South African Wines are Popular in the UK. Why are They Not More Popular in the US?

Posted on December 11, 2015 by damewine

It is always funny how South Africa is considered a New World wine making country, especially considering vines were planted there in 1655. This may be due, in part, to wine exports not starting to progress until 1994, the end of apartheid, and so it is New World in the sense of being “new” to the rest of the world. But the lack of popularity of South African wines in the US market, as compared to the great popularity in the UK, has always been a little mind boggling to me.

SA Quick Stats

UK’s Relationship with South Africa

South Africa was a colony of the UK at one time, and even though the power of the British Government was completely abolished by 1931, South Africa seems to still be near and dear to many British hearts. It seems typical for people from the UK to travel to South Africa, and it seems many feel a strong connection to this country. This explains the quick stats, which were sent to me on behalf of Wines of South Africa, stating that 21% of all South African wines were exported to the UK.

Even though I remember hearing about apartheid when I was a kid, and the end of it with the election of Nelson Mandela in 1994, I was still ignorant of many things. I really had no sense of the current state of the country until I started to talk to British people in the wine trade. I learned from these conversations that South Africa still struggles to find harmony among its people and the UK is a big supporter of their efforts.

Apartheid

Apartheid is an Afrikaans word having a general meaning of “the state of being apart”, and it was a system of racial segregation in South Africa that was implemented by the National Party, which ruled from 1948 to 1994. Many rights were taken away from the majority black inhabitants and other ethnic groups while the minority Afrikaner (ethnic group mainly descended from Dutch settlers) ruled.

There is an incredible book out right now called Hungry for Wine. First let me disclose that I have met the writer, Cathy Huyghe, and I find her to be a remarkable human being. So one may say I am a little biased. But I simply love her desire to find the real human factor through wine. They are not contrived stories to sell wine, but are various short stories that take place around the world, which show how the realities of people’s lives affect the wines made and/or sold in that area.

Here is a brief excerpt from the book that talks about South Africa:

“Apartheid handicapped – and in some ways totally stalled – South Africa’s industry. The country as a whole was isolated, and its trade suffered from boycotts of South African products in protest of its apartheid system. Which meant, for example, restrictions on winemakers’ access to healthy plant material for replenishing their vineyards, and it meant delayed development in terms of machinery and technology.” –Hungry for Wine

I think the above is a great summation of the issues that the South African wine industry faced for a long time.

Why are they not more popular in the US?

I know Americans have been accused of being too self involved with their own country, and so we are ignorant of the rest of the world. And that is a fair point, but a point that I feel is sometimes misunderstood. We have had our own issues with racial discord with an unsavory past of the horrific period of slavery in this country, and bigotry is still very prevalent today. The African-American Civil Rights Movement, which took place from 1954-68, was not that long ago. And much of the damage, anger, bigotry and pain of the past is still very much alive in the present, and there are many other problems of racial discord with other groups as well.

America is one of the most culturally and racially diverse countries on earth. It is one of the reasons we are great, but it came at a cost to many people. And yes, we still have severe problems due to the historical injustices that have taken place in this country, and there is no easy fix.

Americans are typically overwhelmed by struggling with their own issues and so it is sometimes difficult to look beyond our own backyard, so to speak. Also, we do not have the past that the British have had with South Africa.

And finally, because of America’s diversity, typically brands that are easily accessible for various types of cultures do well. Hence, why Australia’s Yellow Tail has done so well (helping to promote entry level Australian wines while overshadowing all of their high quality wines).

Current Social Responsibility in South Africa

But out of darkness comes light, which is exemplified by South Africa becoming one of the most socially responsible wine countries in the world, and the UK wine market has been very supportive in their move towards social responsibility.

According to Hungry for Wine, “In 2012, 65% of all Fairtrade wines sold in the world originated in South Africa.”

Also, the South African government is championing the BEE (Black Economic Empowerment) initiatives offering incentives to companies with over 25% black ownership.

I was excited to taste two South African wines during a virtual tasting on Twitter last week that were mentioned in the Hungry for Wine book. Paul Culver’s Gewürztraminer, noted in the book for sharing resources with a BEE wine company; and a Creation Pinot Noir, noted for helping to start a community center where farmers and grape growers can work together.

South African Wines

I think passionate wine drinkers in the UK understand the potential of South African wines. At one time South African wines were inconsistent in their quality, as one can imagine due to their once limited resources, but they have significantly improved over the past 20 years. And when I say significantly improved, I mean there are some stunning wines coming out of that country.

SA Map 2

There is great climatic diversity in South Africa which is illustrated in the above map. They make various types of wines from various grapes that typically express good fruit ripeness with a strong sense of terroir. They are an Old World place with rich soils wrapped in a New World idealism of striving to be a place that lives in peace.

**********************************************************

SA Wines

Notes from Wines of South African Virtual Tasting on December 2nd, 2015

-2013 Groot Constantia Sauvignon Blanc, Constantia, Western Cape, South Africa:
Retail $20
Not too herbaceous, light peach fruit with zesty acidity

-2013 The FMC Chenin Blanc, Stellenbosch, South Africa:
Retail $60
Quince paste and honey with touch of sweet spice and perfect with 9.4 g/l residual sugar with a long, refined finish

-2014 Paul Cluver Gewürztraminer, Elgin, South Africa:
Retail $16
My first South African Gewürztraminer, and I have to say, it was simply delicious with 10.2 g/l residual sugar, moderate floral aromatics with juicy lychee and ripe mango, and LOVE the textural extraction on this wine

-2013 Creation Pinot Noir, Walker Bay, South Africa:
Retail $28
A great sense of place with an attractive wet forest note that smells clean yet savory, black cherry and round tannins with a light body that gives lots of flavor

-2013 Excelsior Cabernet Sauvignon, Robertson, South Africa:
(90% Cabernet Sauvignon & 10% Petit Verdot)
Retail $7
I can’t believe this wine is only $7 bucks! Yes, not ridiculously complex, but it is simply tasty with blackberry fruit, exotic spice and a soft body that goes down a little too easy

-2013 LAM Pinotage, Swartland, South Africa:
Retail $15
Pinotage was given a bad name because it is a difficult variety to grow, but now with only 6.9% of the vineyards planted with Pinotage, it is really only a variety that is made by specialists of the grape, and hence this lighter style of Pinotage showed pretty raspberry flavors with a touch of cigar box – wild to have a wine that was light and refined in style with cigar box notes, I have not had anything else like this

 

 

Posted in Dame Wine | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Is Blending Essential in the Production of Excellent Champagne?

Posted on November 26, 2015 by damewine

Piper 5

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” – Aristotle

I always think of this quote when I think of Champagne. And it was certainly on my mind when a few weeks ago, November 5th, I was given the chance to taste Vins Clairs with Piper-Heidsieck’s Chef de Cave (the person in charge of the winemaking team) Régis Camus.

Piper 1
What are Vins Clairs?

Vins Clairs are the base wines for Champagne that have already gone through first fermentation (in this case also malolatic fermentation which rounds out the acidity) as well as other adjustments. There are typically many different lots of base wines that are blended into a final “assemblage” that will then go through a second fermentation in bottle.

I did skip a lot of details in the above process but I wanted to focus on the topic at hand.

Why do they blend wines in Champagne?

Sparkling wine has been around since the mid-1500s in France, and a document that outlines the method to make Champagne (now referred to as the méthode champenoise), has been around since the mid-1600s. Don’t worry this is not going to turn into a history lesson!

The northerly region of Champagne is on the same latitude as some areas in Canada so it is a marginal climate – a climate that has historically had problems with ripening grapes. And so, over the centuries, blending and a little bit of sugar here and there has helped to balance Champagne. It has become one of the greatest examples in the wine world of how the skill of the winemaking team can bring out the greatness of a wine that is expressed through its remarkable consistency with their Non-Vintage wines year in and year out.

Is it a quintessential part of Champagne?

Even though many Champagne houses have their vintage wines (which are supposed to be made in only the great vintages), their style and quality is judged and assessed overall by the quality and style of their Non-Vintage wines. Most people do not think of La Grande Dame when they think of Veuve Clicquot – they think of Veuve Clicquot, which is interesting because the vintage La Grande Dame is typically very different in style… but I digress so back on topic!

Piper-Heidsieck

First, let me talk about my own personal experience with Piper-Heidsieck. I worked for a time in distribution in New York City – and I just happened to work for one of the largest distributors in NY. One of the brands in my portfolio was Piper-Heidsieck. Many big retailers carried most of the Champagnes but my accounts were mainly restaurants. As you can imagine the restaurants could only carry a few Champagnes. I would always try to get them to buy Piper-Heidsieck, but other brands such as Moët and Veuve Clicquot would always win those spots because they were in high demand. When a wine director would allow me to taste him or her, or even better, the staff, on different Champagnes blind, Piper-Heidsieck was always the favorite.

Why would this happen?

In my mind, it was not because Piper-Heidsieck was higher quality. Moët and Veuve Clicquot are both high quality Champagnes too, no doubt about it. I believe it was because Piper has a more generous quality, which is more appealing to a broader audience when it is first released. The high portion of Pinot Meunier in their Non-Vintage wines helps to give lots of fresh, ripe fruit that make them accessible wines. It is interesting to note that Piper-Heidsieck was known before the 1990s as an unyielding Champagne wine that had to be aged 2 to 3 years after purchase to receive pleasure from it. They were able to develop a friendlier style with blending (as well as allowing their base wines to go through full malolatic fermentation).

Piper-Heidsieck Vins Clairs Tasting

We tasted five separate base wines (more detailed notes given at the bottom). And then we were able to taste the final assemblage for the Non-Vintage that was released last year of which the five base wines were a small part with over 100 other base wines from various vineyards making up the final wine.

It was not only interesting to see what the three different varieties brought to the blend: Chardonnay with minerality and acidity, Pinot Noir with structure and body and Pinot Meunier with ripe fruit (Régis Camus used the word matured) and fresh flavors – but it was also interesting to see how the reserve wines came into play.

Reserve Wines

Most Champagne houses use a portion of reserve wines, wines from previous vintages that have been held back, for several reasons. The most important reason is for the consistency of the Non-Vintage. Champagne drinkers usually have a favorite Champagne wine because they love their style. Some vintages may have too much fruit or too little, too much acidity or too little, too much body or too little. Non-Vintage Champagne is all about consistency and making sure the customer will always get what they expect.

Piper 3

Régis Camus talked about the constant struggle with reserve wines for him and his team. They always need to look at their inventory and, even in a great vintage year, a year in which they would love to sell a lot of vintage wine, they end up holding a lot for their reserve because they know they will need it for consistency in the future. They had to use a lot of reserve wines for the 2001 vintage because it was very austere – making them hold a large portion of the following great 2002 vintage to replenish their reserve wine stock.

Some vintages are seen as being a better component for possible Non-Vintage wines then others. So if a wine is too acidic, it will be more helpful as a reserve blending wine with a warmer vintage such as the 2003.

Older reserve wines give more depth, with honey and caramelized notes, and sometimes a certain vintage is kept longer because it needs more time.

Okay, hopefully that was not too confusing, but one can see how much juggling a Champagne house has to do. It is a massive job to keep track of the reserved wines while juggling the 100 different vats of the current vintage. And compound that with the difficult decisions of how much reserve wines to use and how much of the current vintage to hold back.

Who finds blending essential? Who finds it not essential?

All of the large Champagne houses find blending essential. Even a house that only releases vintages, such as Dom Pérignon, needs to blend all the different Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vineyards to always show their style through the filter of vintage variation.

Over the past decade, there has been the emergence of a niche following for grower Champagnes. Marie-Noëlle Ledru is a good example, with only 15 acres (6 hectares) of vineyards in the village of Ambonnay, known for great Pinot Noir. Champagne has a long history of the land being owned by proprietors other than the big houses. And hence long term contracts and relationships (with some Champagne houses actually owning certain vineyards) have become part of the process of making fine Champagne as well.

But some small growers have found (if they had the inclination, talent and passion) that it was more beneficial to sell their wines under their own label, not only because of a niche demand for these wines in certain cities, but also it is actually possible to make great Champagne from a single vineyard since Champagne’s overall climate has become a few degrees warmer over time. A few degrees does not sound like much, but considering that it is a couple of degrees more over several months in a growing season – then it can make a significant difference. The impact of this change in Champagne’s climate is noted in the CIVC (Comite Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne) reports that harvest takes place in the region on average 14 days earlier than in the past.

Alternatively, Régis Camus said that there is still great variability in today’s climate. 2011 was harvested during the summer, 2015 at the end of August and beginning of September and 2013 was harvested in October!

But I think the grower Champagnes are more open to expressing variability of their land and showing “terroir” with more noticeable vintage variation – also, modern factors such as working with better clones, better equipment, and better canopy management in their vineyards help them to produce quality wine year in and year out from a single cru (vineyard).

The quality of the fruit is vitally important to Champagne houses like any other quality minded wine producer. But the major difference is that they do not believe that the potential of quality stops once the grapes are harvested. The attitude of many top Champagne houses is that the quality can be increased by the skill of the blender, as well as the reserve wine inventory of the house, which translates into the great importance of blending. This practice of blending forces many Champagne houses to constantly weigh actions that pit short term quality against long term quality. And as Régis Camus made clear many times that day – he is for long term quality and excellence coming from consistency. Of course he said that it would be impossible unless he had the help of his finance manager, who has allowed him to hold large amounts of reserves, as always in life it comes down not only to our intention but if we have the freedom and resources to follow through on our ideals.

***************************************************************

Piper-Heidsieck’s Vins Clairs and Champagne Wines tasted on November 5th, 2015

Vins Clairs

-2014 Chardonnay from the village of Avize in La Cote des Blancs, Champagne
White flowers on the nose with citrus, grapefruit and a sense of minerality, lots of tension and precision – this base wine was mainly used for vintage and reserve wine

-2014 Pinot Noir from the village of Verzy in Montagne de Reims, Champagne
Fruit structure, red and black fruit flavors, and a “fat” rich palate – this base wine was also mainly used for vintage and reserve wine

-2014 Pinot Meunier from the village of Ecueil in Montagne de Reims, Champagne
Régis Camus said, “I wouldn’t know how to do my job if it wasn’t for Pinot Meunier” (also, please keep in mind he was being translated so he may have not said it exactly that way)…. He also called it a fruit palate, which it was with an explosion of ripe red apple and raspberries… I also loved the smell of blackcurrant leaves on the nose – he usually doesn’t use Pinot Meunier for reserve or vintage wines – but he is keeping an eye on a couple lots of Pinot Meunier from the 2004 and 2008 vintages to see how they age

-2009 Chardonnay from the village of Avize in La Cote des Blancs, Champagne
Reserve Wine
A more pronounced nose of minerality compared to the 2014, more candied citrus compared to the fresh citrus in the 2014, the evolved notes of honey and caramel were not there yet; Régis Camus said it takes generally around 8-10 years for reserve wines to get those notes, and in some cases up to 12 years – Régis Camus was translated as saying, “But it is a wine like you ladies, you didn’t get any wrinkles.” So this is a reserve wine that seems it will have a long life

-2008 Pinot Noir from the village of Verzy in Montagne de Reims, Champagne
Reserve Wine
Linear structure and had a precision that is almost comparable to a Chardonnay base wine which indicates this is a reserve wine that will have a long life as well

-Assemblage Piper-Heidsieck 2014
This was the final blend that will represent the Non-Vintage Piper-Heidsieck Brut that will be released in 2018: 55% Pinot Noir, 30% Pinot Meunier and 15% Chardonnay with 10% from reserved wines – it expressed “crunchy” fruit which is a key to the style, with generous fruit flavors, an ample body and a precision of acidity that carries the flavors along a sustained finish

Champagne Wines

-Current Non-Vintage Piper-Heidsieck Brut
Cranberries and gold apple with good weight and nice bright refreshing flavors, not only is this a great Champagne to pop open now, but the red label, which came onto the market in 1997, makes it a great Christmas style bottle for gifting and celebration

-Piper-Heidsieck Rosé Sauvage
Fascinating rosé Champagne, especially considering it is non-Vintage, with notes of black cherry and smoky black tea such as lapsang souchong

-2006 Piper-Heidsieck Brut Vintage
Toasted cashews on the nose with a great backbone of acidity considering the intense dried fruit flavors

-2002 Piper-Heidsieck Rare Millésimé
Only 525 cases produced
Love the candied ginger on the nose, powerful and exotic Champagne and it was certainly the show stopper of the tasting

Posted in Dame Wine | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Can Sangiovese Stand Alone?

Posted on November 13, 2015 by damewine

Morelino Montecucco Top pic

I guess my first introduction to Sangiovese was like many others’ – mediocre Chianti with sharp acidity and grainy tannins that demanded food. Many of us can say that not only have the wines of Chianti come a long way, but Sangiovese as a grape variety has greatly improved with better clones and practices in the vineyard.

In this article, I’m going to just focus on Sangiovese from Tuscany. This is mainly due to the fact that I recently attended a trade wine lunch for Morellino di Scansano and Montecucco wines, but also, I think all of us can agree that Tuscany is the home of Sangiovese.

Morelino Montecucco Lincoln Pic

Chianti is Sangiovese and Sangiovese is Chianti

When thinking about Sangiovese, how can we not think of Chianti? It doesn’t matter how much you know about wine, or how many different wines you have tasted, the two will always be linked.

Sangiovese is one of those grapes that many wine drinkers around the world have experienced. Maybe they do not know it as Sangiovese, but they will certainly know the name Chianti. This may be fitting since Old World is traditionally more about place than grape. Everyday Chianti commonly has fierce acidity, gritty tannins and a sour cherry flavor on the palate. Of course, there are higher quality sub-zones, such as Chianti Rufina and Chianti Classico. But they are also wines that need food (not such a bad thing) and have acidity that cuts like a knife – something I have always loved about these wines but I know is not for everyone.

I should also add that back in April, I attended a seminar which Giovanni Busi, President of Consorzio Vino Chianti. He stated that they have spent around 30 million Euros over the past few years in trying to improve quality in the vineyards as well as helping to market the name.

I do find it interesting that at one time, Chianti could not even be 100% Sangiovese, actually there are disagreements over whether it was a good or bad thing to allow blending of other varieties. Some of the allowed grapes were just cheap blending options (while I know some Chianti enthusiasts will defend Canaiolo when grown properly) some say Sangiovese always shows its best when a little bit of an appropriate grape is added.

Not so Easy to have Generalizations for Sangiovese

I have to admit, I have had my ignorance about Sangiovese. There is Brunello di Montalcino, but Brunello is another animal. It feels wrong to compare it to Chianti. It is always mind boggling to me that they are a single variety Sangivoese wine (Brunello having to adhere to 100% Sangiovese for the DOCG qualification). I was always told that Brunello was so distinctively different because the Sangiovese Grosso clone was used. But that it not completely correct….

In May of 2014, my husband and I visited Castello Banfi’s estate in Montalcino and learned that there are many clones that have been chosen for the ideal style of Brunello.

Some Sangiovese clones are better for quantity and some better for quality. And even within the quality clones there are great differences. As a whole, Tuscany has improved their clones… but enough nerd talk, let’s talk about how Sangiovese fairs in various places in Tuscany.

Brunello di Montalcino typically has a rich body, big tannins and lots of ripeness and flesh. It typically needs time to age, but some of the best could easily go toe to toe with a great Barolo. Brunello would be an argument for Sangiovese being able to stand alone – or maybe not…

Brunello’s Unsavory Past

Even in the esteemed world of Brunello there has been Sangiovese controversy.

There were two major events that shocked the wine world in New York City in 2008: first, the economy came crashing down, and second, reports that a few Brunello producers had been blending Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and/or Petit Verdot into their lesser vintages. I do not mean to stir the pot about something that happened 7 years ago, especially since the US government started requiring that Brunello shipments needed to be accompanied by laboratory analysis demonstrating that the wine was 100 percent Sangiovese.

I bring up the past because some producers obviously believed that 100% Sangiovese could not make a great wine year in and year out – it needed a little help. So again, Sangiovese’s capacity to stand on its own is still in question.

Diversity of Sangiovese

So what did I learn during the Morellino di Scansano and Montecucco tasting?
That the diversity of Sangiovese is endless.

Morellino Montecucco

Morellino di Scansano

Initially, I intentionally did not drink these wines with food, even though a lovely lunch had been provided. The wines were lush and fleshy in a way that I had never experienced with Sangiovese – they were generous. The acidity was still evident, they were fresh and were very nice with the food… but I cannot get over how friendly they were on their own. During the tasting, two of the Morellino wines were 100% Sangiovese and four ranged from 85-90% Sangiovese. This area usually has no issues with ripeness since it is close to sea level.

Montecucco

Montecucco was an exciting discovery. I had heard about Morellino di Scansano but never about Montecucco. These wines were seductive on the nose. Again, friendlier texture like the Morellino di Scansano wines, but with a slightly firmer texture. Morellino seduces you in one fell swoop while Montecucco plays with you and takes its time. One is not better or worse – it just depends on your mood.

Some of the Montecucco vineyards are as high as 1970 feet (600 meters) so the wines can be quite elegant. All of the wines share an underline note of minerality. The idea of minerality existing in these wines is enhanced by the knowledge of the lava composites in the soils – even though I know minerality does not directly come from the soil, it is still interesting to think about it.

The producers have many shared philosophies: 68% of production is organic. Since they have only started to receive official quality recognition since 1998 with a DOC for Montecucco, 2011 DOCG followed for Montecucco Sangiovese, it will be interesting to keep an eye on this little area tucked away in Tuscany.

Montecucco is also an area that is committed to producing Sangiovese dominate wine. During the tasting, three of their red wines were 100% and two had a range of 80% to 85%.

So, can Sangiovese stand alone?

Brunello di Montalcino was the first to convince me that Sangiovese could stand alone at fine wine prices (as long as you waited to drink it at least 5-6 years, maybe longer depending on the vintage) as well as its more affordable baby brother Rosso di Montalcino (which could use some decanting and food since it can still be a little chewy).

But Morellino di Scansano and Montecucco convinced me that Sangiovese dominate wines can reach a broader audience beyond Chianti lovers with more moderate pricing ranging from USD $20-$30.

I did enjoy the wines that were blended with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Alicante, Canaiolo and/or Ciliegiolo. I have always believed in allowing producers to express their own creativity. But Sangiovese can stand alone in these wines, and stand alone with or without food and offer various styles that satisfy a multitude of tastes around the world.

Sangiovese was one of those varieties I thought I was able to sum up a long time ago, but it has turned out to be one of the most wonderfully beguiling varieties, keeping me on my toes.

******************************************************

Wines Tasted on October 26th, 2015

-2014 Ribusieri, Chiaranotte, Montecucco Vermentino DOC:
This wine has nothing to do with Sangiovese, but it was fun to kick off the lunch with a Vermentino from Montecucco – talk about intense white stony minerality, and additional aromas of white peach and blanched almond made this a lovely surprise

-2014 Fattoria Mantellassi, Mentore, Morellino di Scansano DOCG:
(85% Sangiovese, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and Canaiolo)
Black juicy cherry, good flesh balanced with a nice energy through the palate

-2014 Terre di Fiori, Morellino di Scansano DOCG:
(100% Sangiovese)
A nice balance between earthy and fruit flavors with a round body

-2013 San Gabriele Arcangelo, Pavone, Montecucco Rosso DOC:
(100% Sangiovese)
Lots of finesse with a long, sustained, heady finish

-2014 Vignaioli, Vigna Benefizio, Morellino di Scansano DOCG:
(95% Sangiovese and 5% of Cabernet Sauvignon)
Intense floral note and a lighter yet supple body

-2013 Campinuovi, Montecucco Sangiovese DOCG:
(100% Sangiovese)
It was interesting to see that this wine had more richness and body than the previous wine with 5% Cabernet Sauvigion, which may be due to the vintage

-2013 Val di Toro, Morellino di Scansano DOCG:
(100% Sangiovese)
Good weight with tannins that have curves in all the right places, wild berries and dusty earth

-2012 Collemassari, Montecucco Rosso Riserva DOC:
(85% Sangiovese, 10% Ciliegiolo and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon)
A stunning balance of marked acidity and stewed mulberries

-2013 Ferdinando Guicciardini Massi di Mandorlaia, I Massi, Morellino di Scansano DOCG: (85% Sangiovese and 15% Alicante)
Elegant, exotic medium bodied wine

-2011 Il Boschetto, Bottle No11, Montecuccco Rosso Riserva DOC:
(85% Sangiovese, 10% Merlot and 5% Alicante)
Slightly herbaceous with plumy fruit and textural complexity

-2012 Erik Banti, Ciabatta, Morellino di Scansano DOCG:
(90% Sangiovese and 10% Cabernet Sauvigon)
Blackberry with more linear shape than other Morellino, regal with available fruit, such as a much beloved King or Queen

-2011 Basile, Ad Agio, Montecucco Sangiovese Riserva DOCG:
(100% Sangiovese)
Sweet spice, red cherry, slowly opens itself with hints of violets and black tea

Posted in Dame Wine | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments

Falling in Love with French Viognier Again & Finding a Malbec with Nobility

Posted on October 29, 2015 by damewine

Falling in Love with French Viognier Pic 3

Loud laughter, an electric energy and lots of smiles filled our table of seven people for an intimate dinner with Alain Dominique Perrin, the owner of Domaine de Lagrézette, at Le Bernardin. We were there to meet Mr. Perrin with his Managing Director & Enologist, Claude Boudamani, and to taste a vertical of their Viognier wines on October 15th. Happily we were able to taste their Le Pigeonnier Rosé and Malbec red wine as well.

I had been to Le Bernardin for wine dinners in the past but I had never felt as at home. Simply put – I had a blast that night. It was a great evening with colorful stories that were fleshed out with the incredible life that Alain Dominique Perrin has lived. He has the ability to make you feel immediately at ease when you initially approach him. That evening, he proceeded to take us on a journey of his unique life that was filled with so much beauty – antiques, the restoration of Château Lagrézette, design and art.

Alain Dominique Perrin

Mr. Perrin is famous for helping to turn the fortunes of Cartier around, and also for leading the Richemont group, which is considered one of the largest luxury goods groups in the world. His initial dream was to buy a grand château with a long history and breathtaking view – after looking at over 100 properties, he settled on Lagrézette, in Cahors located in Southwest, France.

Château Lagrézette
Falling in Love with French Viognier Pic 2

His majestic home is filled with many carvings that came with this grand 500 year old estate, but the one that caught my eye when I was looking through a book that contained the Château Lagrézette sculptures, coats of arms and decorations, was the carving of Marguerite, Dame de Lagrézette (Pictured above). It is said that though men built Château Lagrézette it was women who had given the château its soul. And this place is Alain Dominique Perrin’s home, a home in which his children, grandchildren and dear friends make beautiful memories.

The purchase of this property has changed his life in many ways as it included the rights to the plantation of vines. Through time he has acquired other vineyards in the Cahors area with an attitude to always strive to be better by surrounding himself with very talented people. And by surrounding himself with top wine experts, he has discovered through time that there were great variations in the soil within the same vineyards – and so that is why he has varieties other than Malbec planted, such as Viognier.

Viognier

Viognier is a white grape variety that is capable of making intensely aromatic wines with a rich body and moderate to sometimes low acidity. This currently widely planted vine was almost unheard of not that long ago. Viognier has not only taken off in certain areas of California and Australia, but there are also good examples in South Africa and New Zealand. It is used as a blending grape, for co-fermentation or as a single variety. But it is a tricky variety in the vineyards and winery – it can quickly become lifeless, and span the range between overtly perfume-y to a bland white.

French Viognier

I first fell in love with Viognier through the wines of Condrieu. The Rhône Valley, France, is where Viognier has legitimized itself with traditional fine wine drinkers. But through time these wines have seemed almost a little too reserved for such an expressive variety. Conversely, the New World versions are certainly intoxicating with pronounced aromatic intensity but I commonly miss the sense of place.

The 2011, 2012 and 2014 Domaine de Lagrézette Mas des Merveilles and the 2014 Le Pigeonnier “White Vision” Viognier wines I tasted during our dinner were finally the Viognier wines I was looking for – they were the balanced expression of place and variety. And they were from Cahors – an area known for their big, robust Malbec red wines! How could that be possible?!

Malbec

That leads me to the biggest surprise of the night – the 2011 Le Pigeonnier Malbec.
I have to admit that even though I love Malbec wines, I honestly never saw the grape on the same level as its Bordeaux brothers: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or even Cabernet Franc. I have had very good Malbec wines from Argentina and Cahors but I haven’t had an outstanding 100% Malbec wine. Also, through my wine career I have heard many times from top Bordeaux owners, as well as Managing Directors, that Malbec was not considered a noble variety and hence why many top châteaux in Bordeaux no longer have it planted in their vineyards.

I remember sitting in a classroom in Bordeaux a few years ago with Denis Dubourdieu, a famous Professor of Oenology. He said that Malbec was a variety for peasants. And even though I did not fully agree with him at the time, I did think that Malbec had a limited potential.

Well, Mr. Perrin said that he knew that Malbec could become a great wine, and Cahors a great wine making area – and he proved it that night. The Le Pigeonnier Malbec really impressed me. It was intensely concentrated while staying incredibly elegant. And it was perfectly paired with a crispy black bass with wood ears and a black truffle “hot and sour pot au feu” (Pictured at the top of this post).

Why was it a perfect pairing? Because it showed that this richly ripe Malbec had the great structure and balance to go with such a refined fish dish. It had power and finesse. And in that moment of having this unorthodox pairing I realized that Malbec was, indeed, a noble variety.

A Passion for Mixing the Ancient & Modern Worlds

Mr. Perrin showed us that night that the ancient and modern worlds could live in perfect harmony. It was only fitting that we had this incredible tasting at Le Bernardin – in part because of Mr. Perrin’s long relationship with the owners Maguy Le Coze and Chef Eric Ripert. It was also fitting because Le Bernardin is a great example of combining traditional French cooking techniques with more modern styles of creating complex broths with layers of aromatics in the dishes that give a healthier, elevated experience.

When I walked out the door of Le Bernardin that night, after my dinner with Alain Dominique Perrin, I was walking on cloud nine so to speak. The conservations all around were uplifting, exciting and fun – the food was outstanding and the wines enlightening. Mr. Perrin seems to have a way of bringing everything to a level of greatness. He not only shoots for the stars but he eventually reaches them.

********************************************************
-2014 Le Pigeonnier Rosé from Magnum :
100% Malbec
Case Production : 250 cases (6-bottle case)
7 acres (2.7 hectares) vineyard directly adjacent to the grounds of Château Lagrézette. Enclosed by ancient stone walls, the vineyard contains a 17th century dovecote, which gives the wine its name.

A pretty pink color with real restraint on the nose that has a distinct minerality with lovely floral notes and a round body; juicy peach flavor on the palate.

The 2011, 2012 & 2014 Mas des Merveilles wines have the following production information:
100% Viognier
Case Production : 1200 cases (12-bottle case)
Côte du Lot Rocamadour IGP
Clay and limestone vineyards around 25 acres (10 hectares) in the medieval town of Rocamadour (Lot).

-2011 Mas des Merveilles Viognier :
The 2011 was the most linear in shape with a more mineral than fruit quality compared to the other vintages. A hint of dried flowers rolled around in my head on the heady finish.

-2012 Mas des Merveilles Viognier :
Lots of pristine apricot and tangerine flesh-y aromatics and flavors with a textural complexity with the minerality more in the background.

-2014 Mas des Merveilles Viognier :
(They did not make a 2013 because the quality was not up to their standards)
Orange blossom and jasmine notes with a touch of wet stones and refreshing acidity.

-2014 Le Pigeonnier White Vision from Magnum :
100% Viognier
Case Production: 300 cases (6-bottle wooden case)
2.5 acres (6 hectares) single-vineyard located in the Côte du Lot.
The vines are only eleven years of age but yields are extremely low, around 25 hl/ha.

Exotic spice with layers of rose, stone fruits and smoky notes that were intoxicating with a great weight perfectly balanced with lively flavors that have a long, flavorful finish.

-2011 Le Pigeonnier Red Malbec from Magnum:
100% Malbec
Case Production: Around 1070 cases (6-bottle wooden case)
Extraordinarily low yields around 15 to 20 hl/ha

Deep ruby color with a distinctive purple hue. A simply stunning Malbec that was powerful yet elegant, full bodied yet focused. An intense concentration of violets, plummy fruit and a hint of coffee that is carried along the ripe yet structured body that somehow pulls off a long finish that had lots of finesse.

Posted in Dame Wine | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Focusing on the Science of Wine: Does it take away the Magic?

Posted on October 23, 2015 by damewine

AAA

One of the best things about the wine world is the diversity of people – not only due to different ancestry or origin, but in some cases, the diversity involves producers coming from other disciplines. But what happens when you have a producer with the background and mentality of an engineer who has a mission to improve winemaking as we know it? Does it take away the magic? I know this is a current debate among many wine lovers – some feeling we should focus on place and passion. But maybe the science of wine helps us to understand the magic better?

These thoughts crossed my mind as I tasted the 2009 Domaine Lois Louise Santa Cruz Mountains AVA samples by Clos de la Tech.

This is a crazy time of year for the wine trade and wine writers in the New York City area. They refer to it as O.N.D. (October, November and December). I usually do not ask wineries to send me samples during this time of year since there are so many wine trade tastings and dinners, but I was curious about Clos de la Tech and hence I googled this producer. I found several videos by the owner, T.J. Rodgers. It intrigued me how Dr. Rodgers has combined his engineer mentality (find a problem and fix it) with his passion for Burgundy wines.

T.J. Rodgers is the founder, president, CEO, and a director of Cypress Semiconductor Corporation. He is a big deal in Silicon Valley.

Honestly, that is not what interested me. What interested me was his winery videos showing him as a man that loved to fix problems, a man that loved wine and ultimately has combined these two passions together.

I cannot go into everything he is doing, but one example of the systems and procedures he is using to help improve winemaking is the TJ Experimental Fermenter. It is a tank that can be monitored and controlled (must and cap temperature, measure brix, introduce oxygen at the right moment with pumpovers, etc.) from one central control station. Click on the YouTube video below if you are curious to hear him explain it in a little bit more detail.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOue33D4XUY

I think it is very easy to get so caught up in the idea of who T.J. Rodgers is that we don’t even consider that he could be potentially helping other struggling producers with his current experiments and inventions. I was fascinated by the videos of him explaining what improvements he is making in the winery and vineyards because I saw a man who was an engineer in his very being – similar to every other engineer I have known. Good engineers do not change something just for the sake of changing it – they see that there is a problem and they have it in their DNA to try to improve it.

As a wife of an engineer, I understand that mentality well!

But why do improvements by understanding the process sometimes get translated into taking away the magic?

It is interesting that T.J. Rodgers loves the wines of Burgundy – I would say that Burgundy is considered to be one of the most magical places in the wine world. Also, those who drink Burgundy, especially Pinot Noir, would say it is one of the most inconsistent wine regions in the world.

When I think of my own travels to Burgundy and visiting small producers, I loved how many would say that they had no idea why things worked how they worked – they just trusted what their parents and grandparents did before them. And when an exceptional wine is made in those sorts of “mysterious” ways, it is magic – there is no formula to figure it out.

Conversely, why is a formula that helps to not “mess up” what Mother Nature has already given us a bad thing? Aren’t the sometimes radical climatic conditions magic enough? Don’t we, as consumers, as well as producers, want some sort of minimum level of quality?

There are the wild wine nerd wines (and I am a wine nerd) that will always be given some leniency by their small niche following. But the wine drinking world in general expects more consistency since quality and consistency around the world has greatly improved.

Dr. Rodgers talks about honoring the heritage of the Burgundians: using French clones, native yeasts and gravity flow, but he has also invented a fermenting system that has a greater capacity to monitor and control temperature. He has even donated several experimental tanks to UC Davis. It could potentially not only help other producers to guarantee a higher quality of wine but it could lower costs by its efficient design.

Since wines are an agricultural crop I think there will always be a magic to the process -because there are many things about this grand planet we do not fully understand.

There is a balance in making sure wine making is not so much of a mystery and yet still stays somewhat magical – that way the winemakers and wine drinkers alike can have some assurance of having a nice bottle of wine, and hence, we can enjoy the magic that much more.

**************************************************************

2009 Clos de la Tech, Lois Louise Estate, Santa Cruz Mountains AVA, California :
I tried two bottles and both were consistent in their profiles and quality levels. Each one was hand numbered with one being 3057 of 7058 and the other 3098 of 7058. A big wine that is generous at a relatively youthful age but I would decant it for a couple of hours since I thought it showed a lot more through time. It has a great muscular structure that would be typical of Nuits-Saint-Georges wines in Burgundy, but balanced with a rich, fruit forward quality that also reminds me of Vosne-Romanée. A deep ruby color that has notes of black cherry, anise, tobacco leaf, hints of red clay and a powerful, sustained length.

The wine is named after T.J. Rodgers’ mother, Lois Louise, whose picture graces the label. The picture was taken after World War II ended and she was just released from the army.

Also, his wife, Valeta Massey, is also co-owner and assistant winemaker. Their Domaine Valeta wine is named after her, and their Domaine du Docteur Rodgers is named after T.J. Rodgers. As they always say, behind every great man there’s a great woman – in this case there are two.

Posted in Dame Wine | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Bordeaux Wines: Everyone is Invited to the Party

Posted on October 19, 2015 by damewine

Bordeaux Drinking and having fun

I have been to Bordeaux a few times but the one time that stands out in my mind was during the Bordeaux Fête le Vin in 2010, which was taking place at the same time as the Masters of Wine Symposium that had chosen Bordeaux as their host city. It was a great time to show off a “nicer”, more tourist friendly, city as Bordeaux was known for being an unsavory town at one time. But now they have a new tram, an upgraded boardwalk by the river, and brighter lighting at night. The Fête le Vin, which takes place every two years really shows the spirit of the Bordelais – they are serious about making wine but playful when drinking it. It was an incredible experience walking around tasting many of their vinous offerings while listening to music, seeing people wearing fun hats with laughter filling the streets.

Bordeaux Jazz Band

Perception

Currently, Bordeaux is trying to improve their image.

Their image problem reminds me of a past teaching from a renegade American Buddhist monk. I did not agree with many of this particular monk’s unorthodox practices, but there are a couple of lessons I have carried with me. The one that relates to Bordeaux is the “Pen Lesson”. We may look at a pen and see it as a writing instrument, but a dog may see it as a chew toy: two completely different perceptions for the same item.

We deal with problems of perception every day. How many times has someone made a wrong assumption about you? Typically they made this wrong assumption based on how you look or only knowing a couple pieces of superficial facts about you. This happens all the time. The whole story of someone is complex and most people don’t have the time or opportunity to get to know the different sides of another human being. I think most of us feel that we cannot be defined by one label and I would argue that Bordeaux cannot be so easily defined as well.

First, many Americans think that all Bordeaux wines are expensive – the majority of it is not. There are plenty of good bottles under $20 bucks and there are great bottles under $50. The quality of Bordeaux across the boards has significantly improved over the past couple of decades.

Second, some Americans think that you have to wait a few years to drink red Bordeaux.
Many of these wines are meant to be drunk upon release – the reds that fall into the “under $20” category are made from Merlot. I know, I said the dreaded M word, but although Merlot has gotten a bad reputation, it’s a common blending partner with Cabernet Sauvignon and in some cases Cabernet Franc, or both, which gives structure that helps to bring balance to many Merlot based wines.

Third, Bordelais are stuffy. In fact, most I’ve met are not stuffy people; if anything, they know how to party! I think about every time I’ve been to Bordeaux – I was always in the corner falling asleep while the Bordelais were dancing and drinking the night away.

Warm Fuzzy Feeling with Bordeaux

My feelings for Bordeaux are rooted in drinking their cheap wines when I was young, naïve and poor – living in the East Village in New York City. At the time, there were lots of Europeans living in the area that were struggling artists. We bonded over many cheap European wines and so I associated Bordeaux with feelings of camaraderie and community. I had no idea that it was supposed to be an elitist drink at the time.

Experience with Bordeaux Fine Wine

Through the years I have had the pleasure of tasting some of the most sought after Bordeaux wines. I am not bragging, well maybe a little, but I have had the privilege to have seen and tasted the full picture of Bordeaux.

Bordeaux has certainly been on the chopping block over the past few years. The escalating prices of their top tier wines have alienated their traditional markets and some have accused them of taking advantage of newer markets. I’m not going to get into this topic, as, in a sense, it is almost a non issue in the discussion I’m trying to start about their more affordable wines. The majority of people working in the wine trade in Bordeaux are hard working people that are barely making a profit. Yes, the wealthy families of the top Chateaux always make the headlines but we should not become so engrossed in those stories that we ignore the majority, many of whom are directly involved, giving their sweat, blood and tears to make good wine.

The Bigger Picture of Bordeaux

My past experiences selling Bordeaux to Americans have many times been linked to elitism. Sometimes this helped to sell these wines but I think in general, this concept is not one, which is thankfully, being taken up by the newer generation of wine drinkers in the US. We are becoming a more sophisticated wine drinking culture and I believe that real wine sophisticated countries know where the deals lie in wine – having more in-depth knowledge of a region from entry level up to the highest tier.

Why I love Bordeaux more today than I did 20 years ago…

Bordeaux is Female Friendly

For such an old world region, they have certainly encouraged women to take a leadership role over the past decade….
-Caroline Lévêque was the youngest woman to become a sworn broker in Bordeaux, at the age of 23, in 2012
-Bérénice Lurton was a recent past President of Crus Classés of Sauternes and Barsac
-Sylvie Cazes was a recent past President of Union of Grands Crus Bordeaux

Bordeaux is Diverse

Bordeaux has a long history of winemaking families that go back for generations, such as the torches that were passed from father and son to manage Haut Brion and Petrus estates. This sense of family and lineage are part of what makes Bordeaux special but their inclusion of foreigners to become owners and winemakers have also made them a more open and international region. Belgian, German, American, Welsh and New Zealand winemakers represent the new faces of Bordeaux producers.

Welsh born and raised, Nicola Allison, who is co-winemaker of Château du Seuil with her New Zealand husband Sean Allison, is able to explain her experience as a foreigner in Bordeaux.

Bordeaux Jazz Band(CIVB 2014-2015 Press Kit)

“Our family soaks up all the different nationalities every day, and consequently the children aren’t afraid of traveling, thanks to the culture of wine and reaching out to others.” – Nicola Allison

Bordeaux is More Accessible to a Wider Audience

I was very excited after a meeting with Allan Sichel, Vice-Chairmen of the Bordeaux Wine Council (CIVB: Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux), and Cecile Ha, International PR Director of the CIVB on October 7th. They told me about the current construction of The Cité des Civilizations du Vin, a building that will house a multi-functional center on the banks of the Garonne. It will be a futuristic structure that will represent an artistic expression of what one sees when they swirl their glass. This cultural center will be a hub for tourists to learn about Bordeaux’s history, vineyards, winemaking and classes that show the entire picture of Bordeaux wines from entry level to fine wine. A huge investment to create an enormous beacon that will be a warm light to attract even the most intimidated wine drinker.

Conversely, there are concerns with this structure being a giant distraction that deters visitors from actually seeing the real process of growing grapes and making wine.

My personal opinion is that many people only visit Bordeaux city – and may add a stop to visit the breathtaking UNESCO Saint-Émilion as well. And lets be honest, most wine drinkers do not want to spend tons of time learning about the ins and outs of the vineyards and winemaking of Bordeaux (that’s what we wine nerds do!) and there is nothing wrong with accepting that idea and trying to cater to it.

Also, Bordeaux needs help, since only a small segment of the population is wealthy families. Most producers have been struggling for years and do not have the time or manpower to conduct personal tours of their wineries and vineyards. In an article that was published in the June 2010 Decanter magazine, Bernard Fargues, president of Syndicate of Bordeaux (which represents over half of the regions’ 8,000 winemakers) said that around 90% of his members were having some level of financial difficulty, with at least 50% suffering serious financial problems.

Bottom line, this region needs this multi-functional center to help broaden their consumer base if they want to survive. The CIVB, as well as other local businesses, have funded this building, knowing that many of the local winemakers need help in reaching out to an international audience.

A New Hope

The Bordelais understand that not everyone will be able to afford a visit to Bordeaux, even if they take the more budgeted route. But they are hoping that this commitment of time and money will show the world that they are fun, they are friendly and that their name will be associated with not only the previously mentioned terms but most importantly, they are associated with value.

This will help send the message that Americans should not be afraid to ask for a $15 bottle of Bordeaux wine in their local retail store. Instead of fearing your local sales person saying “Oh dream again, you won’t get anything for that price”, one can rest assured with the come back, “Obviously you do not know Bordeaux wine.”

If you would like to learn more, here’s the CIVB website: http://www.bordeaux.com/us

Posted in Dame Wine | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Individuality or Conformity: Which is the Nobler Path?

Posted on October 13, 2015 by damewine

Georgia

As I tasted a fruit-forward, easy drinking Saperavi red wine from Georgia in downtown Manhattan last week, I thought to myself, “they could sell this wine to anyone.”
The gracious lady who was a representative for the distributor told me it could be sold to Zinfandel lovers who wanted something different, and the proof of her statement
was certainly in the glass.

As a wine nerd, I did not expect to taste wines with such a broad appeal at a Georgia wine tasting. I was looking for the “orange” wines, nicknamed for their color, that are fermented on their skins in a qvevri (a large clay vessel) creating white wines that have the structure of a red wine, and they have smells and flavors that one may have never experienced before in a beverage. They can be quite thrilling when you are “used to them”, so to speak, but can be a shock to most uninitiated wine drinkers. It was interesting to overhear different remarks from various people at this wine trade tasting: some were happy with the conformity of style while others criticized it for being too generic.

Some think of “conformity” as a bad word. But why is it bad to have knowledge of what your target market wants, and act on that knowledge? Well, I know, because people think their motives are purely associated with money.

Women in Wine

Conformity as the Nobler Path, or at least not too much Individuality

This very subject was talked about during the Women in Wine Leadership Symposium last week. Jeanine Prime, PhD, Senior Vice President of Catalyst, spoke about her research in helping organizations create more inclusive workplaces. The focus of many of these studies was based on creating a more inclusive environment for women and for different races. She said that uniqueness of an individual and a distinct point of view typically made a team stronger, but the flip side is that too much focus on unique traits may be detrimental for a team.

Considering the above information, one may argue that Georgia wines that express some of their history, such as using native varieties, but are made using modern methods (which produces familiar flavors) would be in the best interest of the future of Georgia wines, since they show individuality but not too much.

South American

Past Individualistic Practices becoming part of the Conformity of the Wine Business

It is interesting how, at one time, biodynamic, organic or even sustainable were only practiced by outsiders, those who broke from the group to stand out with their individualistic voice.

When I think about wines, Kaiken Ultra and Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon, such as samples I was sent a few weeks ago, I think of the choices these wineries have made to possibly conform to current trends. These two sibling wineries across the Andes Mountains, the former from Argentina and the latter from Chile, are examples of marketing themselves as being environmentally conscious: Kaiken being 1/3 biodynamic and Montes practicing sustainable dry farming. Yes, recent conformity may be based on real beliefs that were not implemented at one time because they did not have a target market that would pay a higher price that is necessary for such environmentally sound upgrades.

We are living in interesting times where even the fantastical practices of biodynamics are becoming more mainstream in their appeal. When Joly started to change his vineyards over to biodynamic systems in Savennières, Loire Valley, he was seen as a mad man when he first started – okay, maybe there are still a lot of people who think he is odd, the man does have a few strong political views.

When Conformity and Individuality do not Work Together

Many of us can agree that it is a good thing that sustainable, more organic practices, are becoming trendier with the new generation of wine drinkers. But the marketing is only clear when it is prominently displayed on the front label. That means they need to be certified which costs a significant amount of money. Also, some agrochemicals that are relatively harmless, when used in the proper amount and during the proper time, may be needed in certain areas of the world.

I think we can all agree that no one wants to take away the current popularity of organic wines, but this popularity has made it difficult for those who have “borderline” practices, mostly organic, to survive – they have become the new individualistic producers trying to survive in an official organically labeled world. Also, it is interesting to note that the Kaiken Ultra does not place anything about their biodynamic efforts on their wine label.

Back to Georgia Wines

If I have to guess what most lovers of Georgia wines fear, or any wine region with a long wine history, is the possibility that those ancient practices that create such rare wines will become extinct.

Conversely, the world is changing, and unless some traditional regions establish strong export markets, they risk many of their own people abandoning wine making professionally since it cannot support a family.

“The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are.” – Joseph Campbell

It is truly a privilege to be in a position where you can be true to yourself. The reality of our world is that there are some people who are more privileged than others, as when someone is just getting by, it is not even something they can contemplate. Whether we are owners, bosses or worker bees, it seems each day we have choices whether we want to move closer to conformity or individuality, and depending on our situation, is dependent on if one or the other will lead us to a nobler path.

*****************************************************

Kaiken and Montes Alpha tasted on October 2nd, 2015

 -2012 Kaiken Ultra Cabernet Sauvignon from Mendoza, Argentina:             (90% Cabernet Sauvignon & 10% Malbec) big, chocolate-y, gives a lot up front but drops off on the finish – not bad at all considering USD$15 price (Sample)

-2012 Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon, Colchagua Valley, Chile:               (90% Cabernet Sauvignon & 10% Merlot) not too herbaceous, interesting gravelly & leather notes, a hint of mint that brightens the nose and nice flesh with textural contrast with firm tannins, and around the same price point as the above wine but is more for the consumer who likes tension over fruit USD$16 price (Sample)

Georgia Wines tasted on October 6th, 2015 – retail prices were not available

 –2012 Château Mukhrani Saperavi (modern style):                                         medium bodied red with clean black berry and pomegranate fruit that has less earthy qualities than more traditional Saperavi wines I tried, a fresh acidity helps to give this wine a touch of structure within its round easy going body

-2003 Shavnabada “The Monastery Blessed” Rkatsiteli (traditional style): recently bottled after spending 12 years in qvevri that has intense nutty notes with hints of bruised apples and fragrant honeysuckle aromas

-2013 Soliko Tsaishvili’s Our Wine Rkatsiteli (traditional style):                  made in small quantities – only 13.5 acres (5. 5 hectares) that were farmed under biodynamics – spent 6 months in qvevri after spontaneous fermentation – this wine has wine geek written all over it (I am a proud wine geek myself) with notes of sea urchin and smoky tea notes finishing with a zesty tang – very exciting

Posted in Dame Wine | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

The Underdog of Traditional Sparkling Wine

Posted on September 29, 2015 by damewine

English Sparkling Wine

Recently, I took a trip to London and I wanted to take a couple of days to check out the vineyards in the English countryside. English sparkling wine has become a new, exciting development in the UK, but it is still seen as an anomaly in the US. I think this is interesting because we think of the UK as being a much more well-established wine drinking country than the US, but as a wine producing country, they are just starting to find their specialty: sparkling wine.

I was lucky enough to spend the day checking out the vineyards and facilities of Hattingley Valley in Hampshire, Southern England. They have won many prestigious awards over the past couple of years – pretty impressive considering they have only been established since 2008.

In a world where Champagne dominates as the premium and ultra premium sparkling wine of choice on the international wine scene, there seems to be an outcry for another high quality option from another country.

What about other popular “Champagne-like” sparkling wines on the US market?

There is Cava from Catalunya, Spain. But Cava has built their international image on value and hence, their quality is limited by the fact that there is price sensitivity when it comes to their wines.

Yes, I know there are some high quality examples of Cava, but I think it is fair to say that many are a simpler version of Champagne.

The sparkling wines of Northern California and Franciacorta in Lombardy, Italy both have high quality offerings that can rival Champagne but they do not have the fierce backbone of acidity that makes Champagne thrilling to some and, conversely, too austere for others.

I love having a Franciacorta or California sparkler when I want a little more fruit and rounder body. Also, I find they are a much friendlier choice when buying “Champagne-look-alikes” for a mixed crowd of wine drinkers.

It is interesting to note that Champagne is producing riper grapes which are evident in many vintage Champagnes that have been released over the past decade. Some producers, such as Lanson, are promoting the fact that they do not allow the wine to go through malolactic fermentation (which keeps the acidity high and sharp) and represents a more “traditional” style of Champagne.

Today, Champagne vintages are two weeks earlier than twenty years ago – and today England typically harvests two weeks after Champagne – so perhaps one can conclude that England is what Champagne was several decades ago.

I know it is not that simple. England has a lot less sun and a lot more rain than Champagne has ever had in recent history. It takes a tremendous amount of work to harvest balanced, healthy grapes. During my visit, I kept asking the question of what was the biggest difference between making traditional sparkling wine in Champagne vs England, and the answer I was given was the same: it is easier in Champagne.

This was evident at Hattingley Valley in Hampshire. The 2014 vintage was a “great” one for English sparkling wine but 2015 has been a very difficult vintage. All the vineyards showed many footprints that indicated a vineyard team that kept a close eye on their vines. It comes down to a significant amount of man hours preventing disease (biggest problem is botrytis) and opening up the canopy to expose the grapes to the maximum amount of air and light.

A tough vintage does not always translate into a bad vintage, but it does translate into more work. And there are a handful of producers who have the heart and desire to make top quality wine; Hattingley Valley being one of those special producers who are investing a large amount into the best equipment and best people. They are doing it right from the beginning, they are not just making sparkling wine that is “good considering it is from England”, they want to make a range of good to great wines that will be compared to the top regions of the world.

English Sparkling Wine Bunch

Even in a tough vintage, their top vineyards had Chardonnay bunches that looked and felt perfect when I walked through a couple weeks ago. Yes, I did see millerandage, aka hens and chicks (different size berries in bunches), in other vineyards but many of the grapes had softened and were showing veraison (change of color) which was a good sign at that stage.

The major test always comes down to tasting the wines. I was first introduced to English sparkling wines eight years ago. My impression at that time was that they were thin and too acidic. But Nyetimber and Hattingley Valley have been the two big exceptions in my tasting experience. Their sparkling wines are complex and balanced. Emma Rice, Director and Winemaker at Hattingley Valley, is a fan of using oak to add a wonderful textural component to her wines.

The best of the English sparkling wines give a great tension of acidity and linear shape of palate that are exciting when fleshed out with a decent amount of ripeness and texture. Fierce acidity is what some connoisseurs of great Champagne crave, such as one would find in Salon, for example.

Champagne has a brand and sense of place; Hampshire, England, does not have a brand (they have only just started to get recognition with the British media and wine trade) but it certainly has a sense of place. A line of chalk runs through Hampshire, and the “Grand Cru” vineyards showed their noble pedigree with the beautiful bunches during this nail-biting vintage.

Brand is a different story. Champagne has a strong brand, which I do not begrudge them. I love Champagne but that love has certainly been challenged through recent years. There are some brands that seem to claim a “great” vintage almost every year now. And the CIVC current lawsuit against the wine communicator Champagne Jayne, who has promoted Champagne for most of her career, has given me mixed feelings about a region I once blindly adored.

Yes, as an American, I have always looked to the UK as one of the most sophisticated wine drinking countries on the planet, but as a wine making country it is an underdog.

Americans are used to fist pumping their hand in the air while promoting all things US, whether old or new. We are a younger country built on various people coming from around the world looking for a second chance in life. It is the land of opportunity. We do not care how long you have been around – if you show us a great product then we take notice. Of course, it is a matter of having the resources to connect with this vast and varied US population – getting the message out there is the biggest issue.

It was a real treat for me when I saw the long history of the UK in person. They have wine stores that are over 400 years old! And even though I am very American in my mindset, I enjoy the British cultural aspects of giving respect to those institutions that have the longest history. But when it comes to English sparkling wine, some of those precious British cultural traits seem to be a detriment, with the UK not promoting their own wines since they do not have a long established history of quality.

We have a couple English sparkling wines in New York City. I don’t know if we will ever get the full array of some of those unknown gems I had in Hampshire. If UK consumers ever become wise to what they have in their own backyard then we may never see the full potential of English sparkling wine in the US. Well, I certainly would not want to deny them what is rightfully theirs – but if they do not want it then you can not blame us if some savvy American importer/distributor decides to take it off the UK’s hands 😀

Posted in Dame Wine | 2 Comments

Because Something You Do Not Understand is Pointing You in that Direction

Posted on August 24, 2015 by damewine

Finger Lakes Pic

“But I did understand that sometimes you have to take risks, do something you are afraid of, and go for it. Because something you do not understand is pointing you in that direction.” – Martha Macinski, Standing Stone Winery

The above words were delivered before our dinner on the pre-excursion Wine Bloggers Conference Finger Lakes tour that took place at Ventosa Winery in Geneva, New York.

Martha (aka Marti) gave an inspiring, and quite frankly, emotional speech. This seemed to be the theme of the conference – inspiring human beings.

There were many incredible women who spoke at the 2015 Wine Bloggers Conference.
I heard that there was a push to represent women more on the panels, and hence this year there was a great representation of brilliant, strong and talented women. But I think even if there was not a focus on women, these human beings would have still stood out as remarkable people.

All of these remarkable human beings were different, and they did not always agree. The idea that they varied in their opinions was a great example that there is no one path to making a difference in the wine world.

Marti Macinski was speaking during a session that was about women in wine. And certainly, 20 years ago it was a different world for women with very few opportunities. Women were encouraged to be pretty and social – sciences and athletics were not an option. I’ve known women who started in sales and distribution over 15 years ago who were dealing with a very different world that did not look on their ambitions kindly.

But I think it is fair to say the world has significantly changed, and yes it seems slow, but women are making their way up the ranks. Their will be a huge swing in women being in power positions in the next 10 years.

Also, I have to write this post from my personal perspective – or I am not speaking my truth. I have many great female mentors and dear friends, but there have been great men in my life too. And so I am more interested in talking about great human beings, whether they are women or men.

Marti Macinski talked about how she and her husband took on the traditional “male” and “female” roles when they started their own winery, Standing Stone. But there are other factors that influenced that decision. Her husband had a technical chemistry background and she had a law degree. It made sense that he would be the winemaker. But due to them having financial problems and the reality that her husband would need to place more of his energies into his IBM “day” job – she found herself becoming the winemaker. She had no scientific background, no management experience and she was not used to standing up for her own wine opinions. Her background as a trial lawyer did not prepare her for this unexpected situation in life.

She said she remembers at that moment placing her head on the table and starting to cry.

Yes, we have all had those moments. No matter how tough we think we are – everyone has a breaking point. When I was very young and foolish I thought that some people had it easy in life. Of course, thinking that I had it hard – on my own at the age of 18, alone in New York City, working an insane amount of hours living off of nothing but potatoes and salt.

Through time I have met lots of people with various backgrounds. People from poor neighborhoods, people from middle class families, people from wealthy backgrounds. And they all have something in common – life is not easy for any of them. Yes, it is obvious when someone comes from the lower class that they have a huge hurdle in life. But everyone has their complications, and either you decide to take on the challenges with full gusto, or spend your life on the sidelines complaining about how other successful people are just “lucky”.

That is what Marti decided to do. She became a winemaker and a good winemaker at that. She took the opportunity to discover talents and a strength that she did not know she had.

All of us have had those moments of being broken by life – the more I talk to people and hear their stories, the more I know this is a universal truth. I think the only difference between a remarkable person and a regular person is one has decided to make the most of tough times, whether financial, emotional or both.

There was another remarkable human being who spoke that night – Liz Leidenfrost. She is a third generation winemaker for Leidenfrost Vineyards. Liz said that her original path was as a classical vocalist. But she found it to be a repressive world with cut throat competition, and she craved a more communal environment – also, they were not accepting of her tattoos and piercings. She came back to her family winery as an assistant winemaker. She goes out of her way to show that she can get dirty, lift heavy equipment and be one of the last to leave after a hard day’s work.

Liz thanks her father for believing in her, supporting her and accepting her and her life choices – and she still gets to sing – in Burlesque shows. She said that there is a strong sense of community with Burlesque and she feels completely accepted. Her initial intention of training in classical singing was not to end up doing Burlesque, but life pointed her in another direction – ultimately empowering her to be true to herself.

Throughout the conference there were other unique human beings who kept inspiring people. The famous wine writer Karen MacNeil spoke out about her journey. She left home at 14 to come to New York City and she had the attitude that as long as she just kept her head down and worked, she would be able to find her place in the world. She did not feel that being a woman was the biggest barrier – mediocrity was the biggest barrier. She talked about her struggle to get her work accepted. In her early days she collected 324 rejection slips and thumb tacked them to her apartment wall.

We have all felt rejection on some level, but think of 324 rejections all on the wall staring at you all at once! Instead of giving up, Karen took on the challenge. She used the analogy of a bike – she did not complain about the bike, she got on it and just kept going. Through time those rejections, and her perseverance, helped her to find a voice that has made her the special wine writer she is today.

“I learned that I was the kind of person who would go to great lengths to do something well.” – Karen MacNeil

It was interesting to have Stevie Kim speak on the same panel. I don’t know how many people at the bloggers’ conference knew who she was – she even made a comment that probably most people did not know her. In the wine trade she is a living legend. She is a big reason why Italian wines are not only successful in Asia, but successful around the world. She talked about an early experience of sitting in a business meeting with a key Chinese player in the wine world. At one point she was told to either put her “balls” on the table or get out.

I have had a similar experience myself. The sales, distribution and PR world are tough worlds – for men and women equally. I remember working for a top distribution company in New York City and the hours, pressure, and never ending sales quotas were killing me. I went to my direct manager about my struggles with balancing life, and he simply said that if I wanted to be treated like all the men and be valued like all the men then he would have to still hold the same requirements for me. And I have to say, even though it was a very male dominated world, if you show them you can bring in the numbers and go toe to toe with anyone – then you will earn their respect.

Even though I eventually left distribution, it was a great learning experience, and I thank that manager to this day for helping me to discover that I am a lot tougher than I thought I was.

And then I had the great pleasure to meet Madeline Puckette with Wine Folly. I’m sure you have already heard of Wine Folly, and if not, seek them out on Facebook and Twitter. She uses her fine art background to come up with infographic wine posters that help beginners, low and high involvement consumers to understand wine in a fun way. Also, many people in the New York City wine trade love these posters and share them on social media all the time.

Madeline is the type of person who really listens, tries to figure out who you are, what you are about and ultimately, what moves you. Even though she has helped create a company that has been a game changer in the way people learn about wine on a mass scale, she is also the type of person to make you feel as if you are the only person in the room when she is speaking to you. She is releasing a book on Amazon soon with all her great infographic posters. I would highly recommend checking it out. She is the real deal.

But one of the most inspirational people at the conference was Meg Houston Maker, who was the winner for Best Writing on a Wine Blog this year. You don’t have to love wine to love her writing, and after reading her writing, if you did not love wine before, her highly skilled way with language will inspire you to become a wine lover.

Meg delivered a great speech at the last session of the Wine Bloggers Conference. She not only gave great writing advice, but she spoke about how everyone in that room had a valuable voice to share with the world. It was wonderful to see all the beaming smiles of people who were recharged to get back to their blogging/writing.

The above human beings were very special and some of the highlights of the conference, but I have to say I had some incredible one on one experiences with men and women alike.

My conversations ranged with people like a male blogger who had the passion to try winemaking as a hobby; mothers talking about juggling working, blogging and nurturing their kids; wine bloggers who were devoted Christians and trying to find balance between the two worlds; and I even got into a conversation with a woman who at one time helped to drive in supplies for the Rockaways after Hurricane Sandy devastated the area.

I am an atheist who chose to not have children a long time ago, and I have lived in New York City for over 21 years, so no, I did not share all of the life experiences of people I met, but it was great to connect with so many people who had different perspectives. In the end I realized all of us are just trying to not be judged; to be accepted for who we are…

It is not always easy to explain why we feel the need to blog about wine. For me it started out as the desire to improve myself – communicate better and share all the things, regarding wine and life, that I’m trying to figure out on a daily basis – and I know I am not static – what I say today may not be true next year. I’m not completely sure in what direction this blog is leading me. But as long as there are warm smiles, lots of laughs and encounters with inspiring people who are heroes in their own quiet way, then the end result of this journey is not as important as the encounters we have with other remarkable human beings.

Why do any of us place a significant amount of energy into anything without any guarantee of monetary reward?

Because something we do not understand is pointing us in that direction …

********************************************************************

These wines were tasted in a “speed tasting” session during the conference on August 14th, 2015. They are all from the Finger Lakes, New York, and I thought some of the wines were great value for the money.

-2014 Lucas Semi Dry Riesling:                                                                                        2014 was a very good vintage for Riesling (not such a great vintage for other varieties), freezing temperatures allowed long hang time, low disease pressure and great concentration and layers of complexity developed in the grapes, this is not a blockbuster wine but it has a lovely harmony and offers great value, this is like biting into a ripe juicy peach with good weight and marked acidity.

–2009 Hermann J Weimer Blanc de Blanc Traditional Method Sparkling Wine:                                                                                                                                          100% Chardonnay, light toasted notes with some undertones of toffee – perhaps due to base wine fermented in neutral oak, not the same fierce acidity as Champagne (and only around 6 g/l residual sugar), more approachable for lovers of traditional sparkling wines with lots of rich flavors and texture.

– 2013 Villa Bellangelo Semi-Dry Riesling:                                                                   20% botrytized fruit, exotic spice and dried apricots, this is ridiculously delicious at USD$18 bucks!

-NV Chateau Frank Célèbre Riesling Traditional Sparkling Wine:
Gentle bubbles, intensely flinty and minerally, marked acidity balances around 30 g/l residual sugar, linear body, one of the better examples of a Riesling Traditional Sparkling wines I have experienced.

-2013 Red Newt Cellar Dry Riesling:                                                                               Racy acidity giving it a great backbone, juicy tangerine fruit and a clean finish.

-2014 Glenora Wine Cellars Gewürztraminer:                                                          Very different from the Standing Stone, pronounced perfumed nose, broad palate, softer acidity.

-2013 Hunt Country Vineyards Vidal Blanc Ice Wine:                                         Mouth coating, luscious, sweet wine that is reminiscent of golden delicious apples dipped in honey, but I would say it did not have the intensity of concentration of other top Vidal Ice Wines from Niagara.

-2013 Standing Stone Gewürztraminer:                                                                        One of Marti Macinski’s wines, and her Gewürz was just as impressive as her speech, only USD$15 bucks, restrained nose with more of a gravelly essence than perfume, who knew that Gewürz could have minerality, finished with slight rose petal note, fresh acidity.

-2011 Fox Run Vineyards Reserve Riesling:                                                               Great to have a Finger Lakes Riesling with some age, expressing more honey than flinty notes, no sense of petrol and a sustained finish with anise and white flowers.

-2014 Fulkerson William Vigne Grüner Veltliner:
Moderately aromatic with hints of celery and white pepper, not as tropical as the Austrian versions, more citrus flavors.

Posted in Dame Wine | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

The Clone Wars

Posted on August 7, 2015 by damewine

Boundary Breaks

On July 22nd, I participated in a virtual tasting on Twitter that consisted of winemakers walking us through a tasting of their wines from the Finger Lakes, New York. The focus was on their aromatic white Riesling wines. A new winery, called Boundary Breaks Vineyard, talked briefly about their mission to understand specific clones of Riesling, to the point where they market some of their wines as being single clone wines. And yes, since that time I have been obsessing about clones – which is funny to those of you who know me as a big Star Wars fan.

What the heck are clones?

I’m happy you asked that question 😉

I always like to refer back to The Oxford Companion to Wine for a clear definition:
“Clone — in a viticultural context is a single vine or a population of vines all derived by vegetative propagation from cuttings or buds from a single ‘mother vine’ by deliberate clonal selection.”

Basically, many regions realized a long time ago that it was beneficial to observe their vines in the vineyards realizing that certain vines had superior qualities over others. This research has been extended into considering the final wine product of certain “clones”. Even though there is a ton of research being conducted on this topic, there are still debates of how much a clone can influence what we taste in a glass of wine.

Clonal selection was most widely practiced in Germany as early as the 1920s, and other European countries have followed suit. There are also vine improvement programs in many New World winemaking countries as well. This was encouraged by the wide spread practice of grafting rootstocks onto scions (the top, fruit bearing part of the vine) due to the devastation that phylloxera caused in the late 1800s. This was not only due to the need to control the outbreak of diseases during that time but also helped to eventually open the door to more choices – a grower could pick a rootstock that was ideal for climatic/soil conditions and then pick a scion from a specific clone that would be ideal for a certain attribute they desired.

Of course some rootstocks and scions are more compatible than others, but as usually, I digress and so back to The Clone Wars.

Okay, so why would a grower and/or winemaker want a specific type of clone of a grape variety?

Disease resistance (we mentioned that), good flowering and fruit set for vines (if it starts out bad it just becomes an uphill battle for the rest of the season), quantity (more grapes= more volume, more volume=more wine to sell) and quality (making that glass of wine taste even better).

Disease Resistance

Let’s talk about the variety everyone likes to talk about when the topic of clones comes up – good ole Pinot Noir. Not only does Pinot Noir have a tendency to mutate, it also is a well known variety that has made some of the greatest red wines in the world – originating in Burgundy. A common clone is 777 due to its low susceptibility to get grey mold (something that keeps Pinot Noir growers up at night since the grape is thin-skinned). For example, Stonecrop in Martinborough, New Zealand has 25% of their Pinot Noir vineyards planted with the 777 Clone due to having a good disease resistance.

Good Flowering and Fruit Set

Gewürztraminer is a clone that some trace back to the Traminer family. It has a tendency to get millerandage (aka abnormal fruit set) causing the grapes in the same bunch to grow to different sizes – and may significantly reduce the yield of the harvest. And so it is known as a difficult clone to grow.

But what is interesting about grape growing, or wine in general it that many people will have a different perspective on the same issue. For example, abnormal fruit set is not considered, by some, as a detriment. Some producers want to encourage it. James Healy at Dog Point in Marlborough, New Zealand, planted the Mendoza Chardonnay clone due to its affinity to get uneven fruit set – giving the wine more concentration with the smaller berries.

Quantity

Many of us have heard the stories of Burgundy and how, at one time, they rested on the laurels of having a great name and allowed inferior quality wines to be produced. Since then they have significantly improved their quality as a region (there were always certain producers that stood out with higher quality) and some have given credit to the replanting of certain clones; uprooting the clones that were mainly about quantity and changing them out for quality clones. Conversely, there are those that argue that their updated winemaking practices (and warmer vintages) have made the biggest difference in the leap towards greater quality wines.

But there are many producers out there who want clones that produce higher quantity. Sometimes wine is not about quality, it is about price – the cheapest price – Charles Shaw Wine is the most famous example from the US aka Two Buck Chuck. How else can a producer sell a wine below a certain price point unless they are harvesting grapes at a high yield?! No really, if you know, please tell me.

Quality

Last spring I had the pleasure to meet with Dr. John F. Mariani Jr, at his estate, Castello Banfi, in Montalcino, Tuscany. I remember him stressing that when he first came to Tuscany to establish a winery, he realized that he had to raise the quality perception of the region by raising the quality of the wine. They were one of the first in that area to do research on Sangiovese clones. Many years ago I thought all Brunello was made from the clone Sangiovese Grosso – but that is not true. There are over 600 clones of Sangivoese! Say what?! You heard me.

Banfi uses a few different clones, but one great example is the Janus 50 that not only shows more extractable substances to give better color and structure, but it also has one of the most intense aromatic profiles.

Earlier this year I went to a wine trade event that featured Giovanni Busi, current President of Consorzio Vino Chianti, who talked about what the Consorzio has been doing to significantly improve the quality of Chianti. Over the past ten years, the Consorzio has invested 10 million Euro per year into improving the vineyards and promotion of Chianti, and that amount has increased up to 30 million Euro over the past couple of years. A majority of that money is allocated to planting better clones.

Also, Stonecrop winery, in Martinborough, has a fun example of using a clone to gain better quality: 50% of their Pinot Noir vineyards are planted with the Abel clone. It is a New Zealand legend that a man named Abel brought back a clone from one of the Domaine de la Romanée-Conti vineyards. I know, not very likely this story is true – but life needs fantastical stories and legends!

And understanding clones may help producers make better decisions in the vineyard and winery.

This leads us back to the winery that inspired me in the first place – Boundary Breaks.
Yes, they are using quality Riesling clones (Geisenheim 110, 98, 239 and Neustadt 90), but what fascinated me was the idea that they are doing extensive research to figure out the best way to treat each clone. Even trying to figure out how that “petrol” (some may recognize as the more positive note of “flinty minerality”) note develops, since new research suggests that it might be a combination of certain clones vinified with certain yeasts. They currently produce three different single clone wines – I quickly talk about one of them in my bullet point tasting notes below.

Why are there Clone Wars?

Well yes, I wanted to make a reference to Star Wars – but there are different views on whether focusing on clones is bringing us to more exciting possibilities for wine, or potentially limiting wines to a more generic style.

Basilio Izquierdo, who was the head winemaker for CVNE and Contino for more than 30 years, believes in Massal Selection (the identity of individual vines are not maintained) for high quality wines, because they are already adapted to the area and offer complexity from the diversity sourced.

It is not such a black and white issue of whether the emphasis on clones will make the future world of wine better or worse. Unlike Star Wars, it is not so easy to tell the bad guys – they are the ones with the red lightsabers 🙂

************************************************************

The following wines were tasted on July 22nd during the virtual tasting.

Vintage notes for the Finger Lakes
2013: lighter bodied wines with less ripeness due to earlier harvest dates
2014: riper and fuller body than usual due to extremely cold winter that helped the grapes stay on the vines longer with a lower yield producing more concentrated wines

-2013 Dry Riesling from Hector Wine Company, Seneca Lake, Finger Lakes, NY:
citrus fruit with light yet sharp edged body, very refreshing wine with hint of limestone – for the acid junkie

-2013 Dry Riesling from Billsboro Winery, Seneca Lake, Finger Lakes, NY:
mainly flinty minerality and slight peach with decent length that finishes with honeysuckle

-2014 #239 Dry Riesling from Boundary Breaks, Seneca Lake, Finger Lakes, NY:
burst of ripe white peach flavors with mineral and floral notes – an exciting wine that shows great potential for the 2014 wines

-2014 Dry Riesling from Chateau Lafayette Reneau, Seneca Lake, Finger Lakes, NY:
good clarity of mandarin and mango with a little prickle on he palate – very impressive that it was still in great shape after being opened for five days (placed in frig under vacuum seal)

-2013 Fathom 107 from Wagner Vineyards, Seneca Lake, Finger Lakes, NY
(65% Riesling & 35% Gewürztraminer):
lychee Gewürz notes, not too perfume-y which I like, only a hint of rose on the finish, but linear body from the Riesling makes this wine a real mind trip because I always expect broad palate and bigger weight with lychee notes, fun wine

-2013 “Circle” Riesling from Red Newt Wine Cellars:
off-dry balanced by mouth watering acidity, distinctive tangerine flavor

 

Posted in Dame Wine | 1 Comment