Dame Wine®

French-style regulation of yield, site, grape variety and other factors do more harm than good.

Posted on November 17, 2014 by damewine

Viticultural devastations during the second half of the 1800s in France, such as phylloxera, made fine wines scarce and adulteration and fraud more prevalent. This spurred the creation of french-style regulation of yield, site and grape variety to bring these unsavory practices to an end. This came in the form of developing the AOP, formerly known as AOC, which is administered by the INAO a powerful Paris-based body. This blog post will examine these regulations and address the issue of whether they create more harm than good.

Yields

It was important to set limits for yields to ensure a minimum quality for the consumer. And within the AOP, there are different designations and areas that have varying maximums. For example, Grand Cru AOP wines in Burgundy will generally have a maximum around 40 hl/ha, although exceptions exist such as Chablis Grand Crus having a maximum above 50 hl/ha yield, and some of Gevrey-Chambertin Grand Crus allow a higher yield. Jean-Luc Pepin, Commercial Director of Domaine Comte Georges de Vogue, said that their Grand Crus such as Musigny and Bonne Mares had yields as low as 9 hl/ha for tough vintages such as 2003, 25 hl/ha for average vintages, and 30 hl/ha for the best vintages. He said that all Grand Cru wines are not created equal. Some Grand Cru producers did not keep such ideals about strict yields depending on the quality of the vintage. As long as they meet the maximum of 40 hl/ha, which is high for poor vintages, they are able to receive the Grand Cru AOP status, and hence, charge prices accordingly. Pepin said this is bad for the region as a whole, since a consumer may buy a less quality minded producer and have a bad experience. This argues the point that French-style regulation for yield does not guarantee higher quality for every vintage, and may even misinform the consumer.

Conversely, it may be said any reasonable maximum for yields is better than nothing. There are no such yield regulations for different quality levels in Argentina. Most consumers will not pay that much for Argentina wines because of a preconception of lower quality, partly due to lack of rules. And there are high quality wines that are not able to charge higher price points, such as Michel Torino’s Malbec that self imposes a maximum yield of 45 hl/ha. A much bigger and well know winery, Catena, has the same self imposed yields but sells for $20USD for their basic Malbec, but that is only because they have the resources to promote their brand. At least in Burgundy a 1er Cru is recognized as meeting a certain level of quality, and even if the producer is not known, the wine will get a premium price due to the fact that 1er Cru guarantees a certain quality. This illustrates the good of French-style regulation in regards to creating a system that will indicate more quality conscious producers, especially for those producers who do not have the budget to promote their name on a global scale.

Site

The appellation system does not always denote the highest quality wines in the region. The long established Vins et Vignobles Dourthe company has a stable of Bordeaux Superieur wines but they do not have a Grand Cru Classe from the Medoc in their portfolio. They have decided to not allow AOP and classification regulation to stand in their way of making a great wine. They started to produce Essence de Dourthe which is a blend of their best plots in St.-Estephe, Pessac-Leognan, Medoc, and St.-Emilion. Also, they only produce this wine in the best vintages. This is a high quality wine that is only given AOP Bordeaux status. According to the local regulation of sites this wine is only given the quality status of a regional wine. This is one of many examples were the appellation designation for French-style regulation does not always acknowledge high quality wines.

Alternatively, there is the argument that some countries have placed their long term success in jeopardy by not establishing a sense of different quality levels depending on site and/or region. Australia is a great example of coming into the export market with the idea of value with no real sense of specific site designations. They have realized that this has been a detriment to their premium wines sales. They are trying to remedy this issue by educating retailers and consumers in their key markets about the diversity of the landscape of Australia. French-style regulation may be too rigid when in comes to quality designation associated with sites. But simply the idea of having such a system establishes in the consumers’ minds that this country has many high quality sites, and so it must be a high quality winemaking country. This is where French-style regulation helps to raise the value perception of the country as a whole.

Grape Variety

French-style regulation limits the varieties that each area may use to gain AOP status. A report came out recently that stated ancient grape varieties may help deal with climate change in the hot areas of Southern France. There are almost 40 varieties that are said to have grown in the Southern regions over 100 years ago. These varieties have almost completely disappeared from negligence. This study has shown that these ancient varieties may be ideal for the warming effects of climate change due to their lower sugar production. Unfortunately, these varieties are not hermaphroditic, but female vines, and are not authorized by French regulation. These regulations could cause great harm in the future as certain regions in France may not have the ideal climate in the future for the only grape varieties the AOP allows in that region.

But not having any rules about variety matching with site may tarnish the reputation of that variety. For example, during Merlot’s height of popularity during the 1980s and 1990s in the US, there was a lot of Merlot being made in the hot areas of the Central Valley in California because the land was cheap. This produced flabby, jammy wines that created an image that Merlot was not a noble, high quality variety. Consequently, the variety still has issues in the fine wine sector, especially if produced in a New World country. French-style regulation helps to ensure that AOP wines will represent varieties that are grown in appropriate locations.

Does French-style regulation allow agricultural practices that harm vineyards?

Oliver Cousin has been in a legal battle with his local AOP branch, InterLoire, for a few years. One of the biggest concerns he has is that he feels the InterLoire encourages unhealthy agricultural practices. The organic certification has become more important than the appellation in his mind. He says under French-style regulation, a producer can use some agrochemical products that are toxic to the earth. He argues that the appellation rules are enforced by the same people who use all sorts of agrochemical in their own vineyards. There is no incentive to have better agricultural practices within the AOP system. It is typically more profitable and less labor intensive to use agrochemicals, and since some of these products are not a barrier to attaining a higher quality AOP status, it stands to reason that French-style regulation allows agricultural practices that harm vineyards.

But French-style regulation does allow for organic certifications to be placed on labels. Especially considering that agrochemicals are a necessity for many vineyard growers to survive, this may point out that the regulations do not want to penalize those operations that do not have the resources to employ more organic practices.

French-style regulation was a necessity at one time. Its purpose was to protect the consumer against unethical practices and to guarantee quality. When they were first formed they certainly were an improvement in creating more ethical practices within the French wine world. But with time it has become evident that French-style regulation needs to be improved. They need to become more precise and adapt to the changing environments of various French regions. A standard yield maximum for every vintage does not always guarantee quality. Site regulations do not always give a clear indication of the various levels of quality. Grape variety limitations do not always equate to perfectly matched varieties and regions. And french-style regulation does not encourage better environmental practices. The regulations do not create more harm than good; they simply need to be updated to sustain their validity.

Posted in Dame Wine | Tagged AOP, Burgundy, Comte Georges de Vogue, Dourthe, France, French Regulation, Oliver Cousin | Leave a comment

What factors are required for grape varieties to become international brands?

Posted on November 13, 2014 by damewine

Here’s another Masters of Wine question I have decided to take on for my blog. I will define “international brand” as a singular idea or concept that creates name recognition, perceived quality, and a strong mental and emotional connection with a large percentage of customers (in this case wine drinkers) around the world. So if we consider those attributes, what factors would need to be required for grape varieties to become an international brand? I will argue that potential to make high quality wine, availability in the international market place, sensory appeal (generous texture while having a solid backbone of structure), heritage, and a variety that is just easy to pronounce for most people around the world are all factors that are necessary. Also, I will consider if it is better to be an identifiable or unidentifiable variety, and if it is better to be a variety that is ideal for blending or as a single variety. If you have a different way you would define international brand or you think I missed some factors that would be required for grape varieties then please let me know! But for now here I go with brainstorming this idea.

The first variety that comes to mind is Chardonnay. Yes, I have had my own conflicted feelings about this chameleon grape variety. But according to the Wine Institute in California Chardonnay is the most popular grape variety in the US, and China Briefing Reports states that Chardonnay is the preferred white grape variety in China. Practically every wine growing region grows it to some degree and it has not only an affinity for expressing terroir but also can be easily transformed by wine making techniques. There is no doubt that it is capable of producing high quality wines… Would anyone like some Montrachet?! Or what about Chardonnay from Adelaide Hills or Walker Bay? They can knock you off your feet! And no problem with availability….like I said before it is almost grown everywhere. It can make a great blending partner adding body and/or acidity, or it is certainly fine as a single varietal wine. As previously mentioned, yes, it is capable of great sensory appeal with a generous texture (lots of body) and good structure from acidity. It can be unidentifiable as a neutral variety or distinctively definable with wine making techniques, and so easily manipulated to suit the needs of the market.

I recently wrote about a dinner I attended at the new Antinori winery last May. We were served some of the best wines in Italy, but I have to say the wine I constantly think about is the 2006 Cervallo della Sala from Antinori themselves. It comes from Umbria and is 85% Chardonnay and 15% Grechetto. This wine was showing beautifully and everyone at the table was talking about it. It had lots of mouthwatering acidity, complexity of spice, white floral and mineral notes, and an extraordinary length. A little over a month ago, the marketing director of Antinori, Enrico Chiavacci, came into our store to give us a staff tasting. There were many stunning wines: Solaia, Tignanello, ect.

But the wine he kept going back to was the 2011 Cervaro della Sala he poured for us at the beginning of the tasting.

And one can be jaded and say that he was trying to really sell this wine since it was lesser known. But when I think about how many people in the trade who were extremely impressed by this wine at that dinner back in May, I have to think there is something remarkable about that wine. Plus, I think its remarkable! The wine seemed unique in its sense of place but undeniably Chardonnay at the same time. That is what great Chardonnay can do… it will show the skill of the winemaker while expressing sense of place. The similarities and differences of Puligny-Montrachet and Meursault are great examples.

What other grape varieties have the factors required to become international brands?

How about my favorite grape variety Pinot Noir? And no, I’m not saying that because of Sideways… I have already gone on a rant of how I can’t stand that movie in a previous post. The main area where Pinot Noir cannot compete with Chardonnay is the access to moderate quality at entry level prices. Try to find moderate quality at mid-market prices! Pinot Noir is a very difficult grape to grow and it can easily suffer from Brett, VA, or just plain mildew aromas and flavors. And finding high quality Pinot Noir will cost a small fortune. If we consider that most of the world drinks entry level and/or mid-market priced wine then Pinot Noir cannot always deliver high quality to most consumers.

Well, let’s consider an even more wine nerdy variety than Pinot Noir. Riesling. Every wine nerd in New York City loves Riesling. They get fake tattoos of it, they go out of their way to try to learn the complicated German classification system, they drink it dry, semi-sweet, and sweet- sweet, and they will spend significant amounts of money on it even though they are only living check to check. Yes, Riesling is a very high quality wine, and just on its ridiculous ageability some have argued that it is one of the greatest varieties in the world. But it is only made in a limited amount of countries and hence it is only sold in limited quantities around the world. It does not have the availability that Chardonnay has globally.

Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot have gone head to head for the spot of most popular red grape variety. And they both are loved and hated for their structure. Cabernet Sauvignon is traditionally a harder single variety to sell to the masses than Merlot. Cabernet Sauvignon has those firm tannins. Merlot was always easy drinking with its lush texture, and hence, it had higher mass appeal. But a lot of cheap Merlot made in the 1990s created an image of a flabby, low quality wine. What is interesting is that they are both capable of having a generous texture combined with a good backbone of structure under the right viticultural and winery conditions. These varieties, under ideal conditions are on the same level as Chardonnay as powerful international brands. Merlot certainly has an upper hand when it comes to a variety that is easy to pronounce.

And talking about trying to pronounce varieties’ names, what about Gruner Veltliner; a grape variety that cannot be considered as an international brand because of the difficulty of pronouncing the name.

This leads me to a variety that has gained a lot of recent popularity and it is very easy to pronounce. Malbec. It is an international brand, but it is not on the level of Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot. Main reason is heritage. All of these varieties originate from France. But Malbec is not considered a high quality variety by its own home. I remember taking a class with Denis Dubourdieu in Bordeaux a few years back and he said at one point, “Malbec is a wine for peasants.” Also, you need to consider that English is not his first language, and he may have not meant it so harshly. But he was basically saying it is not a high quality variety. This point was actually confirmed by head winemaker of Clerc Milon, Jean-Emmanuel Danjoy, a week ago at my retail store. He gave us a staff tasting and he mentioned having a small percentage of Carménèrein the blend. One of my co-workers asked about Malbec, and he said that in Bordeaux they do not consider it to be a high quality variety. There are many winemakers I know in Argentina who would disagree. Also, there may be other motives for Bordeaux not considering it a high quality variety, but the simple fact is historically it is being portrayed as lower quality. Unfortunately, sometimes perception is more important than reality when trying to become an international brand.

Sauvignon Blanc is a identifiable variety but may be too identifiable. Its distinctive herbaceous aroma is not easily altered to conform to market trends like Chardonnay. Yes, it is an international brand but it does not rival the international brand status of Chardonnay. Pinot Gris (aka Pinot Grigio) is known for being neutral. But it does not take to wine making as well as Chardonnay and its lack of acidity makes it difficult to manage high quality wine in moderate to warm climates. It is unidentifiable but incapable of being distinctive when it needs to be, and hence, does not have the range of Chardonnay. It is important to have both traits to become an ideal international brand that satisfies various types of palates.

Chardonnay can be easily seamless in a blend, and add various qualities such as body, structure or impart wine making notes that it absorbs brilliantly. And it stands alone as a single variety in warm, moderate, and cool climates, with oak aging, 100% stainless steel, partial MLF, full MLF, no MLF, lots of lees aging or only a touch. It really is a chameleon and a great example of an international brand by its capability to be a great single variety and great blending partner.

Wow, you would think by this blog that I am crazy about Chardonnay. It would not have been the variety that I would have picked if I was going on personal preference. But I tried to analyze this question as a professional. I thought about those factors that are required for an international brand, argued it in my head and on paper, and Chardonnay seemed the ultimate choice with Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot vying for a close second.

I told you what I think; please feel free to let me know if you would argue another point.

Posted in Dame Wine | Tagged Antinori, Chardonnay, Grape Varieties, Masters of Wine | 2 Comments

How important is it for countries and wine producing regions to have ‘signature wines’?

Posted on October 23, 2014 by damewine

A few weeks ago, on September 28^th, I went with a group of my co-workers to a couple of wineries on Long Island, New York. I had my first Long Island Malbec at Bedell Cellars and I have to say it is the best red I have had from Long Island. It had intense spicy and floral notes, rich purple fruit, and a good tannic structure that straddled the line of not being too soft or too firm, and a bright acidity. And I started to think that maybe Malbec can be a ‘signature wine’ for Long Island.

There are “Old World” wine producing countries that have signature wines, whether Chablis from Burgundy, Riesling from Germany, Rioja from Spain, Chianti from Italy (or Tuscany to some wine drinkers), and Champagne from ChampagneJ. It has made sense that “New World” wine producing countries would use the varieties in these regions/countries and make them their signature wine since they already have a proven track record.

England is finding success with traditional method sparkling wine that is made from Champagne classic varieties such as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Nyetimber, an award winning winery in England, was the first to plant these varieties and they had a vision that sparkling wine would become England’s signature wine. The amount England produces is still small, but they have gained a lot of international recognition; the major producers sell their wines in top international cities such as New York. Another example is Niagara with their ice wine style. They have turned their typically disadvantageous weather into a huge advantage, and they make pristine, intense ice wines.

The benefit of a signature wine is that it clearly markets itself to the consumer. There is not a lot of background information that is needed to understand it. This is vital considering the wine market is highly fragmented and competitive. There was a time when very few regions were represented on an international scale, but today that is no longer the case. Today, consumers need to connect a signature variety and/or style to a region or country, such as the success that has been seen in the past with Australian Shiraz, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, and the above mentioned examples of style such as sparkling from England and ice wine from Niagara.

The main detriment of a signature wine is that it pigeonholes that region or country into a limited style or variety. Portugal red table wines are overlooked because of their great reputation for their Ports, also red and white table wines are overlooked for England and Niagara because of their signature sparkling and ice wines respectively.

But is it worth having a signature wine?

The emergence of Argentina’s wine sector with their signature Malbec variety was considered a success story. There has been a steady growth of demand for good quality but inexpensive Argentina Malbec from 2000 until 2011, making Argentina the fifth-largest producer in 2011, according to the International Organization of Vine and Wine. In 2013, exports sales decreased by 5% from 2012, according to the trade group Bodegas de Argentina. There is no one who would debate, especially those wine drinkers in the US, that Argentina has found commercial success, and even though that success has dropped off, it can be fairly argued that it would have never come close to the export sales that it has achieved if it wasn’t for them exporting their ideal signature variety.

Richard Olsen-Harbich, who is the winemaker at Bedell Cellars, said that Malbec is becoming the rising star of Long Island. This is evident when you taste their Malbec, not available until 2015 and already sold out! It has the fruit of Argentina but the backbone of Cahors. Richard said that when he started making wine 30 years ago in Long Island that it was like the Wild West. Owners were planting internationally famous varieties, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, because they did not know what else to plant. Long Island wines have come a long way since that time, and they are learning what works and what does not work. Malbec seems to be an ideal signature for them, and time will tell.

Considering the range of variety that currently exists in the wine world it becomes obvious that a region or country needs to simply define themselves to the consumer if they want success with their export sales. Yes, this may cause issues with no other styles or varieties being considered outside of these signature wines, but one needs to ask themselves, “Would these wines from this area of the world have any sort of chance on the international wine scene if they did not have a successful signature wine?” And if the answer is yes, then no need, but if the realistic, honest answer is no, then a signature wine must be found. Through time, hopefully, the signature wine will introduce the consumers to other types of wines that are made in the region. That is the hope, as wine is a business, and a business that needs to support people, but it is also a connection to history, culture, and a way of life, and ideally all of those aspects of wines can live in harmony.

Posted in Dame Wine | Tagged Malbec, New York, Signature Wines | 4 Comments

Bordeaux’s history does not automatically earn it a place in the future.

Posted on October 6, 2014 by damewine

On September 17th, we had a staff tasting of Brane-Cantenac with Marie-Hélène Dussech, Commercial Director, and then a week later we were lucky enough to have another great staff tasting with Vin & Vignobles Dourthe, led by President Patrick Jestin, on September 26th. I thought I would take this opportunity to practice a past Masters of Wine (MW) exam topic. I have taken a lot of license with this exam topic by giving it a more entertaining, blog sort of feel, and that the version that I will rewrite for my own studies is a more academic, structured version. All tasting notes are listed at the end of this post.

Brane-Cantenac has always fascinated me because it is a 2nd growth in Margaux according to the 1855 classification, but its reputation pales in comparison to that of Palmer, a 3rd growth in Margaux. Even the idea that they have similar colors on their label shows that they are siblings in a sense; Palmer being mainly black with some gold, and Brane-Cantenac being mainly gold with some black. Brane-Cantenac, even though they are higher on the classification scale, is known as the “good value” sibling. It is fair to say that the other four 2nd growths from Margaux have a reputation that pales in comparison to Palmer as well, with Palmer rivaling Chateau Margaux, a 1st growth, in some vintages.

A few years back I was lucky enough to visit Brane-Cantenac with a group of first year MW students. We visited many of the Lurton family estates. The Lurtons are a well-known wealthy family of Bordeaux that own many châteaux among the siblings in the family. Henri Lurton is the sibling that was given Brane-Cantenac, and when we sat down with him for lunch, we told him how lucky he must feel to be given the 2nd growth Grand Cru Classé chateau. Well, he actually said that no one wanted it, and since he was one of the youngest, he was stuck with it. He talked about the expectation from his family to bring the glory back to Brane-Cantenac, and how he had worked tirelessly for years to greatly improve quality, as well as improving the marketing of the wine.

Our staff was familiar with Brane-Cantenac, its struggle with living in the shadow of its former lackluster self, and the great value that this chateau has become due to its recently improved quality. The presentation from Patrick Jestin on behalf of Dourthe was different. Dourthe is not well known in the US, it has a great presence in the UK and Europe, but until recently, placed very little focus on the US.

I met Mathieu Chadronnier a few years back at a gala dinner. I was taking MW seminars in Bordeaux; Dourthe is a sponsor of the MW program and we were staying at one of their places. They gave us a lovely gala dinner, where I ended up sitting right next to Mathieu Chadronnier. I should explain who he is, since I certainly do not have the who’s who of the power players of the wine world memorized, so I don’t expect others to know. He is head of CVBG, one of the top three grand crus négociants. CVBG Grand Cru is part of the group built up by his father Jean-Marie and sold in 2007 to the Thienot group, its sister companies including Vins & Vignobles Dourthe, and Kressman and Maison Delor. Also, he was named on The Decanter Power List for 2013.

Well, I actually did not know who he was… this is very typical for me, as I am truly the little wine nerd making my notes in the corner, not paying much attention to the gossip in the trade, and so, I really have no idea most of the time who is who. Someone brought it to my attention that I was talking to a very ‘important’ person the next day. But without knowing that he was an ‘important’ person, I enjoyed my conversation with him and I was happy that I sat next to him. He is a very serious man, who knew so much about the vintage history of Bordeaux. Personally, I do not like small talk, so I always enjoy sitting next to someone who is very knowledgeable and willing to share that knowledge. And once he knew I was from New York City, he expressed that the Dourthe company wanted to place their focus on the US. He said that he knew the best way to come into the market was to build relationships with established retailers, and to not be tempted by flash in the pan start up companies that promise the moon and the stars. Even though he had the attitude of the younger generation of encouraging development into untapped markets, he also had the wisdom of those who had come before him and knew nothing worth having comes easy.

A few months after our conversation, his wines were placed in my store. Personally, I had nothing to do with it. I have very little power in that regard. But there was obviously a move on their part to build a relationship.

And here I was, over a year later, in a staff tasting with the Vin et Vignobles Dourthe wines, led by the President of the company, Patrick Jestin.

The history of Brane-Cantenac and Dourthe do not automatically earn it a place in the future, which is evident by their efforts, and Bordeaux’s future is not automatically secure.

What is Bordeaux doing to secure their place in the wine market?

The Bordeaux CIVB gave a press conference earlier this year in Paris discussing several new marketing initiatives that have been launched.

-They have encouraged practices that focus on the environment. Patrick Schmitt reported in The Drinks Business that last year Guillaume Halley, owner of Château de La Dauphine, said at the time 7% of Bordeaux estates were organic compared to only 3% ten years ago. Pontet Canet has certainly benefitted not only from improved quality since they changed to organic/biodynamic, but they have also received positive press. Pontet Canet has become such a popular château that they were the first to sell out of their en primeur in the difficult 2013 campaign earlier this year.

-A focus on Belgian market, and a new “fête du vin” in Brussels.

-They are increasing wine production of dry white wines. They are taking advantage of the popularity of Sauvignon Blanc around the world.

-They are making more rosé wine. Not only considering the fact that French rosé is a trend, illustrated by Wines of Provence reporting that Provence rosé sales have climbed 40% from 2012 to 2013 in the US. But also, rosé makes sense in poorer vintages. Gavin Quinney, owner of Chateau Bauduc, did not sell en primeur for the 2013s. Yields were low and the quality was questionable; it made more sense for him to sit out the campaign. He did not make a 2013 Bauduc red, and he made his money back from his white and an increase in the production of his rose.

-Three 100% Bordeaux wine bars (Bordeaux, New York, Shanghai)

Also, a point that I think is worth mentioning, that was not focused on so much during the press conference, is the idea of marketing their classic red wines with different terminology. One example is an old term ‘Claret’ that will express a brand of easy drinking, fruity, everyday reds at the AOC Bordeaux and AOC Bordeaux supérieur level, and the idea of Essence de Dourthe. Essence is an interesting idea from the Vins et Vignobles Dourthe company in Bordeaux. It is a blend from the best plots of some of their well-known chateaux such as Le Boscq in St-Estephe, La Garde in Pessac-Leognan, Belgrave in the Medoc, and Grand Barrail in St-Emilion. Only 500 cases were made, and only made in very good to excellent vintages such as the 2005 and 2008 we tasted. It is only classified as an AOC Bordeaux, even though it tastes like a Grand Cru Classé. This is not your parents’ fine wine Bordeaux, it is another breed. It is a ‘super’ Bordeaux.

The Bad News

While volume of wine from Bordeaux sold edged up 0.3%, it dropped in value by 1.4%. CIVB president Bernard Farges blamed the poor performance on the slowdown in China. Sales in China fell 16% by volume and 18% by value last year. A crackdown on corruption by China’s new leadership has affected sales of Western luxury goods.

The Good News

There has been a 14.2% increase in volume and 18.6% in value of Bordeaux sales in the UK since 2009. This is supported by the below chart, supplied by the French Customs, showing exports of Bordeaux to the UK rising by 18% in 2013.

The Bordeaux CIVB reported in March of this year that bulk wine prices were up 25% in 2013.

Also, Liv-ex recently reported a 1.3% increase in value of the five 1st growths. This is not a significant increase, but merchants are hoping that it signals a new age of Bordeaux as a wise investment. The biggest increase was the 2009 Lafite Rothschild seeing a 9.9% gain in value, but besides the 1st growths, the 2nd growth Montrose showed a great increase with recent approval from Parker. The 1989 increased by 10.9%, the 2003 by 7.4%, and 2010 by 6.5%. I wrote a blog post back in July entitled, “Can Bordeaux make a comeback?” featuring a recent tasting from Montrose that greatly impressed me. Do I know how to call them or what? :-p

I think there is no doubt that Bordeaux’s history does not automatically earn it a place in the future. I think that is true about any business, organization, region, etc. As I think about this topic I cannot help but to reflect on my own personal experiences… all the great personalities of those senior colleagues that have helped shaped my view of the wine business in New York City… many of them that were advanced in age have retired by this time… and even though I remember so many times being frustrated that they were set in their ways, and how many would not consider any type of change… I still miss them. They were true New York City characters of a certain time, and they simply do not make them like that anymore.

When I look at the younger generation of Bordeaux, and those who are middle aged and basically in the transition of having those that have come before them start to wind down, I wonder if they feel the same way about that transition as I do. On one hand feeling that you cannot wait to be able to bring the company or region to current times, but that you are sad that you will lose something special of the past. I often wish we could have both; but unfortunately it seems you either sacrifice the past for the future, or you sacrifice your future for the past.

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

Tasting notes from Brane Cantenac wines on September 17th, 2014

(listed in order that they were tasted)

-2005 Baron de Brane:
ripe black and red fruit, dusty earth, round texture, broader than other wines, not as structured as 2009

-2008 Baron de Brane 2008:
classic, linear, floral, violet, bright acidity

-2006 Brane-Cantenac:
lighter color than 2007, a little closed, not giving a lot that day, but great texture and length, a sense that it will be much better down the line

-2007 Brane-Cantenac:
smoky nose, tobacco, leather, espresso, not much structure, softer palate, all about the intense nose

-2008 Brane-Cantenac:
less intensity on nose than 2007, but still more aromatic than other vintages, dried flowers and herbal notes, more flesh on the palate, my favorite to drink right now

-2003 Brane-Cantenac:
ripe, plush, sexy, extremely ripe cherry and raisins, seems more of a Châteauneuf-du-Pape than Bordeaux

-2009 Brane-Cantenac:
raspberry, strong structure, minty, lots of fruit, good backbone of tannins, great with steak now, or will be even more amazing in 10-15 years

Tasting notes from Dourthe wines on September 26th, 2014

(listed in order that they were tasted)
-2006 Chateau Grand Barrail Lamarzelle Figeac (St. Emilion):
beautiful nose of flowers, plummy flavors, and overall fresh quality with some hints of toasty oak

-2006 Château Le Boscq (St Estephe):
big structure, not afraid to give serious tannin, but starting to integrate.. exotic spice character with herbaceous notes makes this wine perfect with lamb

-2008 Chateau La Garde (Pessac-Leognan):
this wine had a lot of sediment, we needed to decent it twice, this 2008 was classic with tobacco notes, red currant flavors, bright acidity and elegant linear body

-2010 Chateau Belgrave (Haut-Medoc):
complex notes of cedar box and graphite, rich black currant jam, solid grip and nice tension from lots of acidity

-2005 Essence de Dourthe:
some Cabernet Franc, more linear, firmer on palate, more earth than fruit, a long finish like the 2008 but more about the aromatics in the head than sustained flavor on the palate…intoxicating

-2008 Essence de Dourthe:
no Cabernet Franc, richer in body than 2005 which is funny, maybe because of the lack of Cabernet Franc, dark and lovely with notes of espresso, licorice, intense graceful fruit and long, flavorful finish….delicious

They only make Essence de Dourthe in what they consider to be the best vintages:
Made in 2000, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, maybe in 2012, will not make in 2011 and 2013.

Posted in Dame Wine | Leave a comment

Does the color of a Provencal rosé wine influence its sales? Part II And what do Whispering Angel (Chateau d’Esclans ) and I have in common?

Posted on September 4, 2014 by damewine

This is a continuation of a blog I posted in July of this year. I was thinking about how much the color of a Provencal rosé wine influences its sales. If you have an interest in reading it, here is the link to that post: http://damewine.com/2014/07/does-the-color-of-a-provencal-rose-wine-influence-its-sales/

Because I had not answered the question for myself, I was inspired to try to write a second part to this blog. I wanted to focus Part II on Whispering Angel, not only because it has become an extremely popular Provencal rosé in New York City, but also, it combines a stunning color that is distinctively pale with a rich palate and long finish. A few weeks later, I had a phone conversation with Paul Chevalier, the National Fine Wine Director of Shaw-Ross International Importers, which is the US importer for Whispering Angel.

May I first say that Mr. Chevalier was a very knowledgeable fellow, who spent a good deal of time talking to me about his experience with Provencal rosé wines, as someone originally from France, and who had many years of market experience in the US . He took the time to answer all of my questions, and followed up with an email to make sure I had all of my questions answered.

Well, what do Whispering Angel and I have in common?

Whispering Angel has a very light pale color, almost gives it a fragile, less serious perception that one may compare to a Jane Austen heroine. These heroines are typically seen as being not tough, smart, serious, or well-bred enough by the society that surrounds them. This could be due to many of the following factors: looking too fragile, not coming from the proper background, refusing to put on a pretense, or speaking the truth to the potential detriment of their position in life. Even though every character in the story does not appreciate the strength of ethics of these heroines, and perhaps some view the heroine as a fool, there are others who will eventually appreciate the heroine in the end.

Yes, this is how I see Whispering Angel, and how I see myself, as one of those heroines. And maybe, there are many of you that see yourself the same way…. and you do not need to be a woman to feel this way, this absolutely applies to men as well.

I have been told many times in my life that I was not good enough, that I did not have the pedigree, or I did not look like the “kind” of woman who could handle myself in certain situations. Through time, I have proven myself to many of these people (I’ve come to peace with the idea that some people will never see my potential), and every time I drink Whispering Angel, it proves itself to me.

What about the color?

Mr. Chevalier talked about his childhood in France. How the adults thought Provencal rosé was a joke, with only older Tavel rosés taken seriously. When Provencal rosés were first introduced to the US, the stigma of off-dry mass produced rosés was a challenge for sales; a challenge that Mr. Chevalier still finds in some regions of the US today. The top Provence producers needed to find a color that was distinctively their own, and hence, a color that was lighter than most other rosé styles became the high quality standard for the region.

Fast forward to today, there are many consumers who love Whispering Angel rosé, but with commercial success comes criticism. One can always guarantee, the moment some raise you on a pedestal, that there will be others trying to knock you down. Shamefully, I have to admit, when I tasted Whispering Angel in that staff tasting I wrote about in July, I did not want to show how impressed I was by it initially. As a known wine nerd, you are always afraid of being judged for liking a wine with great commercial success. But then I found the strength of some of those Jane Austen heroines, and I showed my enthusiasm for the obvious high quality, and luckily I was surrounded by co-workers who were not afraid to show their enthusiasm as well.

How does Whispering Angel achieve such a pale color with a rich palate?

They make sure to pick their fruit when it is ripe (5 days up to 2 weeks later), as opposed to some other wineries picking under ripe fruit, which achieves a pale color but green notes. Whispering Angel picks during the wee hours of the morning while it is cool, destems immediately, then the grapes go through a heat exchange that brings their temperature down to 7-8C (44-46F), and then gentle pressing by their German Bucher Press. Since the grapes are cold, they give very little color. Yes, they have thorough selection practices (human and optical eye) with a short maceration (bleeding off aka Saignee method) that all adds to the very pale color. But I found the cold temperature = less extraction of color interesting. Also, extensive battonage (lees stirring) develops a creamy texture, and that technique, with the addition of using ripe fruit, gives a rich mouthfeel while keeping that fragile pink color.

Wines of Provence reported that Provence rosé sales have climbed 40% from 2012 to 2013 in the US. Beverage Dynamics named Chateau d’Esclans as a Rising Star Wine Brand, (#21 out of 46) posting a 51.5% increase in one year (between 2012 and 2013), in their March/April 2014 issue. And there is no doubt when you compare Whispering Angel with other Provencal rosés, they are placed in the category of some of the palest wines. But again, I find they distinguish themselves by over-delivering on the palate.

Well, do I have any solid marketing facts about how the color influenced these sales of Provencal rosé and Whispering Angel? No, and I am not going to pretend that I have any, or jump to assumptions. Mr. Chevalier did say that he thought color was one of the most important aspects of rosé wines. Whispering Angel’s color lets the consumer know, by first glance, that it is a class act, and once you taste this wine, it will give more than what was expected.

All I have ever asked for in my life is to be given a chance to prove myself; those who have gambled on me, I like to think, they have benefited, and I feel the same way about Whispering Angel.

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

Tasting note from July tasting of Whispering Angel:

-2013 Chateau D’Esclans Cotes de Provence Rosé “Whispering Angel”
(Grenache, Rolle, Cinsault, Syrah, and Mouvedre -> do not have %) :
As a wine nerd you always want to pick the lesser known wine as one of your favorites…. I have to give it to Whispering Angel, they know how to make an elegant rosé, no rough edges, smooth until the very end of the finish, very good length and nice complexity (mineral and floral notes)….always impresses the staff…. lightest color with the exception of the Petite Cassagne

Posted in Dame Wine | Tagged Color, Provence, Rose, Whispering Angel | Leave a comment

Who serves the wine consumer best? Families or corporations?

Posted on August 28, 2014 by damewine

Four years ago, during the Masters of Wine Symposium in Bordeaux, there was a seminar which was based on the above questions. It had Sylvie Cazes of Château Lynch Bages and Eduardo Chadwick from the prestigious Chilean company Errazuriz, representing the family-owned and managed companies, debating Margareth Henriquez of Krug/LVMH and Christian Seely, Managing Director of AXA Millésimes, who both represented large corporations. It was a spirited debate, and even though many in the audience voted for family-owned companies when surveyed before the seminar started, after the passionate speech from Margareth Henriquez in regards to the benefits a corporation can bring to a consumer, many audience members walked away from this seminar seeing the benefits of both.

I was thinking of this seminar after an Opus One staff tasting last week on August 20th.

Robert Mondavi sold his company to the large beverage giant Constellation almost a decade ago. I believe his decision was a very smart one for many reasons. He was a strong minded individual who left his own family winery when he had a feud with his younger brother Peter over the business direction of Krug Winery in Napa Valley. Hence, he had firsthand experience on how family businesses could complicate things with relationships within the family. And Mr. Mondavi probably knew that it was better for his children to find their own way. A few years back my husband and I visited a woman named Catherine Champalou in Vouvray, who made beautiful wines with her husband. She talked about how even though she was the 14th generation winemaker and her husband was the 10th, that it was better for them to buy their own property, so they could make wine the way they wanted to make it.

Obviously, it made sense for Mr. Mondavi and Ms. Champalou to make the choices that they needed for themselves. But how does it serve the consumer?

Benefits of a family business
There is a real person, or real people, with whom the consumer can find a connection. As many of us know, the personality of Robert Mondavi was not only one of the main reasons for his success, but also helped to connect consumers to California wines in general. Family businesses promote core values of trying to keep tradition. They have an established place in history. They are more likely to stay with the wine’s original style, such as Chateau Montelena, in Napa Valley, which has stayed with a more restrained style that has fallen out of fashion in the US. Interestingly enough, in the summer of 2008, it was announced that Michel Reybier, owner of Bordeaux winery Cos d’Estournel would buy Montelena, but the deal was canceled, so it is still owned by the Barrett family.

Detriments of a family business
Tradition can certainly get in the way of innovation, to the extent that it is bad for the quality of the wine. There are so many examples of small family wineries that do not make good quality wine, because the elders are stubborn about updating their practices. Anne Gros, one of the top producers in Burgundy, has talked openly about the idea that she initially had no desire to take over her family vineyards. She knew she would want to change many of her father’s viticulture and vinification practices, and he would never allow it. But her father became very sick when she was only 20, and she knew that there was great potential to make incredible wines from the great terroir of their vineyards, so she was able to take over and change many practices. But she is unique, and many children either have a parent who will not change traditional practices and will not let go of control for many decades, or even if the children are given an opportunity to take over, many do not have the desire to experiment and improve outdated practices.

There can also be too much emotion involved with a family business. Sometimes we think it is our families who are the best equipped to take care of us, and those things in life that we hold precious. But it does not mean that everyone is automatically made to be a business owner, just because their parent was one. Any business, no matter how much passion and good intentions someone may have, needs to be profitable. It is too difficult to do what is in the best interest for your consumers when you are barely covering your costs. Many years ago, in another lifetime, I took a yoga teacher training program. I have always made my money through sales, and I was more interested in taking the program to teach for fun, and not to teach to make a living. Two of the main teachers were very well known in the yoga world. They were very spiritual people, and many of the students in their teacher training were unhappy with their lives, looking for a way to leave their job, and live like as a Buddhist monk. But when asked what was the one major piece of advice they could give to future yoga teachers, their response was not what people wanted to hear. They said to try not to make a living from being a yoga teacher, to keep one’s current job to insure financial security. They said the most important thing was for us to conquer the first Chakra (please feel free to look it up on Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chakra). The first Chakra deals with basic survival skills. If you cannot pay your bills, provide food and shelter for yourself, and have a security blanket (money saved), then it is difficult to move to higher, more evolved thoughts. I think about this concept when someone has a winery. It is difficult to make evolved wines when you are constantly worrying about money.

Benefits of a corporation
There is capital and resources to buy the best equipment, latest technology, and as much labor as needed to achieve the highest quality in a given vintage. Additionally, they have the capability to hire top specialists to make sure the winery is keeping up with consumer trends (which may be seen as a detriment to others in the business). Larger corporation have the ability, even though they do not always offer this benefit to the consumer, of absorbing the cost of inflated currencies and avoiding an increase in price. They have marketing specialists that help to not only target the right accounts for a certain type of wine, but also design smart packaging that enhances the experience for the consumer.

Detriments of a corporation
There is typically competition with other similar wineries within the large portfolio, hence causing confusion among consumers trying to figure out distinct differences between wines within that same portfolio. Corporations may bring security, but they can stifle creativity. Sometimes the consumers’ needs get lost among the shareholders’ needs. Also, the marketing specialists may come up with ideas and strategies that look good on paper, but sometimes those ideas do not work with the reality of knowing what consumers truly want, since they miss out on having a one on one relationship. And some of the best innovations come from necessity, so having the ability to buy whatever you need is not always a good thing. For example, Bryan Babcock, a producer in Santa Barbara County, had to lower his farming costs due to the downturn in the US economy at the end of 2007. This inspired him to find another canopy system other than the typical VSP (vertical shoot positioning) system that is used. He has come up with a new technique of pivoting the grapevine upside down, requiring little if no pruning, and has lowered his farming cost by 30%. This technique has also, according to Babcock, not only kept his pricing reasonable for consumers, but also improved his quality.

On a personal note, I have had good and bad experiences with family-owned wine companies (or small wine companies), and large wine corporations. Family companies are not always out to only serve the consumer, and corporations are not always out to only make money. Human beings are too complicated to make it such a simplistic black and white issue. And even though I am a huge defender of the small producer, in the end, I am going to sell what is best for my customer; sometimes a corporate owned winery is the best choice, and sometimes a small rare producer is a better choice for someone else. As long as we can all co-exist together making the world a diverse place with large, medium and small companies/producers, then why do we need to tear each other down? We could be spending that energy building ourselves up, and giving the consumer a great experience by the benefits that each of us as an individual or entity brings to the table.

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

Tasting note for the soon to be released 2011 Opus One: Difficult vintage, late rainfall during flowering reduced number and size of berries which increased concentration. Lowest % of Cabernet Sauvignon (71%) used compared to previous blends, the other varieties were 11% Merlot, 9% Petit Verdot, 8% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Malbec. The nose has a smoky quality like Lapsang tea, strong herb notes with fresh cranberry, linear body, lots of structure, a wine that will make great old bones. A Bordeaux styled Opus One.

Posted in Dame Wine | Tagged Masters of Wine, Opus One, Robert Mondavi | Leave a comment

Merlot: Better to market fine wines by variety or place?

Posted on August 19, 2014 by damewine

I have been thinking over and over again about the above question since I tasted the Falesco Merlot “Montinao” 2009 a couple of weeks ago.

Merlot had its height of popularity in the US during the late 1980s and 1990s. Personally, I do not find the aromatics or flavors of Merlot to be that distinctive across the globe, such as I find in Cabernet Sauvignon. In my experience, it can have similar qualities to Cabernet Sauvignon in Bordeaux, but I find it to be more like Argentina Malbec in some New World areas. The commonality with Merlot across the globe is a particular texture; plush mid-palate and round tannins. There is no doubt that Pomérols can be highly tannic in their youth, but they are not as angular as Cabernet Sauvignon dominant wines. When it comes to assessing Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot dominant Bordeaux wines in a blind tasting, it is always better to go with texture than aromas and flavors.

Merlot is a variety, in the US, which became known for its easy drinking quality, compared to Cabernet Sauvignon. During the 1990s, there was an increased interest in red wine consumption in the US following the airing of the 60 minutes report on the French Paradox and the potential health benefits of wine. Supposedly, this is how Australian Shiraz made a name for itself in America too.

I think the popularity of a grape variety can be a double edged sword. On one hand, it will increase sales, international recognition, and increase plantings around the globe. But on the other hand, it becomes a tool to simply make money. Clones and canopy management for quantity and not quality are used, bulk production that strips a wine of all unique characteristics are employed, and the variety gains a “bad” reputation. In my experience, the flood of bad Merlot on the market has tarnished the image of the higher end wines. This has happened to Chardonnay fine wines too, with many consumers telling me that they love white Burgundy, but they cannot stand Chardonnay.

Sideways, a movie that I did not see until a couple of years ago, was an instigator to bring to the forefront that there was a large amount of ubiquitous Merlot on the wine market. I actually do not like this movie for many reasons. And yes, here is my, “I cannot stand the Sideways movie” rant. First of all, the lead character is despicable; he steals from his mother!?!? Yes, he seems like a nice guy compared to his friend, but that is not saying much. And then he spends the whole movie feeling sorry for himself, because his life is not fair. I have met people who grew up in the projects (i.e. lower income neighborhoods) with no father, mother in jail, life on the line every day during their childhood, and they found a way to take responsibility for themselves. Okay, end of rant. And please feel free to try to enlighten me to the redeeming qualities of this character.

Another issue I have with the movie is the fact that the main character is a stereotype of a wine snob. He makes fun of Merlot and all those who would dare to drink it, while saying that Pinot Noir is really the only variety worth drinking. Now, let me tell you, my favorite variety has always been Pinot Noir (even though I know the good, bad, and ugly), but I also realize that Merlot is just as high in quality as Pinot Noir, but they just have very different qualities, and hence, different consumers will prefer one or the other.

Through time, Merlot gained a bad reputation as a variety that was not for “real” connoisseurs of wine. The numbers show that Merlot never went out of style when it came to general sales in the US, since according to a study that was released by Nielsen in 2010, sales of Merlot have steadily increased in the US since the release of Sideways. Alternatively, one could argue that this is purely due to the fact that wine sales have significantly increased in the US as a whole since that time.

Even though I think the whole Sideways and Merlot effect was over exaggerated, Merlot has suffered, perhaps for several reasons, by gaining a lesser perception of quality than Cabernet Sauvignon in the fine wine world.

And that leads me to my question: Is it better for producers to market Merlot fine wines by the variety or by the origin of place?

There is certainly the benefit of great opportunities for regions to form a “collective tide”, such as they did in promoting Oregon’s Pinot Noir. I wrote earlier in this post about Australia taking advantage of the trend in red wine growth a couple of decades back. Considering Australia is not a country most Americans have a connection to, like the UK, it is remarkable the major success they were able to achieve in the US in a short amount of time with “Brand Australia”. Of course, this has back fired to a certain extent, because not only has it become impossible for them to keep the low price point that initially made them such a success on the market, but it has created an association that Australia is mid level quality at best. Australia, in recent times, has tried to educate trade and consumers by defining specific areas such as Clare Valley for Riesling and Coonawarra for Cabernet Sauvignon. They have realized that the “Australia” brand does not bode well for fine wines, and hence, defining specific areas for high quality production in their marketing is key for the growth of their fine wines.

Many New World wine producing countries may find it difficult to resist the temptation to plant Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, since the power of the variety may help them gain international acceptance in their export sales, but again, the double edge sword comes into play. They may easily get lost in the sea of dominant international grape varieties that flood the shelves of wine stores and supermarkets. Rajeev Samant, Founder and CEO of Sula Vineyards in India, said that he planted international varieties, such as the above varieties mentioned, because he had a limited resource of information in regards to matching varieties to place. At the Masters of Wine Symposium earlier this year in Florence, he said how much he enjoyed learning information from a grape geneticist and co-author of the “Wine Grapes” book, Dr José Vouillamoz, who lectured at the symposium. He realized after talking to Dr. Vouillamoz that it would have been better to plant Tempranillo in his vineyards, which is a variety more suited to his terroir. Also through time, he has realized that the most interesting marketing aspect for his wines is the fact that they come from India! But hindsight is 20/20.

In the Old World, connecting a wine to place, over variety, has typically taken precedence, with few exceptions, Alsace notably being one of them. Castello Banfi, an American company, knew how important it was to raise the brand of Tuscany as a whole, considering the cheap Chianti that US consumers associated with the region. Tuscany has become a more valued marketing term for fine wines than the variety Sangiovese. Conversely, Burgundy has had issues with the mid market level because they did not allow grape varieties on their regional Bourgogne wines until a few years ago. But I feel on the fine wine side, they are best to stick with marketing the place. Even villages in Burgundy that have gained more acceptance in the younger US fine wine market, such as Vosne-Romanée or Chambolle-Musigny, will get a higher price than their equally high quality village siblings due to the fact they are the “it” villages for the new wave of consumers today.

Many people have asked Christian Moueix why he would not make a Merlot dominant wine in Napa Valley with Dominus, since he is known for making the most famous Merlot dominant wine in the world, Château Petrus (typically around 95% Merlot). Well, he said that he fell in love with the place of Napa Valley, and that it was more important to him to express place, than a specific variety. The great 100% Merlot wine Masseto has found success by not marketing itself by variety, but by marketing the idea that it is from a specific 17 acre plot (roughly 7 hectares) in Bolgheri. I have had many conversations with wine consumers who love Masseto, and they had no idea that it was Merlot. And actually, I do not find that to be such a bad thing, especially if they have some idea about the place, because the wine is about place not variety.

For most fine wines, whether it is Merlot or another single or blend of varieties, it is more important to market these wines based on place. Why spend a high price or search the ends of the earth for a wine if it can be essentially made almost anywhere? And also, I do not mind when consumers have no idea what grape variety is in a fine wine. Some may like to mock such lack of knowledge, and besides the idea that I cannot stand when those who work in the trade mock their customers (we are here to serve them, not the other way around), it is also interesting to note that perhaps they may not know the variety for these fine wines, but they know the place.

And isn’t that the way it should be?

Posted in Dame Wine | Leave a comment

Etna’s sense of place. Marketing tool for wine nerds? Or a truly unique experience?

Posted on August 8, 2014 by damewine

First of all, I am a wine nerd. This blog is certainly not an attack on wine nerds, as I will defend them with my dying breath. But it is an examination of why I am attracted to certain wines that may have a unique story, and my experience selling wines to consumers and the wine trade over the years in New York City.

On July 18th, Salvatore Galati (a very sharp dresser!) came into Sherry-Lehmann to give us a staff tasting on a selection of Italian wines from Winebow. Winebow is a wine, spirits, and sake wholesaler in the following states in the US: New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Washington D.C., Connecticut, Massachusetts, Illinois, and Montgomery County, and Maryland. A few years back I worked for Empire Merchants, the largest wholesaler in New York, and second largest in the US, but Winebow was always our biggest competitor for Italian wines… simply because their selection rocks!

No disrespect to my Empire peeps, because I loved the people I worked with at Empire, but I have to give it up to Winebow’s incredible selection.

I had the opportunity to taste a 2008 Fessina Musmeci Etna Rosso. I knew we were going to taste this wine, and I have to admit this was the wine I was really looking forward to tasting. And I was blown away… more by the nose than anything else. And I have been thinking ever since, “Would I have been as blown away if I had not known about the unique “terroir” of Etna? Would I have the same reaction if I had it blind?”

Before I launch into the idea if sense of place is just a marketing tool for wine nerds or a truly unique experience, let me go into some brief information about the producer. This is a relatively new winery, founded in 2007, but I do not find that to be a detriment. I’m all for innovators in the wine world to come along and attempt to make wines in an area of the world where some may have thought at one time was impossible. This winery was founded by winemaker Silva Maestrelli, her husband, Roberto Silva, and winemaker Federico Curtaz. Their vineryard for their Etna Rosso is located in a small village of Rovittello, about eight miles east of Randazzo in Etna. The vineyard is composed of centuries-old lava deposits.

I conducted some research on what effects a volcanic soil could have on the quality or style of a wine. Volcanologists from the University of California in Santa Barbara have said that volcanic soils are so mineral-rich that people will risk ash, lava flows and unbelievable damage to grow crops and raise livestock in such a bountiful environment. Professor Tim Dixon, marine geologist from the University of Miami, says because volcanic terrains are usually sloped, they typically have good drainage. Well, I don’t think I needed to look up research to realize most of the land on a volcano is sloped, and hence, allows the needed drainage that is necessary for quality wine making, but always good to be thorough 😀

Okay, we know that about volcanic soil, but how is this important in regards to the end product of a wine?

One of the classic Masters of Wine essay questions is the following:
How does soil influence wine quality?

There are many points that one can address to answer this question, but I would personally have my top points concentrate on:
-Control of canopy
-Drainage

Control of canopy would be number one for me, and I know, some would say drainage, and I think on my Advanced Level 3 WSET exam (a few years back!), there was a similar question like this one, and the answer was drainage. But now we are discussing things on an MW level, we are in the big leagues, and within reason, there is no one right answer, as long as you can convince the essay reader of your point.

There are so many different soils out there, some more porous than others, and many different situations that can be handled in regards to drainage or even retention of water by choice of variety, rootstock, irrigation (where legal and affordable), or drainage system. In humid regions, such as Virginia, US (RDV Winery) or Bordeaux (Cos d’Estournel), they use drainage systems in their vineyards to assist with better drainage. California, in their seventh year of drought, has certainly had issues with not receiving enough water. Many producers irrigate in areas such as California or the Murray Valley (and Murray Valley certainly has their issues with too much salinity in their irrigation water and prices significantly increasing), but some producers prefer to dry farm, such as Tablas Creek recent conversion to dry farming with Mourvedre and Grenache on drought-resistant 1103-Paulson and lower density of planting. I feel control and maintenance of the canopy is a much more laborious chore for the majority of producers overall than water management.

I found it interesting that Dr. Richard Smart, the great expert in canopy management, in a lecture I attended earlier this year, said that he did not come up with anything that was not already common sense when it comes to canopy management, he has mainly tried to stress the importance of canopy management for fruit maturity and overall quality. I find that even though many situations can be modified by canopy management, it is still an expensive process for many people. Whether it is Kosta Browne in Sonoma County practicing leaf removal since they have issues with excessive canopies, Rolling Hills vineyard in Texas converting their vineyard from a standard VSP system to a vertically divided system to be able to properly spread their copious vegetation from their medium vigor soil, or 50% crop thinning from Marques de Murrieta in Rioja for their famous Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva (Even though some winemakers as such as Jean-Michel Comme at Pontet Canet, will argue that if a vine is healthy and in balance, that crop thinning will not be necessary), canopy management typically involves extremely costly practices.

But canopy management, whether you are trying to give more shade or take it away, or create more ripeness or avoid over-ripeness, is an incredibly expensive process. And part of Smart’s important role in the wine world was to convince producers to constantly invest large amounts of money into their establishment and maintenance of canopy management.

One may argue that because it is abhorrently expensive (human labor or high tech machinery) having a vineyard that has a soil that gives an ideal balance of control of canopy and drainage (dependent on the vines and availability of water) may be clearly associated with quality and style.

Volcanic soils can rapidly break down, process, and release potash and phosphate, two critical nutrients, but they are not known to be too over vigorous, since these soils are typically sloped and the erosion of the soil to the valley floor moderates vigor. And as discussed before, the porous quality of the soil helps to encourage deep roots, and keeps the balance of drainage and availability of water.

Don’t worry, I am bringing it back home, so to speak.

But does Etna have a sense of place? Are vineyards grown on volcanic soil mainly for a marketing tool for wine nerds? Or are they truly unique?

My tasting note of this Etna wine involves an intense smoky minerality. I know I used that dirty word, please don’t ask me where minerality comes from… But also, it goes back to the old debate: Does any place have a sense of place? Burgundy, the quintessential region for expression of place may be placed into question as well.

There is no other region that I have nailed in a blind tasting more than Burgundy. Yes, I have sold a lot of Burgundy and drunk a lot of Burgundy, but I have drunk and sold a lot of different wines from various parts of the world, and my hit rate is never like Burgundy. (And I am not bragging, I have made a fool of myself many times blind tasting, and I’m sure I will do it again!) Especially if it is a 1er Cru from a top village, those wines usually sing of their “sense of place”. Gevrey-Chambertin and Vosne-Romanee are only a 15 minute drive from each other, but they produce such vastly different wines. A few years back a producer for Gevrey-Chambertin told me it was not just terroir, it was the idea that each producer needs to follow a certain style in their wine making practices to get AOC (aka AOP) approval for that village’s distinct style. This is only one man’s opinion, but I did find his statement interesting.

At the end of the day, I am not 100% sure of how much influence a soil can have on the final product of the wine. There is so much information out there, and many Universities are still conducting research on this idea. The only facts I do know are that soil regulates water to a certain degree, it regulates vigor with its fertility, and may be the cause of certain unwanted conditions such as chlorosis due to deficiencies in the soil.

I must say that I may get frustrated by not having all the answers as an MW student, but as a wine consumer and as someone working in the trade selling wine, I do not mind not having all the answers. I think one of the many things that makes wine special, is the idea that you can experience a place that you may have never traveled to, or you may revisit a place you were lucky enough to visit at one time, by simply having the sensory experience of a wine from that place. The stories and the pictures of wine regions have not only transported me to a different world that I desperately needed to escape to… but I have enjoyed helping to transport others even at a consumer tasting, where people are not getting intoxicated by the alcohol, but they are getting intoxicated by the stories of the place…. okay, sometimes they are getting intoxicated by the alcohol too. 😉

Many times a consumer has said to me, after I have told them the story of the unique sense of place of a wine, “Thank you for sharing that with me, I needed to dream about another place.” And who knows what they are going through in their life. It may be simply that they were bored, or they may be going through a huge loss in their life, you never know how powerful your words can be to someone else.

I believe Etna does have a sense of place. Even if some of that sense of place is basically just in my own head. It means something to me, and just like the Velveteen Rabbit, it is real, because the boy’s belief in the toy made it real.

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

Tasted the following wines during this staff training:

-San Quirico Vernaccia di San Gimignano 2013 (100% Vernaccia) restrained fruit, green almonds (I just had some a few weeks ago, if you have had them before you know what I am talking about!)

-Monchiero Carbone Roero Arneis “ReCit” (100% Arneis): bright acidity, almost crisp, white flowers, peach fruit, lots of stone fruit on the finish, but not as textural as “Cecu d’La Biunda”.

-Monchiero Carbone Roero Arneis “Cecu d’La Biunda” 2011 (100% Arneis):
Double single vineyard, richer body than previous Arneis, intense note of honeysuckle and orange blossom notes. Delicious.

-Monchiero Carvone Barbera d’Alba “Pelisa” 2012 (100% Barbera): Blackberry and red cherry, mouthwatering acid, not a modern, over-extracted Barbera, small percentage of oak, well-balanced.

-Fessina Musmeci Etna Rosso 2008: (95% Nerello Mascalese and 5% Nerello):
Light color, licorice, smoky “minerality, rose petals, sweet tobacco, dried herbs, all about the nose with this wine.. light body.. could smell this wine for hours.

-Falesco Merlot “Montinao” 2009 (100% Merlot): opaque color, purplish tint, black and purple fruit, earthy, spicy, big and opulent but sense of place on the palate.

Posted in Dame Wine | Tagged Etna, Italy, Sense of Place, Terroir | 2 Comments

Can Bordeaux make a comeback?

Posted on July 24, 2014 by damewine

We had a staff tasting on July 14th (Bastille Day!) with Hervé Berland, who was the managing director of Mouton Rothschild since 2006, and with the Rothschild family since 1977, and after his retirement from Mouton, he became the managing director of the second growth Montrose in Saint Estèphe starting in April of 2012. Originally, I was planning on writing a blog focusing on the Montrose style before the mid 1990s vs their current style today, and my impressions of the wines I tasted.

Well, as always, my mind starts thinking about other topics that are related to Montrose and Bordeaux as a whole. And my mind kept going back to the current attitudes regarding Bordeaux, and my experiences with those attitudes. But don’t worry, I go through some notes about the Montrose tasting at the end of this blog.

First, I need to address that there seems to be a big divide between those wines which are considered the top (Grand Crus Classés and unclassified greats such as Pétrus), and the rest of Bordeaux. The “top” end wines during the great 2009 and 2010 vintages accounted for 3% of production but over 20% of value. Interestingly enough, the Syndicate of Bordeaux, who represents over half of the AOC Bordeaux/Bordeaux Supérieur producers, reported in 2012 that 90% of their members (around 2000 producers) were in financial difficulty and 50% reporting serious financial stress. These facts certainly dispel the idea that Bordeaux is filled with only wealthy Châteaux owners.

Alternatively, one may argue that these lesser known wineries called Petit Châteaux (defined as properties that are modest, not so much in their extent, as in their reputation and price), were dependent on the fine reputation of the top wines. As the rug has been pulled out from under the top wines’ feet, so to speak, maybe Bordeaux has realized over the past few years that they need to reach out to all consumers, broaden their reach, and expand their idea of a “Bordeaux drinker”.

I saw an article that was placed by another blogger on the internet… a past article from the New York Times (NYT) from May in 2010 called, “Bordeaux Loses Prestige Among Younger Wine Lovers”, and then followed by another post that showed a NYT’s article that was published almost three years later, “On the path from disdain to delight”. Re-reading these articles, especially back to back, made me think specifically of the roller coaster relationship that New York City has had with Bordeaux over the past few years.

It may seem absurd to some that in one article it seems that younger wine drinkers are over Bordeaux as a whole, and three years later, those same influencers of the New York City younger wine scene, such as Paul Grieco of Terroir Wine Bar and Summer of Riesling fame, were changing their minds about the idea of ever placing a Bordeaux wine on their wine list.

But New York City is a very dynamic city, always changing, and the feelings in regards to Bordeaux wines at any price point are mixed. I can talk about my own personal experiences of feeling, in some circumstances, that I had to be ashamed for loving Bordeaux. I have been hesitant in the past to admit to some self proclaimed younger “wine nerds” in NYC that I get excited not only for having a chance to taste “top” wines, but also tasting a great Petit Château at an incredible price. I did not want to hear their preaching about how Bordeaux is not for wine nerds. There was the attitude that unless you were talking about some obscure region, then you weren’t considered part of the group.

My heart, first and foremost, belongs to Burgundy, and I love wines from the Jura, Georgia, and I am even getting into Serbian wines. But why do I still have to feel that when I’m around these younger self proclaimed “wine nerds” that I have to feel guilty about getting excited about Bordeaux. I have even had consumers who have come into my store, a very traditional established wine store, saying that they had just come from a “cooler, more hip” store from down the street (they bought some grower Champagnes), but came to our store for great value Bordeaux wines. When I ask these customers, “Why didn’t you just buy some great value Bordeaux wines from that store? They have to have them.” And inevitably, they always say that either they have asked and received a reply that made them feel that they were not truly interested in wine if they asked for such a obvious region, or they were too afraid to ask because they were fearful that they were going to get that reply.

In defense of this store, I’m sure the management and employees have their side, and all of us know who have worked in any type of service industry, that something a wine sales person may say can certainly be taken the wrong way by a customer. But the point I’m trying to make is that I have met many people like myself, 45 and under, who love Bordeaux, but feel when they are hanging downtown with a hipper crowd, that it becomes a dirty word that you must never speak.

Also, one may argue that Bordeaux has not been reaching out to all wine directors and consumers equally. Paul Grieco’s attitude started to change about Bordeaux simply because he was receiving calls for the first time from Bordeaux producers. It is certainly fair for a wine director to say that they do not represent a region on their list, because it seems that the representatives and producers of that region do not care about their restaurant/wine bar, and hence, do not care about their patrons.

Yes, pricing for the top wines of Bordeaux needs to become more realistic, but there is a lot of value in the rest of Bordeaux, which makes up at least over 95% of production. And do not even get me started about the en primeur campaigns, I will save that for another time.

But there needs to be the excitement stirred by someone who will be the evangelist of Bordeaux. Someone who will respect the traditions and history (like one would do for Georgia wines), but bring a raw energy that will intrigue consumers to come back, or in some cases, at least try them out. Yes, it is a cliché, “what is old is new again”… Bordeaux becoming more like Napa has not worked, love Napa wines, but then why not just drink Napa if that’s what you want. Celebrate what makes Bordeaux unique.

I want more diversity with wine in the world. I never want to go back to the days where only a few regions were represented on an international scale. But I do not want a region that is a big part of shaping the evolution of the wine trade, wine criticism, and wine collection to just fall off the map in generations to come. So I am hopeful that there is a Bordeaux charismatic evangelist out there, who will take us from the darkness into the light. I am hopeful…

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

My Montrose tasting on July 14th, 2014 with Hervé Berland.

Here are some interesting facts:

This is considered the “youngest” of the cru classe vineyards. Supposedly during the 1855 classification there was some controversy that Montrose was chosen as a 2nd growth and Calon-Ségur only classified as a 3rd growth, since it was considered superior at the time; perhaps due to it being longer established, and not necessarily due to quality.

Montrose for a time was off putting to some Bordeaux drinkers due to its “stemmy” tannins. The surprisingly very good 1994 vintage changed the minds of many traditionalist critics in regards to their quality, and the vintage was proof that they had significantly improved their techniques in the vineyard and winery.

Montrose has had to live in the shadow to the other Saint Estèphe great, Cos d’Estournel. It was one of the first “super-seconds” because of the brilliance and hard work of Bruno Prats. But I have always loved the more animal, gamy quality of Montrose.

Today, Montrose has dropped their carbon footprint by 80%, and they have added solar power. This is part of the revolution of Bordeaux trying to become more environmentally friendly.

Why is Montrose “new again”?

Besides the environmental consciousness, I feel their old style is new again. Yes, they have changed some aspects, and for the better. Their old style of green, stemmy tannins was never considered a mark of high quality, but they still have that unyielding tight tannic frame that I find thrilling. It makes you work for it a bit, finding the layers of flavors, and even a young Montrose is enticing, because its style is becoming a rarity in current wine consuming times. (yes, I know it is a crime to have it young, but it is part of being in the trade, tasting wines when they are first released)

Here are my tasting notes from that day of Montrose, second wine Le Dame de Montrose, and Tronquoy-Lalande (which is also owned by the current Montrose owners, the Bouygues brothers).

-2010 Tronquoy-Lalande (50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and the rest Petit Verdot): This wine was singing! I cannot believe how open it was… intense pristine blackberry and purple floral notes, noticeably tannins, but more supple than the 2010 Montrose.

-2009 Tronquoy-Lalande (51% Merlot, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Petit Verdot): The 2009 was closed.. I would have thought the 2010 would be more closed, but was not the case on this day… mainly dusty earthy notes, great texture with full body and nice backbone of structure. Would like to have it again, maybe after several hours of decanting.

-2008 La Dame de Montrose (44% Cabernet-Sauvignon and 56% Merlot) : pretty wine, very drinkable right out of the bottle, nose of spice and more dried flowers than fresh… refreshing acidity, nice lean palate shape with enough flesh on the mid palate.. classic Bordeaux.

-2010 Montrose (54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot): Yes, this was a monster, but the tannins were ripe without being overripe… going back to the thrill of having a wine that does not completely surrender to you right off the back.. but the tannins were not too much for me, I have a high tolerance for tannins.. and yes, it is far from its peak, but I still enjoyed it..

-1998 Montrose (Do not have the exact break down of varieties, it was said that it would not differ much from previous vintages): This was not a great vintage, but I was in love with this wine.. this reminds me of being in my early twenties and tasting good Bordeaux for the first time (over 15 years ago).. it had the perfect balance of gamy, animal notes (different than Burgundy animal notes) with fully integrated tannins, a light velvety texture (soft but still some noticeably texture), and those cedar, tobacco leaf, gamy notes filling my head with still some fruit left.. yes, this wine is in its peak, will continue to hold, but was in the best stage it could be.. a true pleasure..

Save

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

Imperfection is beautiful: How a wine glass is like my face.

Posted on July 15, 2014 by damewine

Last Wednesday, July 9th, the great Chef Sommelier of Le Bernardin in New York City, Aldo Sohm, came to our store to give us a staff training on some of his products that we will be carrying. Don’t worry, I’m not going to try to sell you anything. This is my personal blog, and I write about things involving wine that interest me. First of all, Aldo Sohm has a wonderful personality. He has a true gift for making people feel at ease, and I think that is a mark of a great sommelier. He went through a presentation of his cork screw, the Grüner Veltliner wine project he has with the Kracher family, and the glasses that he is bringing into New York City made by Zalto in Austria. These glasses were obviously imperfect, hand blown and not perfectly symmetrical. I have been thinking of them ever since that training, and the idea of how imperfection is beautiful.

The University of Tennessee conducted a study in 2002 that found that the shape of a glass can have a big influence on chemicals in wine that affect taste. The study involved a Merlot wine that sat in three different glasses: a flute glass, a Martini glass and a wide Bordeaux glass. The study showed that between 10 to 20 minutes later the phenolic compound called gallic acid had decreased in the Bordeaux glass. This has to do with more surface area exposed to oxygen and all that kind of good stuff. Most of us already know this fact, bigger glass= more oxygen, which is desired for some wines but not for others. But does the shape of the glass, particularly to the degree of whether the shape is symmetrical or non-symmetrical, alter the wine in any other way?

Many years ago I met a great Japanese tea master in New York City. He taught me about the idea of Wabi-sabi, which is a Japanese aesthetic theory that is based on the acceptance of imperfection. This was best represented in his view by the art of making Japanese tea bowls. The tea bowls that have the most evident imperfections are celebrated and considered the most valuable. Wabi-sabi has three simple principles:
-nothing lasts
-nothing is finished
-nothing is perfect

Looking at these Zalto wine glasses I could not help but think of the above lesson. I thought about other past experiences celebrating imperfection. Many years ago I taught yoga on the side, and actually specialized in teaching yoga to people who suffered from serious accidents or were living with dis-ease. Why did I feel the need to volunteer to teach classes that many people thought were depressing to teach? Well, many people go to therapy to deal with their personal issues… this was my therapy.

When I was teaching those yoga classes I met people who had lost their arms or legs and/or had large humps on their bodies, and my initial feeling was to feel sorry for them. But through time, I realized these people were extraordinary, and they may have been living with a physical handicap or dis-ease, but they were more at ease than I was. And through time I realized that I was not there to teach them to see that their imperfections were beautiful, they were there to teach me that lesson. It has taken me years to truly understand that lesson, and I really feel like I am just starting to learn it.

I am sorry to jump from something so serious to something seemingly superficial, but I remember also learning this lesson when someone I knew interned at a Howard Stern event around 18 years ago. I was 21 at the time, and the young man interning was probably just a few years older. He was very excited because there were going to be tons of Playboy women that he would have a chance to “help” change. When I saw him after the event, I asked him how it went, and surprisingly, he said he was disappointed. He said the Playboy women looked so perfect that there was nothing exciting about seeing them naked. It was like looking at a doll. He had a renewed appreciation of how exciting it was to see the “imperfections” of his girlfriend’s body. Now please, don’t take me the wrong way, I have nothing against plastic surgery, and I have a philosophy that people should do what makes them happy. I am very supportive of any friend that makes that choice, even though I may think they do not need it.

Back to these Zalto glasses. Yes, I did see a difference in these glasses next to a control glass that was perfect in shape, especially when comparing them. I was getting more complexity on the nose and palate from the wines in the Zalto glasses. I have to note the glasses are some of the lightest I have ever picked up, and that quality made me take more time with the wines. Also, the imperfection in their shape made me stop and take more notice of the wines as well. And I felt I was having a wine that was out of the ordinary, because it was such a different experience holding and looking at those glasses.

As I get older, I like the imperfections of my face more and more.

One side of my nose is slightly bigger than the other, my ears are completely different from each other, I get more freckles, moles, wrinkles as time goes by, etc, etc… And the picture above is not the “worst” I could take… a week before the Masters of Wine exam, I broke out with acne so much it was scary! All of my imperfections make me unique and tell a story of my life, and I’m proud of them.

I like wines, people, and glasses that tell a story that is unique and rare. As Aldo said about the Zalto glasses, “No two glasses are the same.” And he celebrated the idea that those glasses were imperfect, and it was a great reminder, that I should celebrate what is imperfect about me too.

Posted in Dame Wine | Tagged Aldo Sohm, Imperfection | Leave a comment

Dame Wine®

French-style regulation of yield, site, grape variety and other factors do more harm than good.

What factors are required for grape varieties to become international brands?

How important is it for countries and wine producing regions to have ‘signature wines’?

Bordeaux’s history does not automatically earn it a place in the future.

Does the color of a Provencal rosé wine influence its sales? Part II And what do Whispering Angel (Chateau d’Esclans ) and I have in common?

Who serves the wine consumer best? Families or corporations?

Merlot: Better to market fine wines by variety or place?

Etna’s sense of place. Marketing tool for wine nerds? Or a truly unique experience?

Can Bordeaux make a comeback?

Imperfection is beautiful: How a wine glass is like my face.

Subscribe to Blog via Email

–Top 20 Wine Blogs in USA–

2017 Fellowship Winner

Recent Posts

Twitter Follow Button

Archives

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Meta

Copyright © 2014-2022 Dame Wine® All Rights Reserved.

Contact Me: damewine @damewine.com

Subscribe to Blog via Email

–Top 20 Wine Blogs in USA–

2017 Fellowship Winner

Recent Posts

Twitter Follow Button

Archives

Tags