with a bit of chocolate. Short finish. I coaxed it for a few hours but nothing developed. Maybe it was an off bottle, but I imagine it was correct. The wine never showed up for dinner. Fair-

Wine #2
2005 Sella & Mosca Cannonau di Sardegna Reserva $13.99
Sella & Mosca was founded in 1899 by a couple of Piedmontese business men, and today is owned by Campari. 100% Cannonau.

I had this wine with home made pizza. Fresh mozzarella, fresh tomatoes, bacon, red onions, sausage and arugula. Basically, what was leftover in the fridge.

Notes:The color was very light, clear scarlet color, with some orange to the edges. Ripe red raspberries and dried cherries, earthy touch of wet straw and bit of a spicy note. On the palate a very focused sweet-fruited entry. Mid palate was soft with good balance of fruit and acidity. Flavors were fairly simple, showing chocolate cherries with some spiciness, and earth. Medium to short finish. Good+

I wish I could have found the time to add a New World and French Grenache to this posting, but I just couldn't find the time. Thanks to Dale Cruse for hosting. I had fun doing this. Cheers!

Big Trade Tastings 101

2009-09-30T09:20:00.004-04:00

I was at a portfolio tasting for the trade at the Seaport Hotel in Boston yesterday. These tastings can be fun, but keep in mind they are really work. You are expected to taste a multitude of wine in a very busy setting and choose what you think would fit well in your store or restaurant. These shows are usually very crowded and can prove to be an overload on the senses. It can be hard to focus. They are generally high energy events with people forced to yell sometimes to be heard. I've been to both big trade tastings and to big public wine events. The only real difference between the two, that I can see, is that at the trade shows there are visibly less drunk people walking around, and there are less people bumping or shoving you to get a glass of To Kalon Cabernet. And fewer still singing at the top of their lungs or wearing lamp shades.

There is virtually no way you can try every wine at these tastings. The amount of wine at these events is staggering, and the best way to approach this mountain is to form a game plan. Scope out what is being poured and decide what can't be missed, what you would like to try if time or your palate permits, and what you don't need or care to try. There always, at the beginning, what seems to be plenty of time to taste the things you came to taste, but generally that time just isn't there. You might be surprised how much time gets eaten up when you strike up a conversation with someone pouring. I have given up on trying to write comprehensive notes on the wines I try. My system is to simply put a check next to the wines tasted. If I like the wine I note it with a Good, VG or Excl. If a particular aroma stands out I try to jot that down along with some textural notes. I tried around 115 wines in about 4 hours, taking breaks for food, water and bathroom. I also, spent time chatting with people I hadn't seen in months. I probably tried less than a quarter of what was there.

I'd like to offer some advice for those going to a big tasting. Some of which may seem obvious or even silly, but even the pros don't seem to have some of the basics down.

Drink water before. Drink water during. Drink water after. You are tasting alcohol, it will dehydrate you. After trying twenty or so wines you will start to feel it.
Spit. This isn't an open bar at your cousin's wedding. If you don't spit you will get drunk, you will probably feel sick later and you may even make an ass of yourself.
Take breaks. Use them to compose your notes and yourself. Grab a bite. Sit down and take in the scenery, whatever.
Don't be rude. Don't elbow your way into a table. A simple "excuse me" should suffice, even if you have to yell it. Don't stand in front of the spit bucket, you may get elbowed. (people who need to spit can't say "excuse me")
Bring a toothbrush. Unless you happen to go to an all white wine tasting, your teeth will look like you haven't' been to the dentist since you were born. If you aren't going any where after, or if you have decided not to smile until you are home, then maybe you could skip this.

I took five shots with my Blackberry phone inside. They all came out looking like a surrealistic party in hell. Ah well.

A few wines that stood out at this tasting and that should be widely available:

2007 Capcanes Mas Donis - VG A very well done grenache blend. Value.
2004 Ciacci Brunello di Montalcino - VG A well priced solid wine.
2006 Artadi Vinas de Gain Rioja - VG+ Modern but good balance.
2007 Qupe Bien Nacido Syrah - VG Good structure and fruit.
2007 Qupe Central Coast - Good Meaty and a good value.
2007 Vietti Barbera d'Asti - VG Oak and modern but pulls together.
2008 Thelema Sauvignon Blanc - VG Crisp, minerals, solid value.
2008 Kanakop Kadette - Good Good value
2004 Kanakop Cabernet Sauv. - VG Dark and earthy.

A few wines that disappointed:

2007 Adelsheim Willamette Valley Pinot Noir - Coca Cola
2006 Dona Paula Malbec Seleccion de Bodega - Everything to excess.
2005 Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon - Overpriced and nothing going on.
Jam Jar Sweet Shiraz - Um, cute packaging. Did I mention the packaging?

Any one have other suggestions about big tastings let me know. I am also interested in your experience with them. Cheers!

2007 Chapoutier Côtes du Rhône

2009-09-16T20:20:00.002-04:00

Tonight, with a lamb burger cooking away in the skillet, I was flustered. What wine to drink? I suffer from too many choices, which, I am sure, doesn't get me too much sympathy. Looking through the every day wine closet in the kitchen I spied a Côtes du Rhône. A 2007 Chapoutier Côtes du Rhône to be exact, which I have been meaning to try. So, great, a region I love and a vintage that has shown much promise in both the reds and the whites. I bought this bottle at a Whole Foods Market in Cambridge for $13.99.

Chapoutier makes some very expensive wines. They also produce a few that, like this CDR are very value minded. Of course everyone's idea of value differs. Value wine is a subject that I keep running into on the web and while it is something I subscribe to, it is a very personal matter. I think the wine tonight is a good example of personal taste.

2007 Chapoutier Côtes du Rhône - Color is a deep ruby red. The aromas are pure and clean. Berries, red raspberries and a bit of heat. There is a slight chocolate aroma as well. The flavors are mostly red berries and burnt sugar. The texture on the palate is mostly balanced, the heat does come through, but this wine is an amiable enough quaff-er. Modern in style and a moderate finish. I would rate this wine Fair+. Buy again: No.

To me this wine does not represent a value. It is neutered, devoid of any interesting characteristics that would lead me to believe it actually came from the Côtes du Rhône as opposed to Paso Robles or the Santa Maria Valley in California. Place is important to me when drinking a wine and while this wine would be acceptable to perhaps most wine drinkers, for me, this just lacks character and would be better served as a box or jug wine at half the price.

Friday Night? How About a Steak and an Old Bordeaux?

2009-09-02T23:45:00.002-04:00

I love red Bordeaux! I was practically weened on red Bordeaux. Some of the best wines I have ever had have been red Bordeaux, but alas, other wines and grape varieties have claimed the largest part of my heart these last few years. Pinot Noir from Burgundy and Cabernet Franc from the Loire, to name a couple, have usurped Bordeaux's dominating allure over me. That being said, I still love Bordeaux.

I tend to drink most red Bordeaux at the ten to twelve year from vintage mark. That's just where my palate preference lies. When young, the wines can be very hard, one-dimensional, and undrinkable, but in their prime they can be quite complex and delicious. As the wines age and mellow, the tannins fade and integrate. The wines can take on a burger-y aroma, and develop many other earthy nuances that I still find irresistible. I also push some of the more notable wines further and drink them at the 20, 30, and alas, only once, to the 40 year mark.

I also tend to like the St. Estèphe appellation best, followed closely by Pauillac, then Margaux. Oddly St. Estèphe and Margaux are practically polar opposites. St. Estèphe wines tend to be hard and lean when young and sometimes they never get over their adolescent harshness, while Margaux wines tend to be soft and sexy even when young. North to south, masculine to feminine, yang to yin; but in the middle of the two lies Pauillac. Pauillac wines generally exhibit great dark fruit, tannic structure, and a fineness that gives them a sneaky charm.

One of my favorite pairings is beef and old red Bordeaux. It was Friday night and I lean towards steak on that night, so I thought it was time to break out an older bottle.

1995 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste - The nose was a powerful smorgasbord of black fruit aromas and earthy memories. Blackberries and cassis bolted impressively out of the gate, followed by mushrooms, cedar and roasted herbs. There was also a eucalyptus, Ben-Gay type of minty-ness lurking. The wine showed very good equilibrium as the tannins had mostly resolved, yet it still had a very good acidic backbone, with a big mid-palate mouth-feel. The aromas mostly carried to the palate, but the blackberries and cedar, with that touch of mint dominated most of the other flavors. Moderately long finish with a touch of fruit sweetness that lingered. I would rate this wine Excellent-. It is drinking very well now, but I would give it at least 3-5 more years of excellent drinking.

A quick note on the steak and sauce. A little over a year ago a friend brought this sauce to my attention. I make it every chance I get, as long as I have Bourbon on hand. I find that the flavors of this sauce go best with a rib-eye, but this night I had bought a NY strip steak. It was not a bad thing.

2-3 Rib-eye steaks
1 shallot chopped fine
1/2 cup beef or veal stock
1/4 cup Bourbon

Salt and pepper steaks. Saute the steaks in a skillet with olive oil on med. high until browned on both sides (about 3 minutes a side.) Reduce heat to low and cover them for 3 minutes for rare or 5 minutes for medium. Remove steaks from pan and keep warm. Turn the heat up to med. high and add shallot to the pan and cook until softened. Add the stock and reduce by half. Add the Bourbon and, with much care and/or a long match, ignite. Have a cover handy in case the flames get out of hand. When the flames die out it is done. Pour over steak and serve. Cheers!

WBW #60: I Have Zinned. (But I Am Not Looking For Forgiveness)

2009-08-12T08:15:00.000-04:00

My very first memorable Zinfandel was a 1977 Monteviña Special Selection from Amador County. It was really more than memorable -- it was wine-life changing! Well, at the very least it changed my opinion of Zinfandels. It was in the mid to late eighties, (probably '86 or '87) Christmas day. The parents of the woman I was seeing at the time lived in Bridgehampton on Long Island, NY, and we were visiting for the holidays. On Christmas day, the family was driving west to Staten Island, in multiple cars, to visit relatives. I begged to stay behind, having no desire to drive that distance on Christmas Day to visit people I didn't know. In retrospect it was a selfish move, and my connection to "I Have Zinned," but I still feel fairly remorseless.

My girlfriend and I stayed behind to fend for ourselves in the over sized mansion-like house. She had an older brother who was and maybe still is a poet and he loved wine. His cellar that he kept in his parents basement (there was no room in his one room apartment in Manhattan) was filled with gems such as Bordeaux from the 70's and Ports from the 60's. I remember well a 1970 Ch. Montrose and a 1963 Quinta do Noval to name a couple. Before he left on the family journey, her brother asked what we might have for dinner and I answered that we would probably just have a grilled steak. He disappeared into the basement and returned with a bottle that he said would probably work. I looked at the bottle and I must admit I was disappointed. It was an 9 or 10 year old Zinfandel.

This was relatively early in my wine drinking career, but I had had a few Zins at this point and I didn't find them that interesting and certainly not age-worthy. Incredibly, I still remember that wine to this day! It was a big-, dark-, plummy- and pruney-fruited Zin, and the bottle had a port-like crust that formed on one side. The wine was very rich but had started to take on secondary and tertiary aromas and flavors of earth and herbs. I couldn't believe how yummy this wine was and how well it married with the grilled steak. I immediately started looking for this bottle of wine in stores everywhere, but came up empty. I switched my attention to other Zins and found that I liked the sturdier examples -- wines that would age. Storybook Mountain was a favorite, and I also liked Rafanelli and Ridge. The Monteviñas I found here and there were seemingly unrelated to that '77 I had that night. I learned the winery had been bought by a big conglomerate and I gave up on them. I also gave up on Zins in general. Zinfandels went through a light and insipid stage followed by an alcoholic behemoth stage that, largely, they still seem to be in. I do find an occasional Zin that suits me, but it is rare.

When I noticed Sonodora's tweet announcing this month's Wine Blogging Wednesday (WBW) topic, it brought all the above memories back to mind. I also thought that this would be a good excuse to try some Zin in a casual setting - a grilling of various meats and vegetables with some friends. I was down in Pennsylvania for a few days visiting some "wino" friends of mine and they seemed game. We added three more folks so we had a group of seven eaters and Zinners. I decided on three Zins to open and I also thought blind tasting was the way to go. One wine, the Hendry's, was purchased in Massachusetts. The other two, a Dendor Patton and a Sequum were purchased in Pennsylvania at one of the Premium Wine and Spirit shops. For the food to be grilled we had flank steak, bison kielbasa, bratwurst, eggplant and summer squash. There was also a fresh heirloom tomato and mozzarella salad. The Zinfandels paired very well with everything and the tasting was a success.

The wines were bagged and numbered 1, 2 and 3 in such a way that no one knew which was which.

#1 2005 Hendry, Block 7 Zinfandel, Napa Valley. $29.99 - 15% alcohol. Maraschino cherries, vanilla, plums, red fruit, candied and smarties on the nose. Grapy tannins, vanilla, a burst of ripe red fruits on the palate, and a little on the sweet side. Very good acidity and a moderately long finish. This wine got three 1st place votes, three 2nd place votes and one 3rd place vote. I gave it a 2nd place vote and rated it Good+.

#2 2005 Dendor Patton, Wisdom Old-Vine Zinfandel, Mendocino County. $29.99 - 14.8% alcohol. Dark fruits, more blackberry and dark cherry with a touch of spicy raspberry, burnt sugar and caramel on the nose. A tannic structure that held the cherry, raspberry spice in what should be a long lived cradle. Very good acidity and a very long finish. This wine got three 1st place votes, four 2nd place votes and zero 3rd place votes. I gave it a 1st place vote and rated it Very Good.

#3 2005 Sequum Riverwash Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley. $34.99 - 15.2% alcohol. Red fruits dominated by pungent oak, vanilla and a slight burnt rubber aroma. No weight on the middle palate, red fruits, but again the oak dominates the character. Somewhat flabby and not much of a finish. This wine got one 1st place vote, zero 2nd place votes and six 3rd place votes. I gave it a 3rd place vote and rated it Fair.

The best wine of the evening by a small margin was the Dendor Patton, followed very closely by the Hendry. Except for the one rebel taster the Sequum was quite obviously the weakest link. I was very happy with the tasting and the dinner and I hope to do this again with Zinfandel soon. Cheers!

Que Syrah Syrah (Whatever will be, will be)

2009-08-02T17:15:00.005-04:00

I generally drink wines from France and Italy... when I am paying the bill. The reason for this is simple. I prefer wines made with little or no intervention and wines with character. I don't mean to imply that wines in France and Italy are all naturally made or that they all have character. It just seems easier to find those that are. There are importers that do the hard work for you. More than 70% of the wines in my house have back labels by Lynch, Rosenthal, Dressner, Wasserman etc. When someone else offers to pay, e.g. samples, friends etc., however, I'll try anything. Looking for naturally made wines in CA is like looking for an honest politician or Rabbi in New Jersey these days. They exist but it certainly seems like they are out numbered.

After reading Alice Feiring's book "The Battle For Wine and Love: or How I Saved the World From Parkerization" and reading blogs by others, I was reminded that there are some producers in CA that make wine naturally and that are worth checking out with my dime. Edmunds St. John and Copain are two of them.

Whatever will be, will be. Making natural wines i.e., interfering with them only to prevent them from going off or bad, takes a lot of faith. Faith in your fruit, your yeasts, and your ability to make wine without resorting to chemistry tricks says a lot about you as a winemaker. To me, it means that you are respecting time and place and nature and are not manipulating wines to please the critics or masses. From the Copain website - "Winemaking practices aim to express each sites unique qualities which thereby means a minimum of intervention. Overripe fruit, excessive physical and chemical manipulation of the must and over use of oak, all mask the subtleties provided by the vineyard." From the Edmunds St. John website - "It is our goal to produce wines of the highest level of quality, integrity, and authenticity, the hallmarks of which are balance, nuance, and elegance, wines that express their origins in place and time, wines through which "the earth speaks" in a clear and strong voice." Sounds like my kind of guys!

Finding wines by both of these wineries in my state proved to be a challenge. I actually happened quite accidentally on the Copain at a little wine shop in a backwater town located just 2 towns away from my backwater town. I was surprised to find the Edmunds St. John in PA at one of their "Premium Wine and Spirit Shops". I have friends in PA that I visit a few times a year. The running joke is the wine shops in PA are so bad they have to shop in NJ, NY, or DE to get a decent bottle. I took my two acquisitions of providence and decided to drink them on two separate but consecutive nights. Both were served with grilled beef to have a little consistency with the accompanying flavors.

The 2003 Edmunds St. John Bassetti Vineyard Syrah, San Luis Obispo County is the second bottling of this vineyard that Steve Edmunds made. The color was a deep red with bluish purple edges. The nose showed dark black fruits, wild black-raspberries, framboise and a little burnt rubber which blew off fairly quickly. On the palate there was a dense structure and formidable acidity. The wine also showed a mint-like coolness and a touch of saddle leather. Brett? The framboise showed up on the long finish. I liked this wine, but I really jumped the gun on this one as it was too tight to enjoy thoroughly. It really needs time in the bottle. My guess would be 5 to 8 yrs and would probably last a lot longer than that. Very Good+

The 2005 Copain Harrison Clarke Vineyard Syrah, Santa Ynez Valley is the first vintage for Wells Guthrie from this vineyard. The color was a medium but deep ruby red with a tinge of purple on the edges. The bouquet was profuse, rich and very deep, with blackberries, honey, caraway, forest floor and a minor touch of pepper, mint, burnt sugar and butter. On the palate a burst of black and red fruits that was brightened with a vibrant and fresh acidity. For all its palate awakening acidity it was texturally very suave and sexy. This wine displayed a beautiful balance. Excellent-

I think that both wines were excellent examples of what California Syrah in the right hands can be. The two wines were miles apart in drinking accessibility but both had character and tasted like real wines. I loved them both and look forward to searching out other examples of California wines suited to my taste. In the meantime, whether it be wine or life in general, perhaps we should all practice a little "whatever will be, will be". It's certainly a less stressful way to be.

Live! From Somewhere In Your Own House, It's Saturday Night Taste Live!

2009-07-21T12:40:00.001-04:00

On Saturday night, July 11th, I participated in an online event called Taste Live! or what used to be called Twitter Taste Live (TTL), which I think was started by three guys in Massachusetts, one of whom is a partner in Bin Ends Wine. The way it works is the guys at Taste Live hook up with a winery or distributor, select some wines a date and a starting time. Then they advertise the event via their website and through Twitter. On the night of the event people from all over the U.S., England, and Europe open their bottles alone or with friends, drink those wines and tweet their comments. Each comment should contain the characters #ttl. This is what unifies these tweets or comments so everyone joining in on the event can easily view everyone else's tweets and comments. At least this is the scenario for the three I have participated in.

What are they trying to accomplish with Taste Live? Numerous intentions pop into mind. One would be to use it in a way to expand social media within the wine industry. This includes getting consumers and wineries excited about connecting with each other, trying wines you may not have had before or wouldn't even think of having, and sharing your impressions online in real time. People get to taste wines with other wine lovers with various levels of experience at the same time, that, because of geographic distance, you would not ordinarily have had the opportunity to do. Pretty neat. Another is purely economic. Wineries get practically free advertising. The cost to them is essentially a few sample bottles which all wineries have an allocation of. Wine stores and wineries may sell more of these wines before and after the event. It remains to be seen if they are indeed accomplishing these things at a level that makes all this worthwhile to all parties. For now it seems to be a growing entity that I for one hope has a long life.

How it could be better. Simply, get more people involved. The more the merrier! This could happen organically. A slow but steady tide of people all over the internet and world becoming aware of this dawning social media event. If more retail stores got involved and hosted these events by allowing their customers to log on at the store, that might be a way to spread awareness even more. Also, if some of these events had fewer bottles tasted, it might make people more interested as there would be less to invest, money and time wise.

The wines for this event were all produced by St Supéry in Napa Valley and were provided to me free of cost. The list is as follows:

2008 Sauvignon Blanc - The nose had a pineapple, grapefruit aroma with a bed of grass in the background and was high-toned overall. The palate showed good crisp acidity, tropical flavors and had a light bodied texture. Short to medium finish. Good+ This was my second favorite of the evening. Straight forward and precise.

2006 Virtu - Fairly dumb most of the evening, but what I did coax out of the glass was honeysuckle flowers with a whiff of herbaceousness and vanilla. The mouthfeel was creamy and tasted a bit like lychee syrup and vanilla. Slight bitterness on the medium long finish. Good- This wine came in fourth.

2004 Cabernet Sauvignon - On the nose, cassis, dried fruit, bell pepper, mint, menthol and chocolate. All of these aromas carried strong to the palate. It had a medium body with a medium long finish. Very Good- Best of tasting for me. Drank like a modern Left Bank Bordeaux.

2004 St Supery Elu - Spicy nose of cumin and curryness, blackberries and black raspberries, vanilla. A little heavy on the oak for me. Palate a bit edgy, rough around the edges. Black berries vanilla and spice. Medium finish. Good+

2008 Moscato - I lost my notes for this one but looked up my #ttl posts and found this: "A first class hot towel infused with lemon, sugar cube on the side. #ttl My least fav." I really found this disappointing. Fair-

All of the wines were served with food. I am running out of steam here so just a couple pics to whet hungry appetites.

Haricot Vert Salad

Flank Steak and Pommes Souffle

Grilled Peaches and Grilled Lemon Pound Cake with perhaps too much whipped cream

To sum up. The tasting was a great experience and I thank Taste Live! and St. Supéry Winery to be able to join in. Cheers!

A Wine Not Visited, or How Naive Can I Be?

2009-06-24T23:00:00.004-04:00

Last week the Whole Foods in Cambridge, MA (the Car Talk Guys' fair city) on River St. had a special event with Maynard James Keenan of Tool, A Perfect Circle and Puscifer. He must be a very busy individual because on the side he also, with the help of winemaker Eric Glomski, makes wine. He is part owner of Merkin Vineyards and Caduceus Cellars. He was going to be signing bottles of his wine for his fans on the 16th and 17th, and I thought "I might be in the area on one of those nights and hey, that could be interesting". I don't really follow his music, I like some of it, but I don't consider myself a 'fan'. I have not purchased a CD or downloaded a song from Itunes, but I like listening to the occasional song on the radio. I also have yet to try a celebrity wine that I like. Sorry Norman, Coppola, etc. So why did I want to go? Well, for one thing, he has a wine from Arizona. I have never had a wine from AZ, but if the price was right I certainly wouldn't mind trying it. The other reason? It would be interesting to chat with Maynard about his wines. Well, it seemed like a good idea at the time.

I don't consider myself to be very naive. But... I pictured this event to go something like this:

Maynard and his winemaker sitting behind a folding table in the wine department, with their wines perched in front of them. Ten, maybe fifteen people in front of me chatting him up and getting their bottles signed, while I readied my questions in my mind. Maybe, on the side, another small table with samples and snacks. Very casual. I've been to events with winemakers and the like. That's what they have been like.

What the event was really like:

As I pull up to the Whole Foods building I notice that the ground level parking area under the store itself is blocked off with a couple vans parked at the entrance slightly askew. As I get closer I notice more than a dozen police officers looking stern or talking into walkie talkies. I start to pass the parking area and start to hear Green Day screaming away in the air (Why Green Day and not Tool? I have no idea.), and I am immediately dumbstruck. There must have been five hundred or more people queued up in a cattle chute waiting to get their bottles signed! And there were people in cars circling the outside parking lot trying to join that line. I think briefly about where I might park but a little voice in my head says "What, are you nuts?" and so I just drive away. On the way to the Mass Pike all I could think was "How naive can I be?"

I stopped by the Cambridge Whole Foods two days later to see if I can still purchase one of the Arizona wines, but they are sold out. Again, "How naive can I be?" I mean, there was a small army there two days ago. They did however have bottles of the Merkin Chupacabra (literally translated to goat sucker), CA for $30 and the Caduceus Naga, CA for $80. A lot more than I wanted to spend on celebrity wines, so I passed. Besides they weren't from Arizona.

As I finish this post, I read that Lil Jon the rapper is also making wine. It seems we may be in for a flood of celebrity wine. Better learn to swim.

A Sublime Wine and Food Pairing

2009-06-16T19:37:00.006-04:00

Last night I had one of those wine pairing experiences that brought immeasurable joy into my heart and mouth. This doesn't happen very often. The food is usually good or better. The wine is also usually good or better. But synergy between the two can occur quite infrequently. This synergy happens when the food and wine, consumed together, transcend to a higher plane of flavor and intensity. It startles you into higher conscious awareness of what you are eating and drinking. Too many touchy-feely thoughts? Probably. But at a base level, what it comes down to is that you start eyeing your dinner companions and the wine bottle. Greed. Everyman and woman for themselves. This pairing is too good, and there is only one bottle of that wine available! Hands off! Ah, well. There is always more wine, and it IS better to share.

The dinner was left-over cassoulet. The wine was a 2001 Chateau Peyros Madiran Vieilles Vignes. 60% Tannat and 40% Cabernet Franc. Chateau Peyros makes a few different wines and it seems they have modernized their wine making facilities, proudly stating they have stainless steel tanks, temperature control and a micro-oxogenator. I generally prefer wines less tampered with, but micro-oxygenation isn't as bad to me as reverse osmosis, or adding oak chips or chestnut tannins.

The wine by itself had a very dark and deep scarlet color, very dark. Aromas of caraway, licorice, dark blackberry fruit, and lead pencil. Very precise, and enticing. Flavors of subdued blackberry fruit, licorice, soft tannins, balanced. Very dry, medium to long finish. I would rate this wine: Very Good-. Buy again: yes.

The wine with the cassoulet, all of the above, but, the fruit flavors all but went away and the caraway and licorice flavors were heightened. The cassoulet flavors were so enhanced, it was like looking at something through a 10x lens, but through the sensation of taste. I would rate this wine with the food, Excellent-. Buy again: most definitely!

Quick Thursday Night Dinner

2009-06-04T22:35:00.002-04:00

After a long day at work, the last thing I want to do is prepare or even think about preparing a meal. Lucky for me, between the crisper, the freezer, and the cupboard I found these ingredients lurking and in need of some cooking. I also had the forethought to stick a French Sauvignon Blanc in the fridge this morning. It's all good. Serves 2.

8 stalks of Bok Choi chopped (left over from 3 nights ago)
9 Baby Bella mushrooms sliced (ditto)
1/2 Red bell pepper sliced thin (don't know where this came from)
2 Cloves of garlic minced
1 tsp of ginger (grated and frozen, it is a great thing to have on hand)
1/4 cup toasted cashews
10 frozen Shrimp (just happened to have those)
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
2 tsp soy sauce
4 oz. Soba noodles (Japanese buckwheat noodles)
1 bottle of wine (for drinking, mostly, but also for deglazing)

Boil some water and cook the Soba noodles. While that is cooking:

In a heated large pan or wok throw 2 tbl sesame oil (or some other oil, I won't judge) add the stalk part of the Bok Choi and cook til softened. Add the Bok Choi greens and mushrooms, cook til softened. Add the pepper, garlic, and ginger, til the pepper (you guessed it) softens. Move all the veggies to the sides of the pan and add a tsp more oil to the center of the pan. Throw the shrimp in the middle and cook til orange-y with the middle still translucent, there is more cooking time so don't over cook the buggers. Add some wine to deglaze. Raise heat to evaporate the wine and add the toasted sesame oil and soy. Stir.

Serve over the noodles. (Rice, of course, would also work) Pour wine into glasses.

Eat and drink above.

The wine tonight is a Loire Valley white from a producer in Chavignol, Henri Bourgeois. The 2008 Henri Bourgeois 'Petit Bourgeois' Vin de Pays du Vaude Loire, Savignon Blanc, precisely. The aromas are green grassy, with lemon and sweetness. (could have almost passed for a NZ SB nose-wise) Slight minerality. Good acid, consistent front to back. Not much weight, a bit watery, but pleasant. Lemons, chalky and a medium to short finish. They seem to be going for an international style here. Good-. Buy again: Maybe. $11.99

2007 Terredora Di Paolo, Aglianico, Campania

2009-05-21T14:00:00.002-04:00

Aglianico is one of those grapes that for many is slightly off their radar and for others completely unheard of. Yet this grape makes wines that, for me, are some of the most alluring that I have ever had. It may be that I am just a fickle wine drinker, and need to drink a different wine daily. (Sometimes more often than that.) Grown in southern Italy, primarily in Campania and Basilicata, it really shines when grown in volcanic soils; places like Vulture and Taurasi really bring this grape to another level. Known for its fierce tannins at times, the wine is also capable of being very deep with finer grained tannins that support the big dark fruit almost effortlessly.

Terradora has been around since 1978. Grape growers and winery owners, with over 150 hectares of vineyard land, they say they are the largest wine producer and vineyard owner in Campania. They also make a Taurasi or two and produce wines from another of my favorite grapes the Falanghina.

This wine was an IGT from Campania and so, not that expensive, $19.99. I picked this bottle up at a wine shop in Chestnut Hill, MA. A very nicely laid out store with a thoughtful selection.

The wine: Color is lighter than one might expect from this grape. Light to medium red with light purple edges. Aromas are very fragrant from the start. Dark cherries, licorice, vanilla, green peppercorn, and an interesting hint of a pungent green leaf. (arugula?) Flavor, medium weight, concentrated, and focused, aromas really carry to the palate, slight chocolate, sweet ripe fruit, balanced acidity, nice dry finish. The finish is OK, a little short. Very Good-. Buy again: Yes.

Big Chain Reaction, and 3 Sauvignon Blancs From New Zealand

2009-05-12T11:00:00.011-04:00

While poking around other blogs I noticed that a few of them are devoted to reviewing and alerting others to wines and discounts at big national discount chain stores. (Costco, Sam's, Walmart, etc.. Trader Joe's is another subject I hope to tackle in the near future.) I am sure that this is a very useful service to some, maybe even many. I don't fall into that category of wine consumer. At home and for pleasure I generally drink wines from smaller producers and from stores that are a bit boutique-y in nature. I am NOT a big fan of over-produced factory wines and I am NOT a big fan of large chain stores. I generally don't shop at large discount chains unless there is a gun to my head. An experience I don't wish to have. The reasons I feel this way about the big discount chains are as follows:

they dumb down the shopping experience; ever ask an employee about a certain product's qualities or even where that certain product might be located?
they can wipe out small independent retailers by pricing so low; the smaller, independent stores cannot compete effectively
they have ugly facades that mar the landscape, and contribute to urban sprawl
they have ugly cavernous insides, and without a GPS, you could be lost for days
the quality of the merchandise can sometimes be inferior, mediocre or bad
the selection is very limited, at least as far as wine goes; I honestly don't know how they fare with other products (I don't shop there)

This is my opinion. I realize on the other side of the coin they offer great deals and value (although value is subjective). They help keep the country employed. And some of them get many accolades from business peeps about how effectively they are run. All good stuff.

(photo by:VirtualErn)

One of these big chains is located not too far from the wine shop at which I work.To me this is generally just a nuisance. They sell wine and at prices well below what we could sell them at. The fear here is that the customer will see the same wine at both the chain store and our store and assume that our prices are out of whack. Compared to other wine shops in the state, however, we are slightly lower or higher depending on the wine. Our answer to this is to not sell any wines that the big chain store sells. This works out well enough, but it has prevented us from selling various labels that we would have liked to carry. Argyle, Grgich, Kim Crawford, Two Hands are some examples. Honestly though, there are a lot of labels they carry that we have no interest in carrying. As I said, a nuisance mostly, but when I started seeing bloggers directing their readers to these stores and certain wines they carried, it made me interested about the QPR (Quality/Price Ratio) of some of these wines. Time to hold the gun of curiosity to my head and stroll down the aisles of lost toys, er, I mean wines.

New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs have been hot for quite awhile and this was also a category of wine I saw blogged about regularly. I decided to purchase three N.Z. S.B.'s that we don't carry and give them the old taste test.

2008 Oyster Bay, Sauvignon Blanc, N.Z. ($9.99 at the discount chain)
Very pale yellow color, almost clear as water. Aromas of peas and boiled asparagus come steaming out of the glass. Citrus notes of lemon and lime poke their way through the herbaceous fog. Texture, very bright, slight spritz. Flavors of sprite and alcohol, lemon-limey followed by what seems to be a good dose of residual sugar. Cloying. I would rate this Fair-. Buy again: Definitely Not.

(photo:Oyster Bay Wines)

2008 Brancott, Sauvignon Blanc Reserve, N.Z. ($12.99 at the discount chain)
Again very pale color, nearly colorless. Herbaceous and tropical aromas are blended with coconut cream nuances. Very good balance, almost a tightrope of acidity and mouth-filling richness. The nose carries seamlessly to the palette, for an overall nice mouth-feel that lingers. I was surprised by this one as I had not liked it in previous vintages. I would rate this Good+. Buy again: Maybe.

2008 Kim Crawford, Sauvignon Blanc, N.Z. ($12.99 at the discount chain)
Color light yellow tinged with green. Aromas of boiled asparagus, citrus, and tropical fruits. Palette felt strange, like the acid was somehow contrived, spritz-y. Ripe fruit, citrus, simple overall. Moderate finish. I have liked this in the past, but was disappointed by this effort. I would rate this Good-. Buy again: No.

All three of these wines are very popular brands. They sell very well. As a matter of fact the Oyster Bay S.B. is the top selling SKU in Massachusetts of all New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs. And the reason I didn't have my own picture of that wine was because a female co-worker loved it and took it home with her! Different palettes, that's what makes this so interesting!

On closing, I have a question for those who might stumble on this blog: Do you shop for wine at Costo, Sam's, etc., and what is the main attraction? Actually, any comments would be great. Cheers!

A Perennial Favorite Dinner With a Perennial Wine

2009-05-08T20:42:00.016-04:00

It is Friday night and I always try to open a decent to excellent bottle of wine and pair it with some appropriate food. J and I passed by a Whole Foods and decided to stop in and found center cut pork loin chops on sale. A no brainer for me. One of my favorite ways to do this cut is on the grill, salted, peppered, a little olive oil; pluck some fresh sage leaves from the garden and place them on the chops during the last minute or so before taking them off the coals. I hate burnt herbs. My only complaint? The leaves are very young and so very small. Normally I need 2 to 3 leaves to cover the chops; tonight I used 4 and they still didn't do the trick coverage wise. The sage gives the pork a touch of earthy, pungent herbaceousness and a touch of mintyness. For me this is just a fantastic combo.

Add some fresh asparagus from the garden with a little roasted garlic olive oil and lemon and grill that as well. Serve with some simple mashed potatoes and voila - Friday night dinner.

The wine tonight is a bottle of 2004 Flowers Perennial. Walt and Joan Flowers (coincidentally in the plant nursery business) bought a 321 acre property in Sonoma less than 2 miles from the Pacific Ocean in 1990. Shortly after their winery was completed in 1997 they were able to purchase an additional 327 acres from a neighbor and in 2004 they had 2 distinct vineyards, Francis Thompson Vineyard and Sea View Ridge Vineyard. Their winery and vineyards rest in the AVA know as Sonoma Coast. Their Perennial wine is a proprietary red and the blend changes with the vintage. The 2004 Perennial consisted of 76% Pinot Noir, 15% Syrah, 8% Pinot Meunier and 1% Chardonnay and was aged in 100% French oak for 14 months.

The color is a medium bright red with a touch of amber on the edges. Aromas of vanilla, cherries, bourbon, milk chocolate, oak with very slight heat. The palate has soft tannins, a round medium body and flavors of cherries, milk chocolate, supported by decent acidity, moderate finish. I would rate this Good+. Buy again: Maybe.

The wine paired fairly well with this dinner, but I would have liked more lift. If the fruit had been more focused and bright it would have been a perfect match for me. Cheers!

2007 Friulano (Sans Tocai)

2009-04-29T21:30:00.000-04:00

Friulano, a white grape variety in north eastern Italy where Pinot Grigio is king, is a relative of the better known varietal Sauvignon Blanc. It usually makes a very simple but pleasant white wine. Although a fair amount of the wine made from Friulano goes into jug wines, there are also wines made from this grape that are far more interesting than much of the Pinot Grigio made in the same areas. Until recently, in this part of the world, this grape was known as Tocai Friulano. Hungary, however, has successfully made their case that the word Tocai is too easily confused with their Tokaji (Tokay) wines made from the grape Furmint, and as of April 2008, only Friulano can appear on the label of Italian wines. This ruling affects other countries as well, but I would have to digress even further and at this point I would rather just go straight to the wine at hand.

Aziendo Agricola Branko, owned by Igor Erzetic, is located in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region in north east Italy. The property is a modest 4-6 hectares (9-14 acres) and produces exceptional wines. (The Pinot Grigio has earned the Tre Bicchieri Award from Gambero Rosso) The wine at the moment, however, is their Friulano. It is fermented and aged for seven months in stainless steel (90%) and fermented and aged for seven months in French oak barrels(10%).

Tasting notes: The wine has a clear pale straw color. The nose smells of melon (cantaloupe), with a hint of peach, almond, and coconut; minerals play a large role as well. Spicy and viscous on the palette, the richness and fruitiness is balanced quite nicely with sharp acidity. Moderate to long finish. This wine would be great as a starter with cheeses and/or prosciutto wrapped melon. It would even hold its own with some pork and chicken dishes. I would rate this wine Good+. Buy again: Yes.

It's Above 80 Degrees, Time for a Rosé and A Spatch-Cocked Chicken

2009-04-26T22:15:00.002-04:00

I have been a big fan of rosés for a very long time. When I say rosé I primarily mean the pale bone dry wines coming out of the south of France. Every spring I eagerly wait to taste the new arrivals. Back when it seemed to me that I was the only one drinking rosé, the supply was decent and the prices were very reasonable. Now that rosés have become fashionable the availability is actually better, but the good ones sell out faster. They have also become somewhat pricier- again, especially the very good ones. The issue at hand is, I like to have my first glass of rosé on or near the first day after the vernal equinox on which the temperature outside the house is warmer than it is inside, ie. when it hits 60 degrees or better (ok, maybe 70). Sounds a little like the formula for figuring Easter Sunday. Unfortunately, the new vintage's arrival is not always obliging. This is why I always put aside a bottle or 3 of the pink stuff from the previous year.

The warm temperatures also start me thinking about the old Weber grill and what I might scorch, sear and sizzle on it. Hence the chicken. And a spatch-cocked chicken at that. A spatch-cock is essentially a whole chicken that has been butterflied. I took the lazy way out and bought mine from Whole Foods already surgically prepped. All I had to do was season and grill. Olive oil, salt, pepper and lime was all I needed for tonight's dish. J did the veggies, cauliflower and carrots with a side of quinoa, shallots, mushrooms and toasted pine nuts.

The wine I had set aside for this occasion was a 2007 Commanderie de Peyrassol Rosé. This is a Côtes de Provence rosé made from grenache, syrah, cinsault and mourvedre. Going back to the 13th century the property was owned by the Knights of Templar, followed by the Order of Malta, then the State (the church), and currently the Rigord family. Imported by Neal Rosenthal, this wine has been one of my perennial favorites. It always has that super pale salmon pink hue that I love, with muted fruit flavors and clean crisp acidity. I generally liked the 2007 Côtes de Provence rosés. My impression of them: lean, good acidity, focused fruit flavors and balanced.

Tonight's notes: Pale watermelon pink color, nose of muted strawberries and pink grapefruit, minerals and a touch of heat. Flavors of muted red berries and citrus compote, bright acidity and very fresh. Very good. Buy again: Yes

The wine worked effortlessly with all the various flavors on the plate. It cut through the fat of the chicken and highlighted it's delicate flavors. It married well with the sweetness of the carrots and the soft light earthiness of the cauliflower and held its own against the quinoa. All said and done, dinner was a success.

Other rosés I can recommend on a yearly basis: Dom. Tempier, Dom. Terrebrune, Jerome Quiot's Dom. Houchart, Ch. Pibarnon and Ch. Moutette. There are many other great rosés out there and I'd be happy to hear what else stands out in people's minds and palettes. Cheers!

2006 Macon-Uchizy

2009-04-25T22:56:00.006-04:00

While pondering what to have with my Thai chicken dish, I came across a bottle of 2006 Les Heritiers du Comte Lafon Macon-Uchizy Les Maranches. The last time I had this bottle of wine was about a year ago and I recalled the wine to be too young and tight, but very well made. This wouldn't have been my first choice for Thai food, but the more I thought about it, the greater my desire to revisit this wine grew. I set aside my thoughts for the perfect pairing and also put aside my food, and opened the wine.

Domaine des Comte Lafon, which is an estate in Beaune, is in its fourth generation and currently run by the talented Dominique Lafon. They are probably best known for their whites from Meursault but they make very interesting, well structured reds as well. The Volnays that I have had the pleasure of trying/drinking were fabulous. In 1999 Dominique purchased 14 hectares (about 34 acres) in the Maconnais believing that the potential in that area had been mostly unrealized. The wines he makes from this area are bottled under the name Les Heritiers du Comte Lafon. The wines he produces from this area are a fraction of the cost of his wines from the north, which is one reason I give them a very good QPR (Quality/Price Ratio). The winery is located in the little village of Milly-Lamartine which in 1999 had a whopping population of 305.

The very pale yellow color was ever so slightly tinged with green and shimmered in the glass. The nose was toasty and leesy from the start, but lemons, burnt sugar, jasmine, wet stones and a vague wet wool followed quickly. The flavors of lemon and minerals were fairly seamless and rich, and all of this was held up by a vibrant acidity. Slight botrytis? Perhaps. The finish was only moderate at first, but as the bottle was drained it lengthened nicely. The wine got better over the course of the evening; this leads me to the notion that this wine has a long life ahead of it.

I would rate this wine Very Good+. Buy again: Yes.

The Thai chicken and the Macon-Uchizy were not made for each other, however, they did get along well enough.

Easter Dinner 2009 and a Minor Rant

2009-04-12T15:34:00.013-04:00

It is Easter 2009 and Ham is on the menu, along with scalloped potatoes, cauliflower with cheese sauce, and lemon roasted asparagus. I wouldn't have opted for both the potatoes and the cauliflower, but it is J's oldest son's birthday, and as policy around here dictates, he gets to choose the menu. (within reason I remind everyone)

The obvious choice for wine, at least in my mind, was a Pinot Noir, and for this menu I was leaning towards a New World style. I visited a friend who works at a wine shop in Somerville and I asked him about the 2005 Torii Mor Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley. After assurances that it showed well and that it would fit well with my palate, I took it home. As I hadn't had this vintage I went to Cellar Tracker to see if anyone there had rated it. I found a few. One user had actually rated it 3 times in 18 days! Unfortunately, he trashed it each time, but what made me blink was his oldest comment.

perfect for "guests who don't care"

This offhand comment offended me, not personally mind you, but for all the wine novices out there. If you keep giving people who say they don't care about wine bad or average wine, how will they have a revelatory experience? How will they find that glorious bottle that sends them on the search for the holy grail and depletes their bank account? Now, I understand basically what he is saying. I have friends and family that really don't care what they drink. They would be happy with simple plonk and would generally miss the complexities in a better bottle of wine. Some have even asked me not to serve them the 'good stuff' as it would be wasted on them. I try to assure them that even if they don't labor over the wine as I might it is not a waste of wine. I try them on it, and if it doesn't suit them I open something else that I hope will. I never serve family, friends, guests or even enemies what I consider bad wine or wouldn't otherwise drink, UNLESS it was specifically requested. I think that if you are so bold as to relegate a wine to the bin of "guests who don't care" you might as well consider it a wine that is undrinkable or one that you wouldn't serve at all.

I must admit I haven't opened the wine yet, so perhaps it is time for that...

Sight- very clear, reddish purple, thinning at the edges. Nose- not intense but cherries, candy, cranberries, spice, cinnamon. Taste- soft, cranberries and cherries, light bodied, well-balanced, not much of a finish, short. Overall pleasant. If I rated wines on the 100 pt. scale I would probably give it an 84. As it is, I would rate it Good. Buy again: No.

Coincidentally, Cellar Tracker Guy and I rated the wine equally on the 100 pt. scale. Where we diverge is simply to whom it should be served. I propose, simply, to serve it to people who like it or not at all.