July 20, 2008
Rosé Wine Sales Soar Across Britain
Sales of rosé wine have risen by a quarter this summer, it is claimed. The variety, once derided for its sweetness, is leading growth in wine sales and now accounts for one in every 10 bottles sold in Britain, experts believe.
"This, coupled with the ongoing success of the classic sweeter variety, has seen rose become a surprise summer hit of 2008."
Melissa Draycott, Sainsbury's senior wine buyer, said: "Over the last year we have seen a rising interest in crisp, dry roses with some varieties experiencing a sales increase of 100 per cent as traditional red and white wine drinkers look to try something new.
Rosé from the US is most popular among Britons with 52 per cent of total sales.
French varieties have a 10 per cent shares of the market, followed by Italy (nine per cent), Australia (7 per cent) and Portugal (5 per cent).
"Drier varieties such as grenache and zinfandel show no signs of a decline," Miss Draycott said.
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"However, these new, drier roses are helping a rose renaissance gather pace with still stronger sales forecast next year."
Source: “Rosé wine in the pink as sales soar across Britain,” Telegraph UK, July 20, 2008
Additional Articles:
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July 15, 2008
Rosé Passes White Wine as France's Favorite
July 16, 2008
For Rose’ a Fresh Summer Salad
May 11, 2008
PEJU PROVINCE WINERY RELEASES PEJU PINK ROSE FOR MOTHER’S DAY
September 12, 2007
Rosés Finally Get the Chance They Deserve With American Palates
December 30, 2006
For the New Year--Think Pink!
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July 16, 2008
For Rose’ a Fresh Summer Salad
Hot weather has arrived, and it’s rosé time, says James Laube. “I had just returned from the market and started unpacking the groceries, with ingredients for a tomato-watermelon-mozzarella salad, when my neighbor stopped by.”
Chuck eyed the fixings and asked what I was planning to do with the tomatoes, watermelon, etc., and then, without missing a beat, wondered if I’d ever tried his tomato-garlic-basil-caper concoction.
“No, I said, I hadn’t, and before I knew it, he was about to prepare my salad.”
It’s a variation on the tomato-watermelon-mozzarella salad that’s been popular in many circles of late.
My version is made with sliced heirloom tomatoes, one-inch cubes of watermelon, in about equal portions, and smaller dices of mozzarella di bufala (if possible), with chopped basil (chiffonade), drizzled with olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper.
Chuck’s recipe adds four or five big cloves of diced garlic (the more the merrier he seemed to think) and nearly a full bunch of basil (same thinking) and a large serving of capers (plenty of them too and some of them diced). He marinated the basil, garlic and capers in a large serving of olive oil and then drizzled it over the tomato-watermelon-mozzarella salad and topped it with salt and pepper.
Dang good idea! Might just add some thin sheets of ham...
The last time I tried this salad it was accompanied by a chilled rosé of Pinot Noir, and the cherry-watermelon-strawberry flavors of the rosé were a perfect match for this salad on a warm summer evening...
Source: “Warm Weather Brings Out the Best in Rosé,” James Laube Unfined, Wine Spectator, July 16, 2008
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July 15, 2008
Rosé Passes White Wine as France's Favorite
Rosé, long dismissed by purists as uncultured plonk, has overtaken white wine in volume of sales in France, buoyed by a fashion for pink.
While much of France's wine growers battle lower consumption and persistent overproduction, pink wine - which comes into its own in the summer heat - is enjoying la vie en rose as never before.
It is estimated that more than one in five bottles of wine sold in France is a rosé, with the gains coming from falling red sales. A hot summer could push the amount of rosé drunk to more than half of all bottles consumed this year.
Pink wine is in vogue among French youth as a light-hearted, festive drink to be enjoyed with scant regard for labels, vintages, grape varietals and origin.
A study conducted this year found that red wine is favoured by richer, older French men, while rosé is drunk by both sexes, young and old from different social groups. Red is drunk mainly during meals, while rosé is also popular as an aperitif or in soirees.
Last month, angry growers of red wines in the southwestern Languedoc Roussillon region rioted against rival low-cost wine. But in the searing July heat of Provence - France's main rosé-producing region and which began making it 2,600 years ago – growers like Alain Combard are in the pink.
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Surveying the vineyards surrounding his domain of Saint André de Figuière, Mr Combard, 64, raised a glass of chilled, dry home-grown rosé. In the dazzling light, the salmon-coloured liquid synonymous with Provence exuded a subtle perfume of grapefruit and lychee.
Sales from his domain, which produces 700,000 bottles annually, have increased by 10 per cent this year.
"We are extraordinary lucky as the world has truly discovered rosé. We have the wind in our sails," he said, to the sound of screeching cicadas.
"Before, rosé was just a summer wine to be drunk at barbecues. Today, it has acquired its letters of nobility, and can hold its own with red and white," said Mr Combard.
"A good rosé, for me, is above all very floral, with a hint of orange or grapefruit and must be as light as lace."
Producers in the Anjou in the Loire – France's other main rosé area - are enjoying a similar boom, amid signs that the pink craze is spilling over into Britain and the US. Given its success, the two top traditional red and white wine-growing regions of Bordeaux and Burgundy no longer blush at the prospect of rosé.
Bordeaux is reviving its production of clairet, a darker pink wine, while Burgundy now produces 2 million bottles of rose (NB acute accent on e) per year. In a sign of the times, Burgundy last month sent a delegation to a conference in Provence at the world's only rosé research centre, which Mr Combard runs.
The centre looks into every aspect of the rosé, from how to produce the right shade of pale pink to ways to cut rising alcohol levels in wine believed to be caused by global warming. Although it has white-wine qualities, rosé is made from red grapes.
It long suffered from being seen as little more than a by-product of red wine, being made from juice siphoned or 'bled' from the top of a vat of fermenting red grapes as a way of improving the red's intensity.
But Mr Combard, like many in Provence, uses a technique focusing solely on rosé called direct pressing. Red grape-skin, pips and pulp are lightly pressed and left to macerate for up to eight hours before extracting the rose-tinted liquid.
"I apply just the same techniques for making white wine to rosé, except that I use red grapes," said Mr Cambord, who spent 22 years making Chablis before coming to Provence.
Rosé, however, cannot be kept for long periods due to the lack of tannins, as the grape juice is only briefly in contact with skins and seeds. As he prepares to leave the daily running of his domain to his children, Mr Cambord insists the current rosé boom is here to stay.
Quality had improved considerably in the past decade. Doses of headache-inducing sulphur have been cut fourfold, while fermenting vats are now cooled to prevent grapes overheating, which used to produce heavy, coarse wine.
Exports to the US are booming, but UK sales of French rosé are still low compared to sweet New World "blush".
Mr Cambord believes that Britain is now ready to branch out from what he calls cheaper "drink" to pricier "real wine". Although still low, sales of Provence rosé in Britain were up 40 per cent in the first three months of this year.
"It goes perfectly with spicy food," he said. "Try it with curry."
Source: “Pink wine is in vogue among French youth as a festive drink,” Telegraph.co.uk, July 15, 2008
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June 24, 2008
New Levels Attained In Organic Wine-Making
With almost 6% of its vineyard converted to organic production Alsace can claim to be the greenest wine region of France.
Although the prediction made a few years ago by one top grower that 90% of Alsace’s vineyards would be organic by 2010 now seems wildly optimistic, the rate of conversion is steady and sustained. There are also a large and growing number of vignerons who, while stopping short of full organic status, claim to practice sustainable viticulture and only spray their vines with agrochemicals as a last resort.
Alsace also boasts an unusually large number of biodynamic grape growers, an extreme organic regime, based on the teaching of Rudolph Steiner, an Austrian thinker, who just before his death in 1925, suggested that every farm or vineyard is part of a living organism. All the work in the vineyard and winery is done with respect of the rhythms of the waxing and waning moon, stars and planets and most treatments are homeopathic or infusions of wild plants and herbs.
On the face of it Steiner’s claims seem absurd, but many of the wines made in biodynamic vineyards are spectacularly good. Biodynamic growers fall into two camps. Some fervently believe that Steiner’s view of the cosmos is true, others are agnostic, shrug their shoulders and admit that they have no idea why their biodynamic practices work.
Four Alsace wine-makers, all of whom are passionate advocates of biodynamics. The wines they make include some of the greatest from the region, but a few were very odd indeed.
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Pierre Frick is one of the pioneers of biodynamic viticulture in France. He adopted it in 1981 and has helped many other growers to follow. Some of his wines can be bought from Leeds-based organic wine specialists Vinceremos (www.vinceremos.co.uk).
He is keen to reduce sulphur levels in his wines to zero (sulphur is normally added as an antioxidant and to kill unwanted bacteria). It’s a risky business, but the results were mostly impressive, with wines generally fruitier than usual if sometimes a little less aromatic. Not everyone enjoys his wines. He told me that his uncompromisingly dry, spicy Gewurztraminer 2005 was a huge hit with the Swiss who gave it a gold medal, but a complete flop in the eyes of his Parisian clients.
Clément Klur and his warmly welcoming wife Régine seem to have a lot of fun making their wine and are keen to know what visitors make of it (they even keep a chalk and blackboard for comments in their loo).
Their wines are much more consistently enjoyable than Frick’s, but perhaps don’t quite reach the heights of his best. They are recent converts – they changed to biodynamic in 2004, but believe their wines already seem better balanced with higher acidity than before. Monsieur Klur also claims biodynamic viticulture is the most effective way to cope with the extremes of weather seen over the last few years as a result of climate change.
Sylvie Spielmann went biodynamic in 2002. Most vineyard land is divided into tiny plots, but her eight hectares of vines surround her house and husband’s building yard. There’s far less chance of contamination from neighbours’ spray. Like many biodynamic wine makers she takes a minimalist approach to wine-making, letting it ferment and settle in its own time, but having worked in Champagne, Burgundy, Australia and California, she’s learned how to make vividly fruity wines, the most consistently impressive of all those I tasted.
Patrick Meyer’s wines are uncompromisingly different and he’s proud of it. Some of his wines, for example, are deliberately oxidised and won’t appeal to everyone. He claims the main advantage of being biodynamic is that he does less work. “ .”
He believes that biodynamics is not an exact science. “I hate dogmatism”, he says. He also claims to need more time to make his cheap wines than his great ones (of which there are an impressive number). And “the only good way to make Pinot Noir (his is unusually perfumed and elegant) is to do nothing. When you touch it, it’s too late,” he explains. A few years ago there were many people in the wine business who worried that with modern fermentation methods it wouldn’t be long before wines the world over tasted much the same.
Biodynamics, by whatever means it works, ensures that this can never be so and I, for one, am grateful.
Source: “Organic Wine-making Moves On To a New Level,” Jane Hall, The Journal, Jun 24, 2008
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June 21, 2006
REVIEW: 2003 Meeker Yinyards “PINK ELEPHANT” Dry Rose
I was first introduced to this wine at the 2005 PINK OUT! I wanted to see how a Dry Rose tasted after a near year of cellaring so I put this one away and am now reporting that after an extra 
year of age I’m still impressed with this style of wine and its wonderful dry food friendly qualities.
Usually you just buy a bottle of Rose’, take it home or to the picnic and drink it. I guess I just wanted to see if these wines held all their wonder for another year–I guess I still had Beaujolais in mind, or the slightly sweet Rose’ of yesteryear. At any rate I am thoroughly impressed with these “Dry Rose’s.”
It is my understanding that Charlie Meeker used to travel every year on business to the South of France, and while there he always enjoyed the wonderful Rose’s of the Provence –that finished dry, rather than with noticeable residual sugar as is common in the U.S. This led, in 1995, to the first Meeker Pink Elephant, which was a hit not only with Charlie, but with their customers as well. That led, however, to the rest of them at Meeker suffering not only from Charlie’s requests for “Another Pink Elephant,” but from their customers’ demands as well.
So think of a sunny afternoon or a warm evening. A picnic at the beach, lunch by the swimming pool, or dinner outside on the deck. A chilled glass of wine, light bodied, but with a little more character, and bursting with a broad range of berry-fruit aromas and flavors! Or maybe something just plain refreshing after a hard day’s work? So here it is!
THE REVIEW:
2003 Meeker Yinyards “PINK ELEPHANT” Dry Rose; $ 9.00, (86 pts.)-- APPEARANCE: Bright and clean, medium light ruby pink in color and intensity; NOSE: Clean medium intensity of berry, fruit and floral: strawberries, blueberries, violet, red berries and spice and citrus apples; PALATE: Fresh ripe berries, white pepper, Dry medium body--crisp acidity with soft moderate tannins, fruit, spice and mineral coast along this somewhat mid-length finish.
CONCLUSION: A fresh, clean refreshing yet smooth and crisp "Dry" Rose–quite a “Good Buy” at $ 9.00! Drink now.
Varietals: A blend of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay.
Appellation: Sonoma County.
Alcohol: 13.4% by volume.
Oak Program: Older French and American oak barrels for about two-thirds of the wine.
Production: 566 cases.
Bottling Date: May 6, 2004.
Contact:
Meeker Vineyards
21035 Geyserville Ave
Geyserville, CA 95441
Tel 707.431.2148
Fax 707.431.2549
Website: http://www.meekerwine.com/
Email: abigail@meekerwine.com
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October 27, 2005
Peju Province a California Table Wine
The wine, the place, the people–founded in 1983 by Anthony and Herta Peju
I first tasted this wine at the July 18, 2005, “PINK OUT!” Yep! I’m finally getting doing the formal tasting after too many incidents to talk about here...
I very much enjoyed meeting Herta Paju, owner Peju Province and Colleen McCafferty, Wholesale Support Manager for Paju Province at the Pink Out. Herta and I spoke at length about her love for animals, especially her ducks, swans and roses. Heata is a woman full of life–she has that glow of happiness beaming from within.
Colleen is very knowledgeable about all of the Peju wines–I liked talking over my perceptions of the Peju Province, California Table Wine, as we both sniffed and tasted it there on the edge of the ole’ San Francisco Bay. While we talked, Colleen instructed me that the “Province” is more of a "Cuvée" in that it is an ambitious blend particularly of different vine and grape varieties, i.e.: both red and white.
A few day ago I had the opportunity to listen to Paju’s winemaker, Sean Foster, while covering the “Napa Valley Appellation Panel Discussion” at Copia Saturday, October 15th, 2005. Sean is well spoken and portrayed the geologic farming of the various vine plots used to make the estate wines of Peju–more on Sean later, and to read about his talk during October 15th, 2005, click here: “EVENT REPORT: Taste of Copia-Napa.”
Peju Province Winery is recognized as one of Napa Valley's top wineries.
About the Pejus:
The love of farming and a passion for wine brought Anthony Peju to the Napa Valley. A series of ideas, starting in Peju’s birthplace on the Caspian Sea, then France, England and eventually, Los Angeles, that created their Napa Valley winery.
Tony Peju studying film at LACC and UCLA, worked many jobs, hen he met Herta Behensky, his future wife. Herta, his wife, encouraged him and together with her help, a Mustang as a down payment, landscape companies, florist stores, buying and selling properties, looking all over Southern California for an appropriate 500 acre farm site--Napa Valley seemed to be right, even though he was forced to trim his expectation of 500 acres.
Their purchase, in 1983, what turned out to be just 30 acres but it had the magic ingredient–location. Neighboring vineyards at Rutherford included: Robert Mondavi, Inglenook and Beaulieu. Situated between Highway 29 and the Napa River, the acreage included a 1900-era house and rambling vineyards, some 60 or more years old, planted to Cabernet Sauvignon and French Colombard.
45% of this wine’s grapes, Peju Province, come from the 1950s, planted French Colombard vineyard, named “The HB Vineyard” for his wife Herta Behensky.
Looking to the future, Tony and Herta have introduced their two daughters, Lisa and Ariana, to the workings of the wine business. Both of the young women are immersing themselves in all aspects of Peju Province Winery.
“It is in visiting the winery that the meaning of its name becomes apparent–Peju Province. Invitingly, Peju created a microcosmic province, a land of beauty and a multi-sensory experience where the fragrance of rose and wine mingle, where art and agriculture meet, where splashing fountains echo the sound of the good wine being poured inside”–I can’t wait to go there and experience it all!
The Vinyards:
PN Vineyard--Ideally situated between Highway 29 and the west bank of the Napa River, the vineyard is part of the Rutherford Appellation, a 6 square mile region famous even by Napa Valley standards. Nearby are the historic vineyards of Inglenook (now Niebaum-Coppola), Robert Mondavi, Beaulieu and Caymus. The soil at HB Vineyard is deep and well drained, formed by three alluvial fans which supply gravel and sand to the valley floor’s deep loamy soil. The sub strata are augmented by marine sedimentary materials with some volcanic deposits. Water flows easily through the soil and drains to the river.
Rutherford is at the valley’s widest point and so has longer sun exposure and therefore a higher radiant value than other parts of Napa Valley. UC Davis categorizes the area as Region II. Despite the warm growing temperatures, the vines are cooled in the evening by the northern reaches of San Francisco (San Pablo) Bay. A typical summer day sees evening temperatures drop by 40-50 degrees. Cool night temperatures allow the fruit to ripen slowly, maturing tannins and balancing acids in the long growing season. Rain in Rutherford comes mainly in the winter months, 26-36 inches annually, filling the aquifers and reservoirs which are necessary in the valley’s irrigated vineyards.
It is perfect terroir for wine grapes. But even in such a grape paradise there can be problems. Like most of the old plantings in Napa Valley, Peju’s vines were originally planted on root stock not resistant to the devastating phylloxera louse. In addition, the old vines were coming to the end of their productive years and the blocks of Colombard were not the ideal varietal for Rutherford. In 1990 the decision was made to replant.
Persephone Vineyard--As the reputation of Peju Province and the winery’s location on Highway 29 proved to be good for business, demand soon exceeded supply.
Pope Valley is a section of the Napa Valley Appellation a few miles to the northeast of Rutherford, and St. Helena separated from them by Howell Mountain and the Vaca range. It is higher than Napa Valley, colder in winter, hotter in summer and without the abundance of water. But the region has been producing wine and wine grapes since the turn of the last century.
Persephone, named after the goddess of Greek mythology. It is 350 acres at an elevation of 2000 feet and was the last level, plantable acreage available. It has three feet of loamy topsoil in many places, then 4-5 feet of shale--water, three ponds and two wells.
In 1997, 120 acres of the ranch was planted to Cabernet Sauvignon cloned from the HB Vineyard, as well as Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Syrah, Petit Verdot, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Zinfandel. In Pope Valley the flavors are more focused—mountain flavors—so blending great wines with both complexity and focused characteristics.
The Wine Maker:
Sean Foster grew up in Saratoga, California. He learned about wine at home at an early age from his parents who enjoyed California Chardonnays.
After high school Foster enrolled at UCLA to study biochemical engineering. During his first few years there he occasionally brewed beer to enjoy with friends and he began to drink wine, but there was no hint of his future profession. By his third year of study he realized that he didn't want to just be a scientist. Rather, he wanted to find a field where he could use his scientific skills and then enjoy the end product.
After harvest, he returned to UCLA for a short time, only to leave during his next to last quarter to accept a full time job in the cellars at Merryvale. During his nine year tenure there he was a "cellar rat" for three years, becoming assistant winemaker in 1995, and associate winemaker in 2001. In July 2002, he joined Peju Province Winery as winemaker.
"Here at Peju, I have the pleasure of working with a number of varietals. It's a great situation for a young winemaker," says Foster. Foster lives in Napa with his wife and new son, Fynn. He is a member of the American Society for Enology and Viticulture, and is currently attending UC Davis to complete his MBA (Masters of Business Administration)."
Review and Tasting Notes :
Peju: NV Province California Table Wine; $18.50, (88points)--Brilliant, glowing ruby red leaning toward light garnet with pronounced long slow legs; moderately powerful aromas of tart berry, strawberry, raspberry, plum, jam, floral and coffee; dry with a touch of herb and citrus acidity–medium to full bodied, balanced and tantalizing; leading to a moderately long, complex, refreshing, finish–an excellent wine.
Descriptive Notes: Slow, warm, fills and refreshess the mouth, changing as it passes fruit to the back of the nose, a dancing clean sensation ends this wonderful dry evocative “Cuvée / Blush Wine.” Just great the way this fills the mouth, the citrus herb must come from the Colombard, the Sauvignon Blanc? I can’t wait to taste this with everything.
About The Wine:
50% Napa Valley, 45% Mendocino, 5% Califotnia.
23% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, and 7% Syrah; along with 45% French Colombard and Sauvignon Blanc.
The blend consists of 50% finished estate red wines and 45% French Colombard which comes from the old head-trained vineyard in Redwood Valley-Mendocino County.
Alcohol: 13.5%
pH: 3.60
Total Acidity: 0.77 g/100ml
Residual Sugar: 0.9
No. of Cases: 3,362
Date Bottled: 05/05
Date Released: 06/05
Price: $18.50
Contacting PEJU PROVINCE:
ADDRESS: P.O. Box 478
WINERY: 8466 St. Helena Hwy. - Rutherford CA 94573
PHONE: (707)-963-3600 Fax: (707)-963-8680 (800)-446-7358
WEB SITE: www.peju.com
E-MAIL: info@peju.com
PRODUCTION: Currently 30,000 cases annually
VINEYARDS: 30 acres Rutherford: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot,Cabernet Franc.
350 acres Pope Valley, 120 planted to: Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Petit Verdot, Zinfandel.
WINERY: Located in Rutherford, 50 miles north of San Francisco, 10 miles north of the town of Napa.
Open daily 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Posted by fortna at 01:00 AM | Comments (3)
September 20, 2005
Must Have Issue-Wine Spectator Magazine:
SEPT. 30, 2005 ISSUE
This is a must have addition edition for your food & wine shelves! I meant to alert you to this issue back the first of the month. As I’ve just received my new edition I figured I better get this out to you so you may still have a chance to pick it up off the stands.
So way full of great information!
They aren’t kidding when they say “THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF F O O D either! There’s these little excerpts called “Ask the Experts.” I’ll quote a few after the chapter headings below, and other interesting bits.
MEAT: Q: Is it OK to eat pink pork?
A: Pink is not the issue, temperature is. For decades pork has been overcooked to prevent trichinosis, a disease which is far less common today. Danger is averted when the meat reaches 137◦F (at which temperature it might still be pink), but you can usually go as high as 150◦F and still have juicy meat.
DELI MEAT: Q: Is there a difference between lardons and bacon:
A: Yes, but it’s all in the cutting. Lardons com from the same meat as bacon but are cut vertically into thick matchsticks of alternating layers of fat and meat. Lardons should be sauteed until slightly crisp on the outside. They add a salty punch to salads, but are good with potatoes and Brussels sprouts. They’re chewy and full of flavor–bacon for bacon lovers.
POULTRY: Chicken can go well with any wine, white or red–the key is picking a good match for the preparation. For basic roasted chicken, anything from cool, fruity Beaujolais-Villages to earthy Pinot Noir should make a nice counterpoint. Even Bordeaux, softened by a bit of age, will work. Just remember that a good portion of the that meat is white and rather light, so don’t pick a heavy wine that will overwhelm it. Whites at the heavier end of the spectrum can work well too. Think Rhône varieties such as Roussanne, Marsanne and Viognier. If you’re feeling particularly indulgent, try a white Burgundy.
SEAFOOD: Q: What is a simple and elegant fish dish that can be prepared quickly?
A: Try the French classic sole a la meunière. Dredge the sole (or flounder) in a little flour and brown both sides in a hot pan with butter and oil until the fish is slightly flaky. Remove the fish and add 2 tablespoons butter and 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice per piece of fish to the pan, stirring until combined. At the last moment, add a small handful of fresh chopped parsley, then pour the sauce over the fish.
PRODUCE: Artichokes and Wine--Artichokes tend to make wine taste sweeter, so choose very dry wines with light acidity. Brut non-vintage Champagne can work with simple preparations, while such as Barbara can stand up to additional flavors such as tomato sauce. Dry rośe wines are a good choice, as is Sauvignon Blanc.
DAIRY: Blue Cheese and Wine–Many people find that the moldy flavors of these cheeses fight with dry wines. Their creaminess is especially tough on reds. Sweet wines are the answer. Trey sauternes with Roquefort and Port with Stilton. The nutty taste pf oak found in these wines is especially welcome with blue cheese.
PANTRY: Pasta and Wine–Choosing the right wine for a pasta dish depends on both the sauce used and the pasta... I’ll let you find the rest of this information in this issue of SEPT. 30, 2005, of Wine Spectator Magazine.
Other chapter headings: BREAD, OIL & VINEGAR, CHOCOLATE, COFFEE & TEA, EQUIPMENT and WINE, etc,
So much great information, over 140 pages worth–like I said this is a must-have for you kitchen and maybe your life.
If you can’t find it at your local News Stand here’s a link for “Back Issues” of Wine Spectator Magazine.
Enjoy the read–see you at the wine shop and/or the farmer’s market!
Posted by fortna at 03:06 PM | Comments (0)
August 12, 2005
POST “PINK OUT!” PARTY
What a blast! I was defiantly seeing pink when I left this event. Lots of fun people, good wines and tasty treats supplied by a very capable weight staff.
As I made ready for the journey from Sacramento, CA to San Francisco... packing cameras, recorders, Reporters Notebook... all things deemed necessary for the reporting and recording of such an event. Suddenly the television news blared out... “a huge deadly crash on highway 80--cars back up for 19 miles . . . expect at least a two hour delay getting to the Bay Area from Sacramento!“
That was all I needed to hear... down the river road ole’ HWY 160, back an forth crossing beautiful old iron and concrete draw-bridges. The pear harvest, just ramping up spilled truck loads block the road.
Ahead of me plod small tractors in tandem pulling trailer filled containers of pears slowing my hurried progress. Little towns, Lock, Oak Grove and wineries pass me by as I rush along the winding Sacramento River.
The winds in Antioch could rip the paint off your car, they blew so hard, but cool and smelly fresh of sea air.
Closer to the City the lanes and cars multiply exponentially.
At the station now, feels good to be out of the car, out of the Valley heat, trundling onto the Bart train, no hurry now, just ride.
In the City, stop for Italian ice cream and espresso, cool fresh Bay breezes, the hustle and bustle of Market Street buzzing around me.
The Marine layer lurks just beyond the Golden Gate–a cooling fog trying to press its way from the Bay to the Valley of Sacramento.
At Butterfly restaurant now, windows floor to ceiling, the view of the giant old ship birth beyond; black with gold rubbed nuts and foundation bolts hold steal plates against the huge old wooden post that frame the interior of the bistro; a sixty inch Panasonic liquid crystal screen on the west wall; modern art hangs from the walls, and glowing dragonflies act as mood lighting.
The fog roles by, just out past the dock, water dark emerald green. The girls at their designated tables, single vintages–many one Rosé per station. Bottles at the ready iced and corked.
Where’s the spittoons? Buckets to expel the delightful sips soon to be had.
A boat passes slowly by painted against fog, bay and sky. Cormorants dive and an occasional California Sea Lion flippers the air leaving trace ripple where ships once rested.
Peju, Hadley, Merher, Van Rutten Family and Saintsbury before me 3:07p.m. and the girls pour for one another. There’s one of those Bay Cruse Ships going the other way.
A black and white booie steady against the incoming tide.
Electric Pinks to Peachy Plum their colors as the light from the bay streams through the many bottles of wine.
San Francisco, California, U.S.A., July 22, 2004: Rosé Avengers and Producers Raise the Bar for Pink Wine First Annual RAP PINK OUT! Draws More Than 400... the press release tells us.
Rosé (roh-ZAY) French for, what else, “pink” or “rose-colored,” used in the wine world to refer to wines of this color. Often referred to as “blush” wines in America, “rosato” in Italy and “rosado” in Spain, these wines take their color from thhe skins of the red grapes from which they are made. Limited skin contact gives thewine its pink color. Rosé can takeon many hues, from barely pink to almost red; however, most dall somewhere in between.
More than 400 wine-loving consumers, trade and media converged at San Francisco's Butterfly restaurant on July 18 to celebrate dry rosé, the nation's hottest new wine trend. With an international collection of 53 wineries (51 still, 2 sparkling) pouring their rosés to a thirsty, summertime crowd, the mood was one of heady appreciation for a wine whose time has definitely come.
California rosé wine pioneers like Randall Graham of Bonny Doon Vineyard, David Graves of Saintsbury, and Bill Crawford of McDowell Valley Vineyards were on hand to pour their latest pink wines, as were producers from many of California's wine regions, including Napa's Miner Family Vineyards, Dry Creek Valley's Michel-Schlumberger Wine Estate and Unti Vineyards, Central Coast's Verdad, and Santa Cruz
Mountains-based newcomers Fleming Jenkins Vineyards & Winery. A slew of French and Spanish winemakers attended as well. Alain Baccino, president of the French National Research Center for Rosé Wines in Provence flew in from his vineyard in Pierrefeu, France–real good wine! "I didn't know, until recently, that Americans had such an appreciation for rosé," he said. "And I had no idea that so many Americans were making rosé themselves!"
Also on hand was RAP co-founder, Jeff Morgan, who makes a California rosé called SoloRosa–tasty stuff! The bar was covered with fresh copies of his new book: "Rosé, A Guide to the World's Most Versatile Wine" (Chronicle Books). "When we came up with this idea a year ago, we figured we'd get 15 or 20 wineries to sign up and maybe bring in 50 consumers," Morgan said. "But we actually had to turn wineries away because of a lack of space. And we sold out in advance. We couldn't even sell any more tickets at the door! I guess there really is a rosé renaissance. We'll have to get a bigger space for future events."
Enough of the “Press Release” banter! Life and other commitments have kept the finish of this report long enough.
On to the wines... the wineries, their links (at least most of them) all in alphabetical order, laced with my impressions of their pours where it commands:
Winery: Wine–Impresions
Alderbrook Foothill Winery: 2003 Rosé, Dry Creek Valley–Cherry, strawberry, rich and cramy, lingers.
Amador Foothill Winery: Great people, 2004 Rosato of Sangiovese–Reddish-pink, fruity, well rounded, good crisp acidity, nice finish.
Bonny Doon Vineyards: As predicted, 2003 Rosato Di Refosco–Mouth watering berry hit super refreshing!
2004 Big House Pink–Still have a tough time with that name, but oh what a wine wraught with Zinfandel flavors, delightfully floral, mellon, berries–a sreaming pink delight to say the least.
2004 Vin Gris de Cigare–Paint the skies pink this one delivers spice, delicious presence, lingering afterthought a way fun bottle of blush.
Chateau du Rouet: Rouvière Rosé–Pretty pink, berries, flora, spice, anise and pepper to a nice finish–I would like to taste their other wines.
Chateau Marouine, the Rose:--I had from France were stylish, well made concious of place–a pleasure to taste and elagantly long on their finish.
Chateau Potelle Winery: Riviera–A tasty, complex Rose of Syrah and Zinfandel.
Domaine Chandon: NV, étoile ROSÉ–Smoked salmon in color, lots of mid sized bubbles, fruit and berries, pie spice, plum, cherry, elegant yeast, subtle, reasonably long and complex.
Domaines Bunan: Chateau De La Rouvière 2004 Rrosé–Clear and pale, floral, vegitable in nature, racy and refreshing.
Folie à Deux Winery: 2004 Ménage à Trois Rose--Merlot, Syrah and Gewürztraminer; abundant fruits–straw and raspberries, tropical and floral, long full and wonderfully dry on the finish.
Handley Cellars: 2004 Pinot Rosé, Anderson Valley–Bright and clear, berries, both straw and raspberry all the way through, crisp, rich and refreshing–another Hadley winner!
Jean Luc Colombo: Rosé De Cônte Bleue–Syrah, Mourvèdre and Counoise light delicate pink in color, peach, floral roses maybe, berry, cherry, charmingly complex, olive on a long lingering developing finish. This wine captured the sence of France for me–not a Beaujolais style wine, distinct and of itself. I can’t tell how much this wine speaks of place character.
Korbel Champagne Cellars: NV Brut Rose–Bright, frizant-large bubbles, berry, cherry, mellon, refreshing and distinct.
L'Uvaggio di Giacomo: il Gufo 2004, Lodi Barbera Rosato– Briliant, light pinkish red in color, full of berry fruits both nose and taste, dry, refreshing and long on the finish–this winery is a must visit.
Mantra Wines: Bliss, Dry Creek Valley--Merlot and Zinfandel, strawberry, citrus, honey floral, fruit in yer face, tangy acidity, dry lengthy finish–very nice stuff!
Meeker Vineyards: 2003, PINK ELEPHANT Dry Rosé–Great people, charming to talk to and sip wine with; lots of berry fruits here, smooth and supple on the finish blooming with frute wonders. I will be reviewing this wine later this month as part of a our formal comparative tastings.
Montevina Winery: 2003 Montevina Nebbiolo Rosato–bright peach in color, tart citrus, peach, jasmin–a great party wine!
Niebaum-Coppola Estate Winery: 2004 Sofia Rose’–Yummm! Berries and flowers–both taste and aroma, Pink Pinot Noir, fruity yet dry and racy, lingering to a hint of sweetness, well worth looking for!
Peju Province Winery: NV, Province table Wine --I must admit I fell in love with this wine--clear, medium pale ruby in color and hue, strawberry, fig, raspberry jam, herb, a trace of oak and wonderful coffee, modreate acidity, smooth, medium full bodied, well balanced, complex changing over time finish. I will be reviewing this wine later this month as part of a our formal comparative tastings. And I look forward to tasting many more Peju wines.
Perbacco: 2004 Arroyo Grande Valley Rose–clear, dark salmon in color and hue, berry and ripe cherries, full and creamy in body and texture, to a spicy crisp velvet finish.
Rutherford Hill: 2004, Rosé of Merlot–brisk fresh berry, florad and a touch of oak, clean and fresh on the finish.
Saintsbury: 2004, Carneros Vin Gris–a blush Pinot Noir, lightly purple pink, spicy berry greets the nose, strawberry, citrus, fat and soft, fun and interesting.
Sanford: 2003 Pinot Noir - Vin Gris–berry, fruit, smooth, racy, mineral dance across the finish. A fun wine for sure!
SoloRosa Wines: 2004, SoloRosa–briliant neon pink in color and hue, full of berry, cherry, very well balance acidity, mineral with a touch of lightly toasted oak, linger well developing and refreshing.
Tablas Creek Vineyard: 2004, Estate Rosé--Mourvèdre, Grenache and Counoise; spice, fruit, fresh field strawberries, good acidity, dry and lingering on the finish.
Titus Vinyards: A delightful wine–that’s all I wrote on the back of Eric’s business card–must have been good!
Toad Hollow Vineyards: 2004 Eye of the Toad Rose'–please se my article “A Red Eyed Toad & Spectacled Badger?” In addition to that wine he had another of a slightly older vintage, a reserve sold only at the Toad Hollow Tasting Room–anyway: another well balanced, very distinct Rose’ of Pinot Noir of incredible depth and flavor–well worth a trip to Healdsburg, CA to add to life’s delights.
Unti Vineyards: 2004, Dry Creek Valley, Grenache Rose’–Bright, spice, pepper, berries and jam, tar, complex, warm and clean–a well made wine.
Van Ruiten Family Winery: 2004 ROSE OF CABERNET-SHIRAZ–bright, clear, fruit and spice greet you bith nose and palate, smooth and interesting through to the end.
Ventana, Verdad Wine Cellars: Dry Rosado–red fruits, crisp acidity, very dry and lingering.
Didn’t get to all of them, *Chimney Rock, *Domaine de Nizas, *Fife Vineyards, *Goats do Roam, *Herzog Wine Cellars, *Iron Horse Vineyards, *McDowell Valley Vineyards, *Michel-Schlumberger Wine Estate--to mention a few, but I think you’ll get the idea this event featured some fine Rosé set in a cozy venue with really nice folks.
Now you ask “Why would you ever want to go to an event like this?” To meet and greet wine makers, dedicated sales personnel, people watch–definetly learn that Rosé can be VERY DRY! Taste and drink far to many different wines to ever remember, Sherri Releford, one from the other–the “strictly bubbles.” Maybe, but an event as well done as this one was–you’d learn and enjoy the wonders of the the world of wine.
Next year, the RAP group is talking about bring the PINK OUT! to New York and possibly other cities. Ah! Dreams and further PINK aspirations.
I think that about covers it.
Posted by fortna at 06:50 PM | Comments (2)
July 15, 2005
A Red Eyed Toad & Spectacled Badger?
Thinking toward Monday’s PINK OUT! While picking up my stash of risotto rice I eyed the chilled wine section of the local natural foods store and found much to my surprise a few different bottles of Rose’.
The label caught my eye right away! Something about a Toad ana a Badger? No doubt a good match for some fresh goat cheese, a baguet of sturdy aromatic sour dough and some good old dry salami for an afternoon of typing, editing and publishing yours truly.
Toad Hollow 2004, Eye of the Toad Sonoma County Rose': $10.00, (87pts)--Vibrant light glowing pink, bright and clear–eye catching to say the least; small fresh wild strawberries--the kind you find growing on the coastal dunes of central and northern California-- well up from the rim of the glass delighting the olfactories and carring through to the taste, warm refreshing, smooth with a hint of spice to a nicely lingering and refreshing finish.
From the Winery:
Pretty in Pink and Proud of it!
“At a time when most American Rosé wines have either an overabundance of residual sugar or are “flabby” and lacking in acidity, we here at Toad Hollow continue to produce true French-Style, bone dry, and elegant Rosé wine produced from the noble Pinot Noir grape.
This is our SEVENTH vintage of Pinot Noir Rosé and, by far, our best to date. The wine has incredible body and weight for a Rosé of Pinot Noir. The color is a beautiful pink with a hint of “Beaujolais blue”. This wine has a nose of rose petals and violets. Whether in sun or shade, this is a truly dry, uncomplicated statement of Pinot Noir at its lightest and most delicate which we proudly call our ROSÉ.
It is very important to keep all sources of sugar out of Rosé and allow the classic grapes to speak for themselves. This wine is uncluttered by any real or imagined saccharin-like improvements to the breed. There are many people out there that are bold enough to taste our Rosé and are converted to its single honest statement of “here come the grapes…grab some as they come by . . ..
We know that you’ll love it. (But don’t be surprised if it gets fresh with you!)”
Posted by fortna at 04:51 AM | Comments (0)
July 04, 2005
Booming Bubbles Sparkling Lights
I can not tell you how much I savor this wine every time I have it. Whether with food or simply at the beach or in the hot tub, this wine in twins memories, satisfaction and the moment.
I thoroughly enjoyed it this day with barbequed ribs, potato salad and sparkling lights in the sky. A wine to be enjoyed with friends, on special occasions or simply to highlight your life at the moment.
I had wanted to make this bottle a part of my weekend sailing with friends on Lake Tahoe, but circumstances negated my indulgence until late this Monday’s evening, the 4th of July.
I’ve always enjoyed champaign with ribs!
I guess I should tell you about this Champagne Rosé via a not so critical review:
Krug, NV Brut Rosé Champagne: $250.00, (97pts.)–This phenomenal France Champagne shows a golden-orange in the flute; the bubbles, in wine speak terms: mousseaux; spumante, exuberant, small and persistent; aromas of coffee, Christmas ginger bread cookies, dried mission figs; citrus peel and smoky oak dance across the palate–supple, wonderful, gracefully finishing long for many minutes to contemplate its’ delights: moments of silence after every sip.
Did I wax poetically?
The wine the ribs and fireworks over the Sacramento River gave pleasent closure to a long, warm and only slightly disjointed Independence weekend.
Wine Spectator: 96pts.; Wine & Spirits: 94 pts.
Posted by fortna at 07:20 AM | Comments (1)