August 06, 2008
Sangria Old or New: Trendy Cocktail of the Moment
Most summer drinks are quick, easy, and straightforward: beer, gin & tonic, spiked watermelon, you get the idea. Sangria, though popular, is a different kind of beast. Strictly speaking, it is neither wine nor cocktail but a hybrid (technically a punch, though also referred to as a "winetail" by some libation geeks). The recipe has always been purposefully vague, even sloppy: Use what you have. This makes it very adaptable and forgiving. But never simple. Proportion is the name of the game and everyone's palate is different.
Usually, there's nothing more than cheap red wine, brandy, sugar, chopped fruit, and a little club soda or ginger ale. Bartenders in recent years, however, have rediscovered and reinvented the drink. They're swapping out everything imaginable, losing the brandy, the sugar, and sometimes even the wine.
New versions of sangria from around the country play with three key elements: the wine, the spices, and the supporting cast of liqueurs.
JUST ADD OTHER LIQUEURS
Eben Freeman, the master mixologist at Tailor restaurant in New York, sticks to the classic recipe but adds orange liqueur (such as Triple Sec) and lemon juice. He recommends using a light Spanish red, like a Rioja, and Spanish brandy to keep in all from the same country. And he believes the added sugar is optional. You can view his "How to Make Sangria" video, and related recipe in the cocktail database at Epicurious.com. Creative types can also play with Chambord, which will darken the drink. Or Limoncello, which will not.
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JUST ADD SPICES
In San Francisco, Duggan McDonnell of Cantina makes sangria shots, Caribbean style. His cocktail recipe features hibiscus syrup, a traditional Barbados spirit called falernum (flavored with lime, cloves, and almonds), and Jamaican black rum, in addition to red wine. Spice fans can also add chopped mint, dill (as a garnish), and/or cinnamon sticks, perhaps for use as a stirrer. Depends on what you like, as always.
JUST ADD WHITE WINE
"White sangria" functions as the natural counterpoint to red sangria. Like white wine in general, the flavors are less berry and more apple/peach. Vermillion, in Chicago, offers a Latin-Indian variation called the Herbed White Sangria made with white wine (fruity Chenin Blanc or Gewürztraminer), brandy, Cointreau, mint, lemongrass, tamarind and passionfruit juices, mandarin syrup, ginger water, and lychees. To make a less exotic, scaled-down version at home, you can try pairing sparkling wine, Cointreau, orange juice, apple juice, slices of fruit (nectarine, paech, orange, pear, apple), and a dash of club soda.
JUST ADD BEER
At Boqueria, a tapas restaurant in New York's Chelsea region, the cocktail list includes an odd signature drink, the beer sangria. They combine Corona, lemon juice, pear puree and Triple Sec; pour the mixture over ice; and garnish it with fresh summer fruits (most people use slices of orange, apple, and lemon though you could add cherries or grapes too). The beer-based libation is yellow (not red), pairs nicely with grilled meats, and should appeal to brew fans more than wine snobs. It's probably best served in a pitcher, rather than by the glass, if only so you can have seconds and thirds without needing to make a new batch every time.
For 26 more sangria recipes, check out the Epicurious.com cocktail collection.
Source: “Cocktail Trend of the Moment: Sangria Old and New,” James Oliver Cury, Epicurious, August 6, 2008
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November 17, 2006
South African Chenin Blanc Gets American Rave
A South African Chenin Blanc from famed Stellenbosch producer Ken Forrester has been included in East Coast daily the Boston Globe's annual 'Best Value' line-up of ten wines.
The Ken Forrester Petit Chenin retails locally for less than R30/bottle while Bostonians adjudged it the very best white wine value available at under $10/bottle.
Proprietor Ken Forrester is thrilled with the accolade which, he says, highlights the quality aspect of the cool maritime terroir of the Scholtzenhof farm where the Petit Chenin hails from.
The Boston Globe article reads: 'A real surprise was the number of South African wines nominated -- three reds and three whites -- and how well they performed. The 2005 Ken Forrester Petit Chenin, surpassed all other white wines by appearing on all four tasters' top five lists. "I love the refreshing grapefruit bitterness I get in the finish," said Cappellano, the Formaggio buyer. The appeal of the South African wines seems to lie partly in their pure, uncomplicated drink ability and partly in their uncanny ability (more pronounced in reds than whites) to convey a genuine sense of place. It's a combination that wines from Australia and South America in the same price category are hard pressed to match.'
Five other South African wines made the initial 50-strong shortlist from which the top 10 were chosen. These are:
Hill & Dale Pinotage 2003 ($9)
MAN Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 ($10)
Excelsior Paddock Shiraz 2005 ($9)
Teddy Hall Chenin Blanc 2005 ($9)
Louisvale Chardonnay 2006 ($10)
Source: “American accolade for SA Chenin Blanc,” WineNews Editorial Team, November 17, 2006
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November 08, 2006
WBW #27 ICE WINE, The Assignment
The challenge or better the assignment for this WBW is Ice Wine. The questions: How to express the differences between virtually the same wine, the Atlantic Ocean separating two continents and two varietals of like style, though? The “what do you get for twice the bucks,” i.e.: Grans at $100.00, the JT at $40.00 comparison?
Having a fair selection of Mosel-Saar-Ruwer wines of varying styles and ages–I thought: why not put this Canadian VGA Ice Wine up against a German QmP-TBA Eiswein?...
After all the assignment was for Ice Wine and I think they still consider Eiswein to be in the same family?...
Is it alphabet soup or hundreds of years of tradition vs. Canadian Marketing? What to pare and taste these like mined wines with? Solution: I simply paired them both with Foie gras, fresh sliced fruits and light delicate desert cake ...
Well enough pretense, lets learn a little bit about these two wines before we dive into their revelations...
The Grans-Fassian winery founded in 1624, is situated next to the bend in the river Mosel between Leiwen and Trittenheim, one of Germany's most beautiful landscapes. Here wines are produced with uncompromising measures, as only is done along the Mosel–intense fruit with fine elegance with not too much alcohol, but as is known rhe wines from Auslese and Eiswein are high in quality and of an overpowering fullness and sensational richness.
Grans-Fassian make QbA's for every day up to and including the precious Eiswein and Trockenbeerenauslese wines, which we are discussing here today.
Maturation: Careful selection of the grapes in the vineyard, temperature controlled fermentation, long lees contact, individual maturation either in stainless steel or oak barrels gives the wine its clean taste which shows the harmony of terroir and grape very clearly.
Eiswein, Beerenauslese - and Trockenbeerenauslesen - Noble-Sweet:
The peak of the pyramid: These wines with their lively bouquet of peaches, apricots and tropical fruits and an ever so slight hint of petrol offer a unique taste experience, which makes them exceptional wine worldwide.
REVIEW:
2004 Grans-Fassian, Gold Cap Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Leiwener, Riesling Eiswein; $100.00, (97 points.)--APPEARANCE: Brilliant light lemon gold deep within the bowl, slightly lighter at the rim; NOSE: Clean pronounce fruit, complex floral, oak and mineral: loquat; apricot, tropical citrus and pineapple, wood and slate; PALATE: Saturating layers of pineapple, apricot, tropical lime and mineral;
CONCLUSION: Superb light TBA Eiswein, concentrated, lightly dancing about the senses, pinpoint flavors of apricot, pineapple, lime and an aluring hint of minerality reveal as layer after layer of complexity linger on a very, very long finish.
ADDITIONAL TASTING NOTES: The Fassian: jumped right in with the Foie–extending the richness pointing the flavors; the light sweet tropicals danced through the senses as it minged with the delicate textures of the cake.
The winery is a member of VDP (Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter), the association of the 200 top wine markers of Germany.
Their Vineyards Sites & Size:
Leiwener Laurentiuslay (Nr. 324)
Trittenheimer Apotheke (Nr. 315)
Piesporter Goldtröpfchen (Nr. 298)
Contact:
Gerhard Grans, Weingut Grans-Fassian, Römerstraße 28, D-54340 Leiwen, Germany
Tel. 0049-6507 -3170
Fax 0049-6507 - 8167
Grans-Fassian Winery–(click here)
GOOGLE MAP THIS: Gerhard Grans, Weingut Grans-Fassian, Leiwen, Germany--(click here and paste the previous line)
Jackson-Triggs Niagara Icewine
The Harvest:
The grapes for the Jackson-Triggs 2004 Proprietors’ Reserve Vidal Icewine were harvested December 27th and January 15th at 39.5º Brix from select vineyards in the Niagara Peninsula.
The Vineyards:
The Niagara Peninsula like Burgundy, Oregon and New Zealand, is considered a cool climate viticultural region. The Jackson-Triggs Niagara Estate winery produces premium wines you would associate with these world-class regions, but with their own distinctive characteristics based on the unique terroir (soil and geographic qualities) of the area. Premium quality grapes flourish around Niagara-on-the-Lake because of the warming and cooling influences of Lake Ontario and its proximity to the Niagara Escarpment.
REVIEW:
2004 Jackson-Triggs, Proprietors' Reserve, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Vidal Icewine ; $40.00, (87 points.)--APPEARANCE: Bright medium gold, clear at the edge color deepens toward mid bowl; NOSE: Clean, rich tropical fruit greet the nose–mango, starfruit, papaya, passion fruit, apricot, citrus and musty earth; PALATE: Powerful plush baked fall fruits and pineapple, honied acidity earthiness, not a bad balance, either; CONCLUSION: Delightfully plush, but lacking focus--just difficult to get hold of, smooth textured moderately long finish. A fine low alcohol medium sweet wine.
ADDITIONAL TASTING NOTES: The JT--not enough acid to cut in and join with the Foie; the honeyed earth overshadowed the delicate essence of the cake, but it was all gone by the end od the night...
More About The Vineyards of Jackson-Triggs:
The 11.5 acres of meticulously tended vineyard at the Jackson-Triggs Niagara Estate have been planted with the finest vinifera clones and rootstocks - custom grafted in France. The vineyard features three classic varietals: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Riesling. Our winemakers also work very closely with a number of carefully selected grape growers in the Niagara region to augment their supply of premium vinifera grapes such as Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Gewürztraminer and Sauvignon Blanc. All of these major varietals are showcased at the front of the winery in a demonstration vineyard which forms part of the visitor's tour.
Delaine Vineyard
In partnership with his wife, Elaine, Jackson-Triggs' co-founder and proprietor Don Triggs purchased just under 100 acres of prized fruit land along the Niagara Parkway. First planted in 1999, the vineyard is called Delaine Vineyard. Formerly an apple orchard, Delaine Vineyard is dedicated to provide premium quality vinifera grapes for Jackson-Triggs' Niagara Estate winery. The 100 acre vineyard also serves as a research centre and is dedicated to maximizing fruit quality by tracking the impact of different clone and rootstock combinations, pruning techniques, soils and climatic conditions on a range of grape varietals.
Overseen by Elaine and assisted by vineyard supervisor Scott Jones, Delaine Vineyard is taking a visionary approach to viticulture in the region. The majority of grapes planted here are red varietals including Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Syrah. The white varietals - Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewürztraminer and Semillion - complete the vineyard.
The first ultra-premium wines of the 2001 vintage from Delaine Vineyard were released for sale in very limited quantities, under the Jackson-Triggs brand in the summer of 2003.
Wine making
The naturally frozen grapes for our Vidal Icewine were pressed at an average of -10°C thus enhancing the varietal’s sweetness and concentrated aromatic flavours. This was followed by fermentation in stainless steel to preserve the wine's intensity.
Food Pairings
Serve slightly chilled on its own, with fresh fruit, foie gras, rich paté or a selection of fine cheeses.
Product Information:
CSPC# (375 mL): 594010
Cases Produced: 4500
Technical Analysis:
Alcohol/Vol: 10.3 %
Residual Sugar: 228 g/l
Dryness: 23
Total Acidity: 11.5 g/l
Release Date: July 2005
Contact:
2145 Regional Road 55, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON, L0S 1J0, Canada
Jackson-Triggs Website–(click here)
GOOGLE MAP THIS: 2145 Regional Road 55, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON, L0S 1J0, Canada--(click here and paste the previous line)
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EXERCISE CONCLUSIONS: What more does $60.00 get you?: 10 points and more sensory experience than should ever be enjoyed alone...
A way fun and hopefully informative WBW, this writer hopes, and thanks to Lisa Leutheuser--aka Kitchen Chick for the idea and all her hard work putting this together–Thanks again Lisa!
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October 11, 2006
DUTTON-GOLDFIELD 2004 Russian River. Dutton Ranch, Chardonnay: REVIEWED
THE WINE:
2004 brought had an early bud-break, and a warm summer and harvest season. It was a
year where the old vineyards of Green Valley showed their worth.
THE VINEYARDS:
Dutton Ranch farms over sixty unique, separate vineyards located in the coolest areas of the Russian River Valley, primarily in the Green Valley appellation.
The vineyards they choose are based on their desire to offer wines with fruit intensity, great acid structure and richness to show well even after full barrel and malolactic fermentation. Mill Station, Rued, Schwartz and Sullivan are all old vine (greater than 30 years), old clone vineyards located in the cold heart of Green Valley. Morelli Lane Vineyard, planted to the Hyde clone of Chardonnay, is located high on top of Stoetz Ridge on the west side of the valley, just to name a few...
THE WINEMAKING:
The individual lots were barrel fermented using a combination of indigenous and inoculated yeast strains. They undergo malolactic fermentation, and the lees are stirred twice monthly. The blend is assembled, with the primary lees, in early spring, and continues to age in French oak barrels through the summer. At Dutton-Goldfield they choose their barrels to emphasize the fruit and vineyard characteristics of the wine, rather than showcasing the oak itself. The wine was bottled unfiltered in early fall after approximately ten months in barrel.
THE REVIEW:
2004 DUTTON GOLDFIELD Russian River. Dutton Ranch, Chardonnay; $35.00, (92 points.)--APPEARANCE: Brilliant pale lemon-gold in color and intensity; NOSE: Clean, pronounced grape aromas of citrus, fruit, floral and spice--bright citrus, ripe green apple, pear and stone fruit–tropical: pineapple and star fruit, citrus blossom, light spicy oak; PALATE: Dry, crisp, full, balanced backbone of citrus is overlaid by a core of complex pronounce pear, stone fruits, spice and mineral–very long and revealing even more on the finish!
CONCLUSION: This is an exciting Russian River Chardonnay rich in tropical citrus, fruit, spice and floral greet the nose, all carry through on the palate revealing layers of sophistication accented by a bright mineral signature and a long complex layered lime, tangerine finish.
ADDITIONAL TASTING NOTES: This exciting wine will pair well with the most indulgent foods–from pâtés and fresh mozzarella to escargots, salmon and fettuccini Alfredo. Especially CowGirl "RED HAWK" cheese... (download .PDF version)
APPELLATION: Russian River Valley – Green Valley
VINEYARDS: Mill Station, Morelli Lane, Rued, Schwartz, Sullivan
ALCOHOL: 13.5%
TITRATABLE ACIDITY: 0.56 gm/100 ml
PH: 3.49
WINEMAKING: 100% barrel fermentation, 100% malolactic fermentation, lees stirred twice monthly.
BARREL AGING: Aged 10 months in French oak barrels (50% new barrels)
WINEMAKER: Dan Goldfield
CASES PRODUCED: 2,565
Contact:
Dutton-Goldfield Winery, LLC
825 Gravenstein Hwy.N., Suite 3
Sebastopol, CA 95472
Phone: 707.823.3887
Fax: 707.829.6766
Email: info@duttongoldfield.com
Website–(click here)
Other DUTTON-GOLDFIELD Reviews and Related Articles:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“DUTTON-GOLDFIELD ZINFANDEL: REVIEWED,” July 04, 2006
“NEWS FROM DUTTON GOLDFIELD:,” October 06, 2006
“Balletto Vineyards & Dutton-Goldfield Tasting Room Grand Opening,” August 06, 2006
“Dutton-Goldfield Tasting Room Grand Opening Celebration is this Weekend,” August 05, 2006
“A New Dutton-Goldfield Vineyard Goes In,” August 04, 2006
“Dan Dutton Pours at California Wine Merchant,” July 17, 2006
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October 03, 2006
Thomas Keller's French Laundry Gets Three Stars
Thomas Keller's French Laundry sole recipient of three stars in new Michelin Guide...
San Francisco Bay-area foodies just swallowed a bitter pill. Michelin, considered by many the definitive word on French gastronomy, yesterday released its Michelin Guide: San Francisco, Bay Area & Wine Country 2007, which reviews the region's restaurants and hotels. It awarded the coveted three-star rating to just one restaurant, the French Laundry, in Yountville, Calif.
The rankings place French Laundry chef and owner Thomas Keller in elite company. His New York restaurant, Per Se, also won three stars when the New York Michelin Guide was released last November, making Keller and French chef Alain Ducasse the world's only chefs with at least two three-star rankings (Ducasse has three stars for his New York, Paris and Monaco restaurants).
"It's a very special day. We're all basking in the beauty of it. It's an extraordinary day for the staff. These young people, and a lot of them are still in their twenties, they work 10, 12, 14 hours a day. They see the results when something like this happens. To get this kind of recognition is some of what we work for, Keller said."
Four other restaurants--Aqua and Michael Mina in San Francisco, Manresa in Los Gatos and Cyrus in Healdsburg--received two stars, while 23 received one star. By contrast, the New York Red Guide had four three-star restaurants.
According to Jean-Luc Naret, director of the Guides, five anonymous Michelin inspectors--three Americans and two Europeans--visited more than 1,000 restaurants since last November. Restaurants that receive stars are visited anywhere from two to eight times, said Naret, who noted that inspectors dined eight times at the French Laundry.
When Michelin announced plans in April for a San Francisco guide, its second in North America, local restaurateurs wondered if Michelin inspectors could adjust to the Bay-area dining scene, which is less formal than that of New York or France. The ratings will only renew those questions. "It's very interesting to see what the French think about American restaurants," said Gary Danko, chef and owner of Restaurant Gary Danko, which received one star. "We're very happy to be in the Michelin galaxy. It tells everyone the French are interested in what's happening here."
Still, Danko, one of San Francisco's most esteemed chefs, also added, "If Michelin wants to embrace the world, it needs to look at cultural differences."
Along those lines, the San Francisco guide has a relative absence of Asian restaurants. Of the 28 restaurants to receive stars, only two--Bushi-Tei in Japantown in San Francisco and Sushi-Ran in Sausalito, are Asian. Similarly, in the New York guide, only two Asian restaurants received stars: one for Nobu and two stars for Masa.
Chef Michael Mina considers the two-star ranking an honor and a carrot. "I'm very happy for what we received," he said. "I feel French Laundry deserved three stars. It gives us something to strive for trying to get three."
Chef Laurent Manrique of Aqua, which also received two stars, took the ranking in stride. "I won't change anything about the structure of my restaurant. I'll push the staff in the kitchen to do better. I think what [Michelin] is looking for is consistency," he said.
The New York guide's four three-star restaurants were Alain Ducasse at the Essex House (which is soon to relocate), Le Bernardin, Jean Georges and Per Se. Four other restaurants were given two stars, and 31 received one star. Critics of those ratings suggested the judging criteria were too Francocentric for a city as cosmopolitan as New York. Of the four three-star restaurants, three have French chefs, and California native Keller's food reflects a strong French influence.
Source: “San Francisco Restaurants in the Red,” Daniel Sogg, Wine Spectator, October 03, 2006
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September 15, 2006
A New York Perspective On California Wine
The California wine industry sometimes seems to exist in two parallel universes. In one, the air is heavy with a smug sense of self-congratulation. Billionaires buy pieces of Napa Valley, charge $150 a bottle for the first vintage and want you to understand, by the way, that they do it all for charity. Earnest ideologues natter on about the terroir in their 16 cuvées of pinot noir, but the wines all taste the same. Hot young consultants notch more 95-point wines than Paris Hilton has boyfriends. It’s the gospel written by publicists.
The other universe is a more modest one, where a respect for the past tempers the can-do certainty. It’s a world where you realize that for all the accumulated knowledge of viticulture, winemaking and marketing, some forces are simply beyond control; where after 50 harvests or more it begins to dawn on you that, paradoxically, the less you think you know the more you begin to understand.
It’s this sense of accumulated wisdom that characterizes many of California’s visionary wineries like Ridge Vineyards and Mount Eden Vineyards in the Santa Cruz Mountains, the Calera Wine Company on Mount Harlan, Stony Hill Vineyard in the Napa Valley and Hanzell Vineyards here, on a winding dirt road that gently rises into the hills overlooking the city of Sonoma.
Though respected, Hanzell is rarely mentioned these days when people speak of California’s greatest wines. Yet year after year, Hanzell’s chardonnays have stood with California’s best.
And while California wines are frequently condemned as fruit bombs that have little sense of place and will not age, Hanzell, approaching its 50th vintage, has produced wines of subtlety and power that age beautifully and, above all, speak clearly of the vineyards that crown this hill on the southern end of the Mayacamas ridge.
On a bright, cool August morning, I sat down at the winery to taste 10 older vintages of chardonnay and 8 of pinot noir with Bob Sessions, who was Hanzell’s winemaker for 30 years, before he retired in 2002; Jean Arnold Sessions, the president; Michael Terrien, the general manager and current winemaker; and Alexander de Brye, the owner.
What makes these wines so distinctive? “Ageability is what we feel is the hallmark,’’ Ms. Arnold Sessions said. “You just can’t have a wine that is ready to drink now but will age for 20 years.’’ Mr. Terrien added, “Burgundy is about potential, while most California wines are about delivering the potential right away.’’ Indeed, young Hanzell chardonnays are clenched and coiled, but with, say, a decade, they start to open up.
A 1995, though still tightly wound, was beginning to exhibit a rich, tangy texture, while a 1991 was in its prime, full of citrus, apple, herbal and mineral aromas and flavors. A 1990 was rich and deep, more open than a 1986, which, though it showed floral and nutlike aromas, might have benefited from decanting.
A 1973, Mr. Sessions’s first vintage at Hanzell, was vibrant with anise, apple and pineapple aromas, while a 1965 had aromas of wet earth, mushrooms and hazelnuts and continued to improve in the glass for a full two hours.
Each wine had a lively energy and freshness that kept me going back to the glass for more, and showed distinct mineral aromas and flavors, qualities often hard to detect in California wines.
“Minerality is often a characteristic of wines made with restraint,’’ Mr. Terrien said. “I think a lot of minerality is covered up in wines by oak and other things.’’
While Hanzell is known more for its chardonnays than its pinot noirs, the pinots, too, are compelling for their unusual tannic power and the intense flavors that eventually evolve. Both a 1998 and a 1993 seemed too young, with piercing fruit aromas that were kicking like newborn foals.
But a 1981 had beautiful raspberry, strawberry, licorice and mineral aromas that were intense yet light, while a pale ruby 1974 was complex and harmonious. These pinot noirs demand patience to say the least.
Through his 30 years as winemaker, Mr. Sessions was determined to maintain Hanzell’s stylistic legacy though the winemaking world around him was changing. Now Mr. Terrien has taken on the challenge, even as Hanzell’s own world has changed.
In 2003 Hanzell’s 2000 chardonnay and 1999 pinot noir were found to be tainted with 2,4,6-trichloroanisole, the compound that causes musty aromas and flavors in corked wines. The taint was traced to its old cellar, and the wines were taken off the market. The winery was then in the process of building a new facility and moved its operations to the new cellar later that year.
But while the equipment has changed the Hanzell winemaking has remained steadfast. Years back, Hanzell was one of the bigger California wines, with alcohol levels hovering above 14 percent. It’s still in the range of 14 to 15 percent, even as many top California wines now surpass it.
Walking through the 42 acres of vineyards, where the gorgeous panorama can stretch all the way to the Golden Gate on a clear day, it’s easy to see why James D. Zellerbach, an industrialist and later an American ambassador to Italy, chose this site back in 1953 to plant six acres of pinot noir and chardonnay.
Mr. Zellerbach was not without ambition. California then had less than 100 acres of chardonnay and even less of pinot noir. But he envisioned his winery, which he named Hanzell Vineyards after his wife, Hana, to be a piece of Burgundy in the Sonoma Valley. He even modeled the facade of his winery on an ancient structure at the Clos de Vougeot, the historic Burgundian vineyard.
With an innovative winemaker, Brad Webb, Hanzell helped to revolutionize winemaking in the late 1950’s. It was the first winery to use stainless-steel temperature-controlled tanks for fermentation. Such tanks are now used all over the world. Hanzell also is credited with introducing French oak barrels to California, though only a third of the oak barrels it uses each year are new.
“We prefer a gentle oak pedestal rather than a slathering-on of flavor,’’ Mr. Terrien said.Mr. Zellerbach died in 1963, and the estate was sold to Douglas and Mary Day in 1965, then to Barbara and Jacques de Brye in 1975. Alexander de Brye, then a teenager, inherited the vineyard in 1991.
Perhaps in the face of change at the top, safeguarding the identity in the wines became that much more important. Or maybe it was simply a respect for tradition, an overused word that ought to be earned rather than seized.
“Now it’s our legacy to protect,’’ Mr. Terrien said.
Six (6) Bottle Hanzell Allocation $912.00–that’s 6 bottles of 2004 Chardonnay and 6 bottles of 2003 Pinot noir, thinking...
Source: "Gratification, but Not the Instant Kind,” Eric Asimov, New York Times, SONOMA, CA--September 13, 2006
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September 13, 2006
AV's WBW #25 --Billecart-Salmon 2003, Blanc de Blancs Champagne
The munch: dense organic carrot reason bread, fresh chevre (goat cheese), brandy XO sherry fig compote–drizzled with thick old balsamic vinegar.. This, and the wine that follows, simple soared across my mind and palate--a churning bubbly, tart, sweet, supple, sensuous dance of oral delights...
right click image to enlarge:
The Wine: 2003 Billecart-Salmon, Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne; $70.00, (89 points)--APPEARANCE: Very light straw, small persistent sparkling fine bubbles non-frizzante; 
NOSE: Honey suckle, ginger flower, sweet yeast bread dough, green apple boldly greet you; PALATE: dry, tart, lean, crisp and well balanced yet creamy smooth–layered with sweet yeast and tart green apple; CONCLUSION: very intense and concentrated, still sharp about the edges, will better with a year or few in the cellar to round out. A very good ‘03 blanc de blancs, having been fermented in it’s own bottle...
Thank you Sam Breach over at “Becks & Posh” for hosting this one!
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August 12, 2006
Wine: India’s New Best Business Venture
Wining and dinning seems to have cast a charm on the growing middle class of India as importing fine wine is deemed as the next best thing to happen to emerging business ventures.
With the middle-class sector contributing to the highest section in India?s population, this business idea may not seem too bad for global entrepreneurs as the tastes of the country's fast-growing middle class for a bottle of Chardonnay has found itself a place in one of the '12 best new business opportunities in the world' compiled by a Fortune group magazine.
Envisaging a growth of nearly ten-folds in the wine sector, the Business 2.0 magazine, a part of global media giant CNN-Time Warner Group, also mentioned another growing segment in India as an apt business opportunity; creating an advertising network for the country's mobile content developers.
Neddless to say, the mobile industry in India has witnessed success in leaps and bounds over the past couple of years. Though India's mobile content market is booming with the customer toll expecting to jump up 71 percent this year to $130 million, it nevertheless lacks an ad network to help invent all of those page views.
Needing an initial investment of $100,000 to half-a-million dollars, the business idea of creating an ad network for the mobile content market may seems risky in comparison with the wine import business accounting to less than $100,000.
Though India has already transformed into a chief destination for importing the United States, Australian, and other wine labels, the magazine also mentioned that the stringent regulations over investments across international borders could stand in the way of a successful venture and be the biggest entry barrier for Americans interested in starting a business overseas.
But with the duties and excise taxes on imported wine being slashed considerably over the past two years, the magazine also went on to mention that many countries are now relaxing their rules and the wine boom would largely bypass the domestic brands, as the country is too hot for serious viticulture. Also one does not need an import license and anyone can bring wine from abroad into a warehouse bonded by the nation's customs office.
Citing the example of startup Mads, the magazine used this three-person startup as an example for mobile ad networking. Founded by Ashu Mathura in Amsterdam, with an investment of about $100,000, the company focuses on writing software that collects ads and serves them on mobile Web pages. It buys ad space from content publishers such as ringtone sites, mobile game firms and then sells that space to advertisers.
Remodeling homes for China's burgeoning middle class, flipping mining claims in Bolivia, export of the planet's next great wines - from Greece, export of gourmet coffee from Rwanda, have been quoted by the magazine as few other great business venture ideas.
Source: “Wine and mobile: India’s best business venture,” Silicon India, NEW DELHI--August 12, 2006
Additional Articles:
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“WBW#22 Low Ball Red From India,” June 15, 2006
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July 26, 2006
Can Organic Be Trusted?
USDA doesn't always enforce regulations...
More and more shoppers are forking out extra money for organic foods to avoid chemicals, eat healthy and to support the environment.
But the USDA Organic label, stamped on everything from chocolate chip cookies to milk to mangos, may not be a mark the public always can trust.
Organic food is supposed to be free of most chemical pest killers, fertilizers, antibiotics, hormones, and genetic engineering. Organic farmers and ranchers must enrich the soil and be kind to animals; chickens should strut outside and cows should regularly graze.
But a Dallas Morning News investigation has found that the United States Department of Agriculture does not know how often organic rules are broken and has not consistently taken action when potential violations were pointed out.
“The USDA has failed to enforce the regulations,” said Jim Riddle, former chairman of the National Organics Standards Board and an appointed adviser to the USDA when the organic standards were enacted in 2002. “There have been no prosecutions of violations for the organic law yet. ... They’ve failed to take action.”
Though a small slice of the overall food market, organics is growing at 16 percent a year, while overall food sales are rising only 3 percent. They are forecast to continue that pace as big grocers, most recently Wal-Mart, expand their organic offerings.
Barbara Robinson, the USDA executive who oversees the National Organic Program, said her small staff struggles to keep up with the booming industry.
“When you have eight or nine people and everybody wants something, you try to do a little bit of everything.”
She said the label is as good as the people who are growing and monitoring the products.
“I don’t think there are any absolutes in the world anywhere. I think that’s kind of a ridiculous question,” she said.
Robinson acknowledged that the agency hasn’t fined anyone for misuse of the label, but she said certain products have been ordered to yank it.
Retailers say the label is their cue that products are authentic.
“If you buy an organic product at Wal-Mart, you can trust that it is USDA-certified. But I would not be able to speak to whether those are the right standards or the wrong standards. We are retailers; we are not agronomists or scientists,” said Wal-Mart spokeswoman Gail Lavielle.
The organic program monitors at least 20,000 organic growers, ranchers, processing plants and others worldwide.
Texas looms large in organics with more organic land than any other state. It is also home of one the nation’s biggest organic companies, Dean Foods in Dallas, which distributes Horizon Organic dairy products and Silk soymilk. Whole Foods of Austin is the largest organic retail chain. Representatives from both companies say they take measures to make sure their products are organic.
USDA officials say the organics label is a selling point rather than a mark of nutrition. The dietary benefit of organics is the subject of dueling debate. However, shoppers often view organic food as an investment in their health.
About 66 percent of U.S. consumers buy organic products occasionally, according to a 2004 survey by the Hartman Group, a consumer research company. Almost half said they bought organic for their health and nutrition.
Those surveyed said having children was the most significant reason to go organic.
But the Dallas Morning News found the following reasons that organic shoppers may not be buying what they think: —A review of 216 internal USDA audits shows several examples of violations at organic farms and production plants. However, reports about problems that are supposed to filter up to the agency from on-the-ground monitors are incomplete.
—Much organic food is produced overseas where there is even less oversight. Inspectors in China, for example, describe obvious violations that are not well-tracked or known by the agency.
—Vague rules leave much to interpretation, especially when it comes to treatment of animals.
Organics is full of true believers, farmers and food processors who go above and beyond what they’re required to do. But they worry about organic scofflaws making a bad name for the whole industry.
“There’s definitely people who don’t follow the rules,” said Conner Updike, who grows organic beans and squash in central Florida.
He uses chicken manure to fertilize his crops, but he has heard that some people cut corners and use ammonium nitrate — a banned fertilizer — that costs half as much and is hard to detect.
“It’s not fair to me,” he said. “I’m trying to obey all the rules and then someone else cheats.”
The Washington State Department of Agriculture, for example, discovered a fruit farmer who applied banned chemicals to his orchard and a mint grower selling regular mint under the organic label.
A Canadian certifier cried foul when inspectors found chickens at a Manitoba poultry producer that had no access to the outdoors, as required in organic laws.
Among 268 complaints released by the USDA, about 50 were products erroneously claiming to be organic or falsely using the label. The USDA ordered them to stop.
Problems continue to crop up, but there’s no way for the public to know how many cheaters there are.
The Dallas Morning News requested in April records of all violations regarding individual farms, ranches and handlers. USDA officials said they could not provide the documents for at least six months.
Officials said it would take that long to collect and organize the information, though organic program rules mandate the USDA make violation information available to the public on the program’s Web site. But after four years, Robinson said her staff hasn’t had time to make that happen.
The USDA does not know how many violations there are because it is missing information from those who are supposed to police the industry at the ground level.
The agency collects information from 56 certifiers in the United States and 40 in foreign countries, usually state-run agencies or private companies. Farms and processing plants can choose any USDA-approved certifier.
A banana from Ecuador or rice from southeast Texas can carry the USDA label only if a certifier has given approval. Certifiers hire inspectors to walk through fields, interview plant workers and comb through records. The certifiers are then supposed to notify the USDA when there are problems.
However, The Dallas Morning News reviewed hundreds of audits of certifiers that show many violations. Yet the USDA has never yanked or suspended a certifier’s accreditation, despite auditors’ recommendations to do so.
Auditors, from a separate USDA branch, wrote that certifiers approved food producers despite evidence that banned chemicals were used. Some gave approval without conducting inspections. USDA officials would not discuss the individual audits. It’s unclear whether officials addressed problems auditors pointed out. But several audits note the same problems with the same certifiers year after year.
Inspectors, organic farmers and certifiers themselves say they know some cut corners.
Sam Welsch, owner of OneCert, a certification agency in Lincoln, Neb., said some companies hire the cheapest inspectors, not the most qualified.
“Even if one organization is doing a bad job, and a fraud issue would come up, that’s bad for the whole industry,” he said.
Whole Foods is a certified organic retailer. This special status requires the chain to make sure labeled products have documents to back them up. Whole Foods also tracks food back to its producers, said Joe Dickson, organic programs coordinator for the company.
About 40 percent of organic farms and handlers are in foreign countries, including 300 farms and processing plants in China.
Wal-Mart used some Chinese organic soybeans in its private label soymilk. They’ve also been in Silk, the popular soymilk brand from WhiteWave.
The United States has 2.2 million organic acres; China has 8.6 million. Almost 90 percent was certified in 2004, which raises a red flag with Riddle, who said it’s questionable that China could have transitioned farmland that quickly.
China has a history of dousing fields with chemicals.
Fred Gale, a senior USDA economist who has researched Chinese agriculture, said it was “almost impossible to grow truly organic food in China.
“The water everywhere is polluted, and the soil is contaminated from industry and mining, and the air is bad.”
Despite concerns about China, Robinson said the USDA only is responsible for approving the certifiers and it is their job to check on Chinese farms or handlers.
The Organic Crop Improvement Association, a certifying agent in Lincoln, Neb., has given USDA Organic certificates to about 200 operations in China. Executive director Jeff See said his company has built trust with its producers since it started in China more than 12 years ago.
At Rizhao Huasai Foodstuffs Co., in China’s Shandong province, sales official Cui Min said workers sometimes use a fertilizer mix that includes human waste on their crops. It’s a common practice in China, but a clear violation of the USDA rules.
See, whose company certified Rizhao Huasai, said workers there signed an affidavit stating they follow the rules, including those regarding fertilizers.
Simply trusting the word of a farmer might not be fail-safe, said Gale, of the USDA.
In China “there have always been laws and regulations on the books, but you find a way around them,” he said.
Mutsumi Sakuyoshi, a Japanese inspector who has checked Chinese soybean fields for many of the world’s largest certifiers, said she confronted one farm’s workers after finding an empty plastic bag of herbicide.
Workers told her wind must have blown it from a neighbor’s field.
Another farmer gave her an affidavit stating the land under inspection hadn’t been used for at least three years. Sakuyoshi found the government official who stamped it and questioned its accuracy.
“He said, ‘No. I don’t know. I don’t care. They just asked me to stamp it, so I stamped it,”’ she said.
See said American farmers are more skeptical of Chinese organics because they’re a competitive threat to domestic producers.
“I wouldn’t say there’s probably never any problem with what OCIA has going on in China, but we find problems all around the world, even in the U.S,” he said.
Even when standards are upheld, there are concerns throughout the industry that rules are unclear.
One of many examples is a rule that livestock must have “access to pasture.” It doesn’t say how much, for how long, or how much of a cow’s meal has to come from leisurely munching.
Big dairies, such as Aurora Organic Dairy and Horizon Organic, were criticized by activist groups for running “industrial-scale” feedlots, where they said cows rarely roamed on acres of dry, stubbly grass. Both companies insist their cows do graze and met the requirements.
The debate triggered boycotts, and led to a lengthy discussion during the Dean Foods shareholders meeting in Dallas in May.
The National Organic Standards Board stepped in, and offered more detail, including a provision that cows must be on pasture for at least 120 days each year. It’s now up to the USDA whether to make the recommendation law. Representatives of both dairies said they support the precision.
Chris Grotegut is a farmer in the Texas panhandle who grows corn, wheat, soybeans and other organic crops used in products distributed nationally. He said enforcing clear rules is the only way to make consumers trust the organic label.
“That is a concern ... that credibility is maintained and people don’t look at (organics) as a way to turn a conventional product into a fast buck to cheat the system.”
COST OF ORGANIC
Consumers will sometimes pay twice as much for an organic product.
Below are comparisons taken from local stores, including Tom Thumb, Whole Foods and Wal-Mart.
Product, Organic price, Regular price Raisin bran, 29.3 cents per ounce, 16 cents per ounce Chicken breast, $8.99 per pound, $4.99 per pound Strawberries, $4.99 per pound, $2.99 per pound Baby food, 21 cents per ounce, 14 cents per ounce Milk, $3.50 per half-gallon, $2.47 per half-gallon.
Source: “Can we trust organic?,” Paula Lavigne, Dallas Morning News, 25, 2006
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July 06, 2006
Study Finds Sleep Aid In Wine Grapes
While melatonin exists in fruit skin, scientists are trying to find it in the final fermented product.
Widely used red wine grapes show possibility as a mild sleep aid, according to a new finding.
The finding, if proven, could open up a marketing opportunity for vintners. The Sacramento region has an expanding winemaking industry.
Researchers in Italy found that popular red wine grapes contain the sleep hormone melatonin. The alcohol in wine, long known to have a sedative effect, might be enhanced by melatonin in grapes.
Their results, published recently in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, also show that some varieties of wine grapes have much more melatonin than their cousins (for example, cabernet sauvignon has 75 times more melatonin than cabernet franc).
Wine grapes are a combined $152 million business in Sacramento, Yolo, Placer and El Dorado counties, according those areas' 2004 crop reports. In Lodi, one of the state's fastest-growing wine regions, the number of wineries has increased to 62 from eight the past 15 years.
Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland, which is located in the brain and "helps get your body ready for sleep" said Dr. Michael Kelly, medical director of the south Sacramento Kaiser Permanente Sleep Lab.
The body's production of melatonin is triggered by the setting sun, so that it eases you into sleep when it becomes dark. When daylight arrives, melatonin production ceases, helping you wake up.
Most animals also use melatonin to help regulate their sleep cycles, but plants don't sleep. So the question is: Why do grapes make melatonin?
"It's not that surprising" that grapes produce it, said Doug Adams, a professor at the UC Davis Department of Viticulture and Enology. Studies have found melatonin in everything from rice to St. John's wort. There are plenty of plants that make chemicals that change people's behavior such as coffee beans and opium poppies.
Despite the finding that melatonin is in grapes, there is no proof that it makes it through the fermentation process and into the finished wine. Melatonin may be just like sugar, which disappears during the fermentation process.
If it does make it into the bottle, melatonin will join a long list of beneficial compounds in red wine, including powerful antioxidants that give wine its red color, vitamin C and resveratol, which has shown promise in battling cancer.
Adams said melatonin is made from tryptophan, an essential amino acid, so called because it's one of the few that humans need but can't produce on their own. They can obtain essential amino acids by eating foods that contain them. Just a few quick biochemical changes turns tryptophan into melatonin.
Tryptophan already gets a bad rap at Thanksgiving for causing post-meal "turkey nap." The tryptophan in turkey is rumored to cause drowsiness, presumably by being the raw material for making melatonin.
While alcohol is a sedative, its effects are short-lived. Kelly advises that "it might help you to get to sleep, but you might end up waking up two hours later."
Because of the longer lasting sleepiness that it induces, melatonin is often prescribed for patients with sleeping problems, but in doses about 1,000 times higher than what was found in the grapes in the study.
Franco Faoro, one of the study's authors, has some reservations.
"We think that even if melatonin is present in wine, the effect of the alcohol would be much stronger."
Faoro's team is now trying to find out whether wine contains melatonin.
Source: “Sleep aid in wine grapes, study finds,” Charlie Emrich, Sacramento Bee, July 5, 2006
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May 31, 2006
France Makes 'Massive' Moves In China Markets
France is planning an aggressive marketing campaign for China, with 'massive' supermarket launches to capitalize on initiatives already in place, French ministers announced at Vinexpo in Hong Kong.
Has the U.S. missed this new market? Will the large wine consortiums get there soon? AvenueVine will keep you posted!
The French are already actively encouraging the domestic wine industry in China, minister of agriculture Dominique Bussereau said, by which they hope to raise overall wine knowledge and consumption.
France has already established initiatives including wine education, joint partnerships with Chinese wine companies, and setting up experimental vineyards to expand viticultural knowledge in China.
But, foreign trade minister Christine Lagarde told delegates, 'The portion of the market France has in China is relatively limited and we want modify that.'
Lagarde outlined a 'matchmaking' initiative, which in November will introduce 1,000 small and medium sized French companies to similarly sized businesses in China. 'French products will be launched massively in large supermarkets, so that Chinese consumers can be better acquainted with them.'
She said that retail stores would be included in the program, showcasing premium French wine, food, fashion and design. Lagarde says that the time is right to promote French wines harder, because the level of wine understanding in China has improved.
When asked about competition from New World countries in Asia, Lagarde dismissed the threat.
"French wines are the first wines on this market. We are still the leading wine makers in China and in Asia, so clearly other players from the New World are trying to nibble at our market share and to borrow from our success."
Lagarde's Vinexpo visit was followed a day later by Dominique Bussereau, French minister of agriculture, who said, 'It is of the absolute importance for us to be here. Asia is one of the leading markets of the future.'
According to figures provided by the IWSR, China represents the largest market for wine in Asia—and its thirst for imported wine has increased 150% since 2000. Imports are expected to double to 2m cases by 2010.
Source: “France to go 'massive' in China,” Felicity Carter, Decanter, May 25, 2006
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May 24, 2006
2004 Halleck Vineyard Gewurztraminer, Russian River Valley, Piner Creek–REVIEWED
A family one acre site, Halleck Vineyard is perched above the Russian River watershed and flanked on the west by the slopes to the Pacific Ocean. It commands an expansive view of the rolling Sonoma County hills to the northeast.
The primary intent for this vineyard was to serve as a college fund for our three boys, Connor, Adam, and Quinn. Of course, a passion for Pinot led the charge.
I first tasted Halleck Vineyard wine at a number of the Russian River Events–“2005, Pinot On The River”--for one. We, the wines, the Hallecks and I met again at the COPIA’s "Artisan Wineries Tasting" on April 22, 2006–another time I was pleasantly suppressed by the wonderful quality, aroma and spirits of their wines.
Now that I have had the opportunity to sit down and formally taste their Russian River Valley Gewurztraminer I figured you folks might like to hear about it!
THE REVIEW:
2004 Halleck Vineyard Gewurztraminer, Russian River Valley, Piner Creek; $30.00, (90 pts.)--APPEARANCE: Bright pale lemon green; NOSE: Clean, pounce youthful grape aromas of tropical fruit, floral, spice and mineral--grapefruit, lycee, passion fruit, garden flowers and stone; PALATE: Dry, (very much so) crisp, soft and full, pronounced tropical fruits, Asian spices and wet stone.
CONCLUSION: Tropical citrus, fruits that bloom with layered complexity, rich, full, floral, mineral yet crisp and refreshingly long lingering, dry minerallity--this is a really wonderful wine.
I immediately went looking for oysters, sea food and sushi--the fruity highlights of the wine’s richness and dry acidity with the Uni is fantastical! (.PDF version)
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WINE SPECIFICATIONS:
Varietal: 100% Gewurztraminer
Appellation: Russian River Valley
Vineyard: Piner Creek Ranch
Harvest Date: 8/31/04
Brix: 23.4
TA: 6.2 g/l
Residual Sugar: less than .05%
Alcohol: 13.4%
Fermentation Time: 16 day
Fermentation Method: tank fermented
Filtration: Sterile filtered
Alcohol: 13.4%
Cases produced: 110
Release date: June 2005
Price: $30.00
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THE PEOPLE AND CRITTERS:
Ross Halleck
Ross Halleck founded Halleck Design Group in January of 1980 as one of the preeminent creative services agencies in Silicon Valley.
In pursuit of mutual passions, Ross focused the agency in both the high technology and wine industries, opening offices in Palo Alto and Sebastopol.
Companies such as Ironhorse Vineyards, Lambert Bridge Winery, Beaulieu Vineyard, St. Supery Vineyards, Raymond Vineyards, Davis Bynum, HP, Agilent, Sun, and ConAgra have worked with Halleck in the interest of enhancing their brand relationships with their customers.
Ross and Jennifer moved to Sonoma County in 1991, with a singular vision to develop a Pinot Noir vineyard in the Sonoma Coast region. Once they got married, they dedicated their efforts in the vineyard to putting their future children through college. Halleck Vineyard promises to deliver on that commitment. Although it depends on the schools their three boys select ;-) Ross understands the wine business from earth to glass.
He also sits on the Boards of the Silicon Valley World Internet Center, Diamondhead Ventures and Sonoma County Legal Aid.
Jennifer Halleck
Jennifer has been the brains and brawn behind the Halleck Vineyard. While birthing and raising their first son, Connor, Jennifer researched rootstocks at local nurseries. Stumbling upon a single line entry in the yellow pages, she met John Caldwell, who set the cornerstone for Halleck Vineyard's future success. He introduced Jennifer to the Dijon clones. During the 1992 Napa Valley Wine Auction, Ross and Jennifer tasted barrel samples of Pinot Noir from Saintsbury. Delighted by what they experienced, they inquired to discover the Dijon clones 667, 777, and 116. These were what they purchased from John. With the vineyard well underway, Jennifer took a short stint in the tasting room at Sebastiani Vineyard. She moved from Sebastiani to J Winery, where she still works part time. She commands another part time job with West Coast Wines, a distributor of boutique wines, in field sales.
Jennifer holds a teaching credential, a parenting credential and is a budding sales person.
Blaze
Born and bred in Oregon as a bird-dog, Blaze, our German Short-haired Pointer, joined the Halleck Vineyard family with a mission: CHASEING AWAY THE TURKEYS. He is thoughtful and consistent in this effort. He can be attributed to at least an extra case of wine per year. His primary challenge has been to care more about the turkeys than his tennis ball. While he will never achieve this focus, we love him anyway and continue to throw the ball for him.
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April 12, 2006
(WBW #-20), Wine Blogging Wednesday No. 20--AvenueVine's Decantation
The theme: White wines other than Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Riesling.
The date: Wednesday, April 12, 2006–just a little late!
The world of white wines is dominated by Chard, Sauv Blanc, and Riesling, and while those are all terrific varietals, they obscure the many delicious white wines made from other grapes. My mission, as I choose to accept it, was to find a wine made from one of these "non-Big Three Whites," assignment due on April 12, 2006.
The 20th edition of Wine Blogging Wednesday, is being hosted by Wine for Newbies (thanks!)
Ok as I’m starting just a little bit late with this one–picked up a couple slices of cheese cake and some big red strawberries as Moucat crackled to my mind, dinner was long an afterthought so desert was my last option. I thought, but only for a minute, about an Italian sparkler made from same, but post rainy day and t he need to sleep non-carbonated pushed mr to the brink.
I’d had smatterings of this wine at various tasting(S), but never have I just sat down with a bottle and formaly tasted it.
So let it be this night of WBW - #20 that I do--cheese cake, pen, pad and key-board. at the ready.
Wine Review:
Beaulieu Vineyards Muscat de Beaulieu California NV; $12.00--APPEARANCE: Bight, medium peach gold in intensity and color. NOSE: Clean, medium aroma intensity of fruit and mineral: pear, apricot, stone and candied honey. PALATE: Medium sweetacidic, semi full, light fruit and mineral, high in alcohol–medium finish. CONCLUSION: Inexpensive California non-vintage Muscat of average quality.
ADDITIONAL NOTES: Lightly fruited, medium bodied, drops into an acidulated tin oxide parsimoniously finishing semi sweet desert wine.
About “BV”:
When Fernande saw the land she exclaimed “Quel Beaulieu” which in French means beautiful place, thus Beaulieu Vineyard® was named. This new venture for the de Latours was timely. In fact, Napa Valley had been suffering because of a vine-destroying louse called phylloxera. Thanks to Georges’ knowledge of the cure for phylloxera - resistant rootstock that he would import by the millions over the next decade - prosperity would return to Napa Valley, and Georges would soon be a most influential and well-known figure.
As the St. Helena Star wrote in May, 1911: "When it comes to quality, California is greatly indebted to Mr. G. de Latour, of Rutherford, who for some years has imported hundreds of thousands of the choicest French grafted vines, which have been planted in all the important vineyards of the State."
Fortunately, the next year he was able to buy the old stone winery across the road, a facility that had been built in 1885 by former California Senator Seneca Ewer. Almost immediately, Georges added a new wing with more vats and barrels to accommodate his increased production. Within the next ten years, he expanded the new BV winery three times, and volume grew to more than one million gallons.
When Prohibition was repealed in 1933, Georges de Latour had become a wealthy man, and his facilities were thoroughly up to date. He had never completely ceased making regular table wines, and had been aging them patiently in the cellars, waiting for the widely flouted laws to change. When the day of repeal finally came, BV was ready to recommence offering wines to the general public.
Good Medicine! Let’s not forget a round of thanks to the Godfather of WBW–none other than: Lenndevours. Oh, and the cheese cake was great!
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April 03, 2006
Grgich Hills 2003, Napa Valley Chardonnay--Reviewed
I had an incredible Chardonnay last night–2003, Napa Valley, Grgich Hills Cellars. I was making some mushroom spinach risotto with poached skinless, boneless chicken breasts.
As I was sauteing the shallots and garlic I opened the bottle and poured a glass–setting it on the stove next to me. Both to taste and throw into the rice. I hadn’t tasted it yet as it was still to cold, just out the frig...
And a LUCKY* purchase?
While I was stirring the saute which was filling the room with garlic and sweet onion smells--up from the counter and into my nose came this wonderful Myer Lemon--sweet citrus aroma. I was knocked back with surprise! Wow! As if the wine’s first breath from the bottle stated its authority–I couldn’t grab my steam fast enough, still to cold to be appreciated fully, I tasted it–great body, succulent acid, layers of fruit, creamy softness, fig, pie spice and nuts unfolded as it warmed.
I immediately augmented my receipt to include some fresh lemon, both juice and zest!
Wine Review:
Grgich Hills 2003 Napa Valley, Chardonnay; $38.00, (89pts.)--APPEARANCE: Bright, medium deep gold in color rim to core showing prominent legs. NOSE: Clean, with pronounced aromas of grape, fruit, spice and just a hint of oak: citrus, Myer lemon, Granny Smith apple, Bartlett pear, melon, drying figs; nutmeg, hazelnuts, and hints of vanilla. PALATE: Dry, crisp, balanced against light soft tannins; pronounce flavors of fruit: apple, Pear, fig and spice; soft yet full hints of mineral.
CONCLUSION: Finishing layered, moderately long, crisp and refreshing, nuts, spice and citrus linger.
ADDITIONAL NOTES: Wonderful food wine accentuated by citrus, fruit that blooms layered against mineral, nut and vanilla on a lingering finish.
About the Wine:
Alcohol: 14.1% by volume
Fermentation: 100% barrels; no malolactic fermentation
Harvest date: Sept. 19-25, 2003
Sugar: 24.1° Brix
Bottling date: August, 2004
Release date: December 25, 2005
Residual sugar: .25%
Total acid: 6.6 g/L
pH: 3.37
Time in oak: 9 months
Type of oak: French barriques; 80% new, 20% one year old
Case production: 21,770
P.O. Box 450 • 1829 St. Helena Highway • Rutherford, CA 94573
Phone (707) 963-2784 • Fax (707) 963-8725 • www.grgich.com
*Note About LUCKY Purchase:
A few weeks ago I was picking up some essentials, toilet paper, dish soap, etc., at the local supermarket. I was perusing the wine isle and nearly fell over a shopping basket full of bottles labeled sale, or discontinued, or something like that. Anyway I gave it a quick look and noticed a single green topped wine bottle in amongst the half gallon vodkas, bourbons, gin, various Cabernet and the like bottle–so I grabbed the green wine bottle and looked for the label–no label? I spun it around, saw the “grocery-liquor” price label: $6.99.
I read the words “Cellared and Bottled by Grgich Hills Cellar–and $6.99 again!!! Immediately I went back down the isle to check out what Grgich Hills were on the shelves. It was surprised to find that the ‘04 Chardonnay had a different style lead. I felt sure it was a Chardonnay–although an ‘03 Fumé Blanc would be a cool find, too!
Next I headed for the check out line and the UPC code reader. Yep--2003 Chardonnay–score!
Was it the risotto, or the price that made it taste so good? Maybe, but still this was a very good Chardonnay–especially that it fit so well with food. I highly recommend this wine, it should be good for a couple more years.
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March 20, 2006
TERROIR 2006 REPORT FOR DAY ONE:
Sunday - March 19th--2:00-5:00 PM Registration–Picked up our official badges, information packets.
Opening Session:
Clare M. Hasler–a sharply dressed, eloquent speaker–welcome all in attendance and expressed the efforts that had gone into the planning and creation of this event over the last eighteen month. Clare is the Executive Director of the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science at UC Davis. The rest of the evening Clare did poignant introductions for rest of the sessions speakers–consisting of:
Kenneth Verosub, Professor, Department of Geology, UC Davis–the nexus for the idea of this conference. He told us how he’d goten the idea for this conference while attending a geology conference in Italy. Well really while on the three day field trip through the Italian country side observing geology, drinking the local wines and enjoying the local fare.
He said he came back to Davis and proposed this idea to the faculty and they said: go ahead and do it! And for the last 18 months has though abot nothing but since then to now!
He also took the time to thank all the sponsors and supporters–(I’ll list these later in my updatet.)
Our special guest speaker: Margrit Biever Mondavi, Robert Mondovi’s wife, Robert Mondavi Winery. She was wonderful–they’d, Robert and she, had just returned from a cruse along the Central American coast. She greeted us all and delivered Mr. Mondavi’s wishes we all enjoy the material that would be presented throughout this week. She said he’d be joining us later this week and with that officially pronounced the “Terroir 2006" conference should begin.
Opening Speaker:
Alain Carbonneau, from the Institut des Hautes Etudes de la Vigne et du Vin, Montpellier, France:
"Terroir: a French Word and Concept, as Old as Wine and Vine are, as New as Man, Mind and Technology are"
(I will type up my 7 pages of notes covering his wholly encompassing oration on Terroir
leaving us all anticipating the weeks talks to come.–UPDATE SOON–NEED TO TAKE ADDITIONAL NOTE BOOKS!)
After his superbly informative talk we adjurned to the area just behind the lecture floor for the fist of many wine receptions and Mixers.
Heaps of food, when my eyes fell upon the fruit tray I thought I was at the old Nut Tree for one of their famous ‘invitation only’ art openings. Huge, brilliant red strawberries, plump sweet raspberries; on to the next food station--of the dozen or so--spicy meatballs, then the obligatory ‘Min-Burritos and those bit sized little tasty chicken chunks. My plate was way full for a first round--now for some wines to wash it all down with.
Courtesy of Robert Mondovi Winery: 2003 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon–APPEARANCE: Deep, dark, ruby red in color and hue; moderately leggy. NOSE: of cassia, berry, mineral, floral and oak greet you–blackberry, violet and anise are revealed. PALATE: Wonderfully smooth tannins, well balanced, and earthy ripe fruit. CONCLUSION: moderately long finish of berries and spice–a great wine with all the foods at the munches table! And their 2004 Napa Valley Fume’ Blanc–APPEARANCE: Brilliant, clear a tinge of green. NOSE:tropical fruits jump out at you, melon, floral and wet stone–honeydew, pineapple, a Hawaiian Leigh and just a touch of toast. PALATE: incredible balance, sparkling crisp fresh fruit dancing on your toung. CONCLUSION: Refreshing to say the least, crisp, yet soft and smooth–moderately long with a elegant slate finish. A real hit with all the goodies!
Time to make my way home, type this up and get some sleep before what looks to be a full on interesting and info packed tomorrow.
I’ll keep you posted and work on updating this over lunch tomorrow. Night, ‘er is it morning?
Posted by fortna at 04:24 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 16, 2006
Bordeaux Wine Bureau Unveils 100 Classic, Contemporary and Affordable Wines; 2006
The Bordeaux Wine Bureau (www.bordeauxwinebureau.org), on behalf of the Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux (CIVB), has announced the dates for a three-city winemaker tour and the 2006 list of Today's Bordeaux: 100 Classic, Contemporary, and Affordable Wines.
Winemaker Tour to Visit New York, Chicago and San Francisco
This is the first tasting of its kind held in the United States. The three-city winemaker tour features Today's Bordeaux wines that are priced $8-$25 and were selected by an independent jury in a blind tasting from over 300 wines. These tastings are open to licensed members of the trade only.
-- Tuesday, May 9, 2006: Metropolitan Pavilion, New York, NY
-- Wednesday, May 10, 2006: W Chicago Lakeshore Hotel, Chicago, IL
-- Friday, May 12, 2006: Clift, San Francisco, CA
View a list of Today's Bordeaux and RSVP at www.bordeauxwinebureau.org.
Today's Bordeaux: 100 Classic, Contemporary, and Affordable Wines were chosen by an independent expert jury comprised of Mary Ewing-Mulligan, MW, President of International Wine Center; Daniel Johnnes, Wine Director of Dinex Group; and Kevin Zraly, author and educator of Windows on the World Wine School. These wine experts tasted more than 300 wines blind, including red and white, sweet and dry, nominated by retailers and importers across the country.
Bordeaux is internationally recognized as the standard by which Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc are judged. "Approximately eighty to eighty-five percent of our production is in the $8-$25 price ranges," said Christian Delpeuch, president of the CIVB and Director General of Ginestet, a major Bordeaux negociant. "This is wine for every budget and all occasions."
About the Bordeaux Wine Bureau
The Bordeaux Wine Bureau is the public relations representative for the CIVB in the United States. Created in 2005, the Bureau is managed by Benson Marketing Group, an agency devoted exclusively to the wine industry, with offices in New York and Napa Valley. The CIVB was founded in 1947 and represents 10,000 Bordeaux producers and 400 negociants.
Contacts:
Benson Marketing Group
Sarah Jones, 707-254-1114
jones@bensonmarketing.com
Ross Wassermann, 212-786-6082
wassermann@bensonmarketing.com
Source: “Press Release; Benson Marketing Group, March 13, 2006
Posted by fortna at 07:18 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 14, 2006
Deadline March. 31, 3006 For Pacific Coast Oyster Wine Competition
The 2006 Pacific Coast Oyster Wine Competition is now accepting entries from producers in British Columbia, California, Idaho, Oregon and Washington for its annual competition. Until the Mar. 31 deadline, wineries are invited to submit oyster-friendly white wines.
A panel of food and wine writers (including Tina Caputo of Wines & Vines), restaurateurs and retailers will select 10 winners for the Oyster Award. Preliminary Judging will take place in Seattle Apr. 4-10. Five veteran judges will select 20 wines for the final competition to be held Apr. 25 in Los Angeles, Apr. 26 in San Francisco and Apr. 27 in Seattle. Combined scores from 12 local judges at each venue will determine the winners, which will be announced Apr. 28.
The competition is sponsored by Taylor Shellfish Farms of Shelton, WA. and organized by Jon Rowley of Jon Rowley & Associates, Seattle, Wash.
To enter, visit the Web site oysterwine.com
or
contact Jon Rowley at rowley@nwlink.com.
Posted by fortna at 01:36 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Deadline March. 31, 3006 For Pacific Coast Oyster Wine Competition
The 2006 Pacific Coast Oyster Wine Competition is now accepting entries from producers in British Columbia, California, Idaho, Oregon and Washington for its annual competition. Until the Mar. 31 deadline, wineries are invited to submit oyster-friendly white wines.
A panel of food and wine writers (including Tina Caputo of Wines & Vines), restaurateurs and retailers will select 10 winners for the Oyster Award. Preliminary Judging will take place in Seattle Apr. 4-10. Five veteran judges will select 20 wines for the final competition to be held Apr. 25 in Los Angeles, Apr. 26 in San Francisco and Apr. 27 in Seattle. Combined scores from 12 local judges at each venue will determine the winners, which will be announced Apr. 28.
The competition is sponsored by Taylor Shellfish Farms of Shelton, WA. and organized by Jon Rowley of Jon Rowley & Associates, Seattle, Wash.
To enter, visit the Web site oysterwine.com
or
contact Jon Rowley at rowley@nwlink.com.
Posted by fortna at 01:36 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 03, 2006
St. Helena Wine Laboratory Expands Genetic Detection Capabilities
ETS Laboratories is pleased to announce the addition of Dr. Richard DeScenzo to the microbiology and molecular biology services team. Dr. DeScenzo has degrees in Plant Biology, Pathology and Entomology. His fifteen years of experience in applied genetic analysis come from posts at the USDA and E. & J. Gallo Winery.
"The addition of Rich to the molecular microbiology team will greatly advance our development efforts," says Torey Arvik, Ph.D. "We are gratified to share in his expertise and we look forward to the continued success of our Scorpions(TM) tools as sample numbers grow."
Since introduction of genetic detection services at ETS Laboratories in 2005, daily requests have more than doubled in number. The increased demand for real-time genetic detection of wine spoilage microorganisms is due to the unmatched speed and accuracy of Scorpions(TM) compared with standard methods. ETS is the sole worldwide licensee of this molecular technology for wine industry application.
ETS continues to meet the wine industry's analytical needs by providing the highest standards of analytical data, quality assurance, customer service, and client confidentiality. ETS offers courier services in Napa and Sonoma counties, and a convenient night drop box for after-hours samples. Scorpions(TM) results are reported within 48 hours.
Located in St. Helena - Napa Valley, ETS offers wineries and suppliers access to the most modern and technically rigorous analytical methods available in industry. ETS is the only independent wine analytical reference laboratory accredited by the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation to ISO 17025 quality standards.
Source: “ETS Laboratories Expands Capabilities for Genetic Detection in Wine,“ Press Release, March 2, 2006
For more information, www.etslabs.com (Real-time Genetic Detection)
Posted by fortna at 01:49 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
February 22, 2006
Australia Drinks New Zealand Dry
It seems Australians have an unquenchable thirst for foreign drops, New Zealand wines make up 30 per cent of Australian wine imports.
Australians are squeezing New Zealand dry of every drop of its Sauvignon blanc when three people independently turn up to a summer barbie toting Marlborough Sauvignon blanc. Even more unusual, all three bottles were from the same maker, Giesen, which has been aggressively marketing itself in this country of late.
Me? I brought an Aussie Pinot Noir, because someone has to be an individual.
There's no doubt that the Sauvignon Blanc phenomenon has helped propel the Kiwis into top spot in Australian wine imports. In 2004-05 we took 9.7 million liters of wine off them, worth a tidy $88 million. It wasn't all Sauvignon Blanc; there was the odd Pinot noir and Chardonnay in there too.
The Kiwis now control 30 per cent of the Australian imported wine market by volume (the French dominate by value with a whopping 41.2 per cent of the market).
Which prompts the question - what makes a successful imported wine?
Importer Alan Nelson of Winestock probably comes close to a definitive answer when he says he looks for wines that we can't duplicate or make better here. They have to be original: that way they stand a chance of developing a following.
This might explain why we continue to get a kick out of champagne but find it hard to muster enthusiasm for Chilean Cabernet or Greek Chardonnay.
New Zealand Sauvignon blanc is the blockbuster of Nelson's non-European stable, with Seresin Estate ($24 under the Nelson portfolio) and Lawson's Dry Hills ($20 under his Winestock range) the top performers.
Nelson's biggest European seller is Alsatian producer Trimbach, which makes a range of frighteningly good aromatic whites, from Riesling to Pinot Gris and Gewürztraminer, from $28 to $40 a bottle.
These aren't cheap, but fortunately for Nelson, the Alsatian style is different enough from our own offerings to make them stand-out and stand-alone wines that drinkers are willing to pay more to experience.
At CellarHand, importer Patrick Walsh says his biggest seller reflects this stand-alone philosophy and is also price savvy.
His biggest mover is Dr Loosen Dr L riesling, an entry-level German riesling priced about $20-$22 a bottle.
"We have found that if we can get a wine into a restaurant so they can do it at $8 a glass - that is, at a comparative price point (to an Australian wine) - then it does very well," Walsh says.
As much as the Italians are hitting sixes with their wine sales, No. 2 by volume in Australian imports, there is one barrier that frustrates importers: pronunciation. We just can't get our lips around all those Montepulciano d'Abruzzos and schiavas.
That's possibly why the biggest Italian successes are - and will continue to be - easily pronounced wines such as chianti and soave.
That's certainly the case with importer Maurizio Ugge at Arquilla, where Burchino Chianti Superiore ($19) and Tamellini Soave ($21) are his best sellers in red and white wine respectively.
Ugge suggests the Burchino Chianti has also enjoyed success because it was chosen for its appeal to the Australian palate.
And that is?
"It's easy drinking like most Australian wines," he says, "and goes quite well with food, like most Italian wines."
Originality, competitive pricing and adapting to Aussie tastes all help explain why wine imports are rising. In 2004, the volume of imports increased by 9.5 per cent to 18.7 million litres. During that time their value increased by the same percentage to $152.4 million.
The biggest winner was sparkling wine. It now represents 25.5 per cent of all imported wine.
A fair slice of that market is champagne.
Champagne, as we know, doesn't come cheaply, but it is perhaps the greatest example of the stand-alone wine without peer. We can't do without it.
Domaine Wine Shippers reports that its biggest import is Billecart- Salmon, a small champagne house where the excellent non-vintage will set you back about $65. Its selling point? "It's a great aperitif," says DWS boss Gary Steel. That it is.
There is another reason why more of us might be drinking non- Australian. Campbell Stott, imported wine manager at Dan Murphy's, reckons it is screw-caps.
"The screw-cap allows the wine to arrive here in the freshest condition."
I've worked hard in the last 12 months to get 80 per cent of our imported wine under screw-cap," he says. "It's got to do with the oxidization factor from shipping wines from all over the world. If the wine is under screw-cap it's just showing better."
His biggest import is a Sauvignon blanc, but it's not from New Zealand. Montes Sauvignon blanc ($8.99) hails from Chile and Dan Murphy's sold 8000 cases of the wine last year. Dan's has exclusive rights to the brand in Australia, which helps. Another star was a rosé, Pascal Delaunay Rosé d'Anjou ($9.99) from the Loire, which sold 5000 cases. These are very tidy numbers indeed.
Now, you might expect imported wine sales to take a hammering now that Aussie wine makers have more wine than they can handle and are off-loading it at ridiculous prices.
But not one importer I spoke to showed any signs of being spooked.
Far from it. They were uniformly upbeat about the future, principally because they have the utmost confidence in us. Imported wine from the entry-level $10 and $20 bottles to the more expensive are now part of our established drinking diet.
Which just goes to show that we're no