Michael Broadbent and the Dance of the Seven Veils

I wish I could write as eloquently as Michael Broadbent, the British wine critic. Take his latest contribution to Decanter magazine in the July issue where he writes about a 1985 Lafite tasted at a recent dinner. His style is simply inimitable:

“Initially unassuming but beautifully balanced, surprisingly deep, though not too New World deep, its bouquet unfurled. On the palate too, like the Dance of the Seven Veils, layers of flavour were revealed, finally reaching perfection. Modestly titillating but not erotic.”

I just love his regular column in Decanter. It's usually the first piece that I read as soon as I receive the magazine and now I can't wait for the August issue. By the way, I also wished I was there when he tasted that 1985 Lafitte.

Technorati tags: wine food & drink

Italian Wine Tasting

This was the annual wine tasting and fundraising dinner for the Band and Orchestra department of our school. For the event, I had prepared a selection of wines that I thought would best showcase the wide diversity of the Italian production. We started with two whites and some antipasti, followed by four reds served with beef braised in wine and a cheese platter. Finally, a sweet passito wine and an almond and apricot cake ended the dinner and an extremely enjoyable evening.

The wines we tasted:

• 2006 Ermacora Tocai Friulano: Tocai Friulano is a white grape native to the Friuli region of Northeastern Italy. The wine is produced by Azienda Agricola Ermacora, a small family owned winery in the Colli Orientali del Friuli district, just a few miles from the Slovenian border. My notes: light yellow color, ripe pear and sugar cane aromas on the nose, fresh acidity on the palate, mineral finish. Great with Prosciutto con Melone.

• 2006 Malvirá Roero Arneis Renesio: Arneis is a rare and, until recently, almost extinct white grape cultivated in the Roero area of the Piedmont wine region. Malvirá is a small family estate in Roero. The name Malvirá relates to the former location of the winery, which faced north instead of south: mal stands for wrong and virá for situated. My notes: straw color, flowery nose. Slightly fizzy at first, the wine has more body and complexity than the Tocai Friulano. Really good.

• 2005 Vietti Barbera d'Alba Tre Vigne: the Vietti family has been making wines in Piedmont's Barolo region since the middle of the 19th Century. The Barbera d'Alba Tre Vigne comes from 35 year-old Barbera vines sourced from three estate vineyards in Monforte, Barolo and Castiglione Falletto. My notes: bright red color, spices and black cherry on the nose, juicy on the palate, extremely well balanced and food friendly. Very good with the braised beef.

• 2005 Morgante Nero d'Avola: Nero d'Avola is one of the main indigenous grapes of Sicily. The wine is produced by Morgante, a winery located in the province of Agrigento, on the southern coast of Sicily. The property has 200 hectares of vineyards and almond trees growing at 300-500 meters above sea level. My notes: plum and prune on the nose with some dried herbs notes, savory and creamy on the palate, cinnamon and moka on the finish. Tasted wonderful with braised beef as well.

• 2005 Bibi Graetz Grilli di Testamatta: Testamatta means hot head and Bibi Graetz, an artist that has become a winemaker, makes his wines in a powerful style. This Super Tuscan is a classic Tuscan blend of 80% Sangiovese, 10% Colorino, 10% Canaiolo. My notes: dark color, rich berry nose, dense on the palate. Still very young, needs more cellaring time.

• 2004 Cesari Amarone della Valpolicella Classico: Amarone is a unique red wine from the Valpollicella wine region, in the province of Verona. It is made of grapes (usually a blend of Corvina, Rondinella, and Molinara) traditionally dried on straw mats. This drying process, which typically lasts 3 months, concentrates the juices within the grape and intensifies the flavors. My notes: dark color, nose of sweet plum, rich and spicy on the palate with notes of cinnamon, long finish, perfectly well balanced and really good with aged Parmesan cheese. Perhaps my favorite red wine of the evening.

• 2004 Colosi Malvasia delle Lipari Passito: Malvasia delle Lipari is produced in the Lipari Island, the largest of the Eolian Islands. It is made from overripe Malvasia grapes that are then sun-dried for 10 to 15 days on large bamboo mats. My notes: deep golden color, aromatic muscat-like nose, luscious palate with a vibrant acidity. Superb with the almond and apricot cake.

We all had such a great time and were ready to meet again next year for another Band and Orchestra fundraising dinner. As for the theme, the decision was unanimous: Spanish wines. Not a problem for me, Spanish wines are awesome!

Technorati tags: wine food & drink

Wine and Cheese pairing

Which wine goes better with which cheese? Is red wine better than white white, dry wine better than sweet wine? These were some of the questions we were asking ourselves at our last wine club tasting party where the topic was wine and cheese pairing. In order to identify the pairings that worked well, we had four different kinds of cheese, each being paired with two different wines (for example a white and a red). At the end of the party, not too surprisingly, there was no single good answer, not a clear set of rules, just a wide range of personal tastes and opinions.



Here is what we tasted:

First cheese platter, hard cheese from the Alps made from cow's milk: Gruyère from Switzerland, Comté from Franche-Comte, and Beaufort from Savoie.



• 2006 Chignin-Bergeron Vieilles Vignes Domaine Jean-Pierre et Jean-François Quénard: Domaine Jean-Pierre et Jean-François Quénard is a 15 hectares estate near the village of Chignin in Savoie. Bergeron is the local name for Roussanne. The Vieilles Vignes cuvée comes from low-yield Roussanne vines that are at least 40 years old. My notes: golden color, sweet, fruity nose of apple and apricots, medium-bodied on the palate. Worked really well with the nutty flavors of the Beaufort.

• 2006 Vin de Savoie Arbin Charles Trosset L'Expression d'un Terroir: Domaine Charles Trosset is located in Arbin, not very far from Chignin. The domaine relies on a single grape, Mondeuse, which is the red grape of Savoie and also called Refosco in Northern Italy. The grapes are grown on steep slopes, with limestone and clay soils. My notes: garnet color, red fruit nose, light to medium bodied on the palate, some acidity, peppery finish. I personally enjoyed the light and fruity character of the wine with the cheese but some others were not too crazy about it.

Second cheese platter, soft cheese from Normandy made from cow's milk: Camembert and Pont-l'Évêque.



• Cidre Brut Clos Normand: Cidre with cheese! Many tasters could not believe this was possible. But if you think about it, this makes sense. Both Cidre and Camembert come from Normandy, and Cidre is certainly one of the most popular drinks in the region. My notes: The rich, creaminess of the Camembert calls for fruity white wines and in my opinion, it worked pretty well with the cider, although I would have preferred a non pasteurized, drier cider. The rest of the group was almost split in half: some loved it with the cheese, the others hated it.

• 2004 Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil Vieilles Vignes Joël Taluau: the Domaine Joël Taluau has 26 hectares of vines in the Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil appellation in the Loire Valley. The cuvée Vieilles Vignes is the flagship cuvée and comes from Cabernet Franc vines which are more than 35 years of age, some planted in 1934. My notes: bright garnet color, red berries on the nose, medium-bodied and good acidity on the palate, well balanced, spicy finish. Overall, a pretty popular wine. For me, this is the kind of red wine — fruity, not too tannic — that goes well with soft cheese.

Third cheese platter: semi-firm cheese from Spain and the Pyrenees, made from sheep's milk: Manchego from La Mancha, P'tit Basque from the Pyrenees, Etorki from the Pays Basque, and Ossau Iraty also from the Pays Basque.



• Emilio Lustau Dry Amontillado Los Arcos: Amontillado is a variety of sherry which is slowly oxydized through the slightly porous oak casks and thus gains with time a rich amber color. In Spain, the wine is traditionally served as an aperitif with olives, almonds, and cheese; My notes: although sherry is a traditional partner for Manchego, the room was split again on the wine. Sherry, with its rich nutty aromas, is definitively an acquired taste. As for me, the Amontillado Los Arcos is one of my favorite wines. Deep amber color, rich, luscious nose, bone-dry and nutty on the palate, and wonderful with the Manchego!

• 2005 Bodegas Conde Neo Sentido Ribera del Duero: Bodegas Conde is a relatively new winery in the Ribera del Duero appellation. The wine is made from Tempranillo vines that are over 50 years old. It is aged 6 months in one or two-year old casks made from American and French oak. My notes: dark color, nose of vanilla and black berry, rich, full-bodied on the palate. The wine was extremely popular and excellent with the Manchego and P'tit Basque.

Last cheese platter, blue cheese: Fourme d'Ambert, a cow's milk cheese from Auvergne, and Roquefort, a sheep's milk from the Cévennes.



• 2003 Maury Vintage Blanc Mas Amiel: Mas Amiel is the leading independent producer in the Maury appellation, between the Mediterranean coast and the Pyrenees. The wine is fortified and made from old low-yield Grenache Gris vines growing on schistous slopes. My notes: bright color, mineral nose with notes of dried fruit, light-bodied and crisp on the palate with just the right amount of sweetness. It actually worked really well with the Fourme, a cow's milk cheese that is fatter than the Roquefort.

• Buller Premium Fine Tokay: R.L. Buller is one of the quality leaders in the production of fortified wines from the warm region of Rutherglen in Victoria, Australia. My notes: amber color, orange marmalade and quince on the nose, extremely sweet, creamy palate with a nutty moka finish. In general, blue cheese, because of their saltiness, partner best with sweet wines but this one was much too sirupy and cloying for most of the guests. Retrospectively, I think that a Tokay from Hungary would have been better with a Roquefort.

Our next tasting event will feature a blind tasting like the one we had last year. This was a challenging but rewarding exercise and a lot of fun! This time, I promise, the wines I am going to choose will be easier to identify.

Previous wine club tastings:
•  Champagne Tasting
•  Tasting the wines of South America
•  Tasting Summer Wines from around the Mediterranean Sea

Technorati tags:: wine food & drink

Blind Tasting of Pinot Noir from Los Carneros and Anderson Valley

From time to time, we get together with three other couples for a blind wine tasting party. These parties are always a lot of fun and easy to organize. The hosting couple cooks while the rest of the group brings bottles according to a chosen theme. Before the tasting, we hide the bottles in homemade purple velvet bags and randomly pin letters to them so that nobody can guess their identity. At the end of the dinner, the wines are ranked and then unveiled, with sometimes some surprising results!

The theme of our last gathering was Pinot Noir from Los Carneros and Anderson Valley, two of California's coolest wine regions and well renowned for their Pinot Noirs. Here are the wines that we tasted:

• 2004 Ancien Pinot Noir Mink Vineyard Napa Valley: Ancien Wines is a winery dedicated to Burgundian varietals that produces small lots of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Mink Vineyard is actually not in Carneros but in Napa, an appellation better known for Cabernet than Pinot. But according to the winery's release notes, the climate in this relatively unknown area east of the city of Napa is similar to Carneros and the soil is unique — made up of a rocky/cobbly alluvial with underlying volcanic tufa. Our notes: dark color, sweet nose of cherry, strawberry, vanilla, and herbs. On the palate, liquorish, spicy, with some acidity. Medium finish. Overall, we enjoyed the wine and ranked it third with 15 points.

• 2005 Saintsbury Pinot Noir Los Carneros: Saintsbury Vineyard is a California Pinot Noir pioneer. With the release in 1981 of 2000 cases of Carneros Pinot Noir, the winery's mission has been to demonstrate that world-class Pinot Noir could made in California, especially in the Carneros District. Because it is bordered by the San Pablo Bay at the Southernmost end of the Napa and Sonoma valleys, Los Carneros is much cooler than the rest of Napa and Sonoma. In terms of wine style, Saintsbury emphasizes balance of tannin and acidity, as well as power and elegance without leaning toward the burnt jam style of Pinot that is sometimes found in California. Our notes: medium red, fresh cherry nose, notes of brown sugar, buttered toast, blueberry, and fig. One the palate, lively, earthy, smoky, Burgundian with a good mineral finish. The wine was everybody's favorite and came first with 10 points.

• 2004 Fotinos Pinot Noir Los Carneros: founded by a Greek family, Fotinos Vineyards is located in the heart of the Carneros District of Napa Valley. Since 1969, it is dedicated to growing Pinot Noir grapes exclusively. The greek coin on the label dates back to 480 B.C. with an engraving of Artemis, the twin sister of Apollo and the Greek goddess of the forests and the moon. For the Fotinos family, she represents the beauty of nature. Our notes: medium color, nose a bit closed with notes of fresh cherries. On the palate, young, some acidity, a bit green, mineral, hints of sardines, tannins on the finish. We gave 18 points to this wine, which finished in fifth position.

• 2005 Adrian Fog Pinot Noir Savoy Vineyard Anderson Valley: Adrian Fog is an exclusive producer of single vineyard Pinot Noir. It selects vineyards based on their cool climate, orientation to the sun, clonal differences, and age of the vines. Clones and blocks are picked, fermented, and aged separately. Picking, racking, and bottling are scheduled as close to the night of the full moon as possible and the winery recommends to drink Adrian Fog wine on the night of a full moon to enjoy it's full seductive essence. Unfortunately, maybe the night of our tasting was only a new moon, maybe the bottle was flawed for some reason, but we didn't like it at all. Our notes: dark color a bit cloudy, subdued, herbal nose. On the palate, acidic, green notes of cucumber pickles and sand gravel. The wine got 30 points, which placed it far behind the others.

• 2004 Londer Estate Grown Pinot Noir Anderson Valley: Londer Vineyards is located in the southwestern corner of Mendocino County, one of California's coolest areas. Adjacent to the Pacific Ocean, the vineyards are covered with a blanket of fog most summer nights. Then later during the day, the fog burns off and it becomes sunny and dry. With these conditions, the grapes slowly develop and ripen, which is ideal for growing varietals such as Pinot Noir, Gewurztraminer, and Chardonnay. The winery has 15 acres of Pinot Noir and an acre of Gewurztraminer mostly on south facing hills. Our notes: dark color, sweet fruity nose with notes of vanilla and burnt sugar. On the palate, some tasters found it nicely balanced, while for others it was tannic, alcoholic, aggressive. The wine finished in fourth place with 16 points.

• 2004 ZD Reserve Pinot Noir Los Carneros: founded in 1969, ZD Wines is owned by the deLeuze family. The ZD style is to craft rich, flavorful wines that reflect the varietal character of the grape. This wine comes from ZD's own deLeuze Family Vineyard in Los Carneros. The vineyard is dry farmed and has been farmed organically since 1996. It was officially certified in 1999. Prior to its release, the wine was aged for 15 months in small French oak barrels with minimal racking. Our notes: dark color, fragrant nose of sweet currant, notes of caramel, chocolate and clove. On the palate, rich, full-bodied, although not too pinot-ish, medium finish. Overall, the wine was very well received and was placed in second position with 12 points.

Previous blind tastings:
•  Blind Tasting of Grenache-based wines
•  Chardonnay Blind Tasting
•  Pinot Noir Blind Tasting

Technorati tags: wine food & drink

Allegrini Palazzo della Torre or La Grola, which one to choose?

Looking for an Italian red from the Veneto region, I found these two wines from one of Veneto's top producers, at my local
Beverages and More! store: the 2004 Allegrini Palazzo della Torre and the 2004 Allegrini La Grola. Since I could not decide which one to buy, I bought the two wines. Then later, we tasted them side by side in order to determine which one we liked the best.

Although both are from the same producer, the two wines seemed pretty different, on paper at least. The producer is Allegrini, a family estate making wines in the Valpolicella Classica area since the XVI century. Valpolicella or val polis cellae, meaning the valley of many wine cellars, is located in the Veneto region, north west of the City of Verona. The climate is generally mild and temperate. All of Allegrini's wines are produced from estate-grown fruit.

The Allegrini Palazzo della Torre comes from a vineyard of the same name, beautifully terraced with dry stone walls. The wine is a blend of Corvina, Rondinella, and Sangiovese made in an innovative ripasso style: 70% of the grapes are vinified immediately after the harvest, while the remaining 30% are left to dry until the end of December. They are then vinified and re-fermented with the wine from the fresh grapes.

The Allegrini La Grola comes from the La Grola vineyard, a 24.26 hectare vineyard located on a hill that dominates the entire Valpolicella area. It has a mixed terroir of alluvial origin, with volcanic soils at the foot of the vineyard, extending up the slope. The hill is well exposed to the sun and enjoys an ideal microclimate thanks to the influence of Lake Garda to the west and north and Mt. Baldo (Verona's highest mountain), which protects the area from the cold winds. The wine is a blend of Corvina, Rondinella, Syrah, and Sangiovese aged in French oak and does not use dried grapes.

Well, could we find any difference between the two wines? They had a dark red color and a nose of sweet plums, raisins, and spices. On the palate they were smooth and luscious with some nice acidity and a lingering finish. Was the La Grola slightly more aromatic and fuller-bodied? Hard to say, but we liked them both.

Technorati tags:: wine food & drink

Is your nose worth any $$$?

I think my olfactory abilities are pretty average. Of course, I love to taste good wines and appreciate the rich flavors of good food and I would be really sad if one day I lose the sense of smell. But I am not planning to do anything about it.

Some wine professionals have a different opinion: their nose nose is essential for their work.

“I thought it must be a horror to lose your smell,” says Ilja Gort, winemaker at Château de la Garde in Bordeaux. “It would mean that you cannot taste wine anymore.”

USA Today reports that Ilja Gort has insured his nose for $8 million.

“The custom policy covers Gort for the loss of either his nose or his sense of smell ” reports the newspaper, “and has some conditions for protecting his nose. Among other things, he is barred from riding a motorcycle or working as a knife thrower's assistant or fire-breather.

And he can't be a boxer.”

Here is the complete story: Winemaker's nose insured for $8M

Technorati tags:: wine food & drink

Champagne Tasting

In December, we had our traditional annual Champagne tasting. Tasting several Champagnes at the same time is a great way to learn and compare these wines that can have so many distinctive flavors. During the evening, we tasted seven different wines, including some made exclusively from Chardonnay, some exclusively from one single harvest, some exclusively from Premier/Grand Cru vineyards, the last one being a Champagne Rosé.

Champagne is a sparkling wine from the Champagne region produced with a carbonation method called méthode champenoise or méthode traditionnelle: after primary fermentation and bottling, a second fermentation is induced by adding yeast and sugar in the bottle. The bottle is then sealed and the wine continues to age for a minimum of 1.5 years to add complex toasty and yeasty flavors. When the aging process is complete, the dead yeast cells are removed and the bottle is corked.

Champagne is typically a blend of the three official varietals of Champagne: Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay. They are generally assembled from different vineyards and harvests. Still red wine from Champagne can be added to produce a Champagne rosé. Blanc de Noirs is a white sparkling wine produced entirely from black grapes. Conversely, Blanc de Blancs is made only from Chardonnay grapes and mostly produced in the Côte des Blancs.



The wines we tasted:

• Champagne Zoémie de Sousa Brut Cuvée Merveille. Champagne de Sousa is a 5.5 hectare property located in the heart of the prestigious Côte des Blancs with some vineyards classified as Grands Crus. Planting is 40% Pinot Noir, 10% Pinot Meunier, and 50% Chardonnay. Erick de Sousa who has been managing the Domaine since 1986, is now part of the absolute elite of Champagne growers-producers and his production is now been sought out by many gourmet restaurants. My notes: aromatic nose, fruity, assertive bubbles, good acidity. Great for the aperitif.

• Champagne Philippe Gonet Brut Blanc de Blancs: Champagne Philippe Gonet is a family champagne house with 19 hectares of vineyards in the heart of the Cotes de Blancs that are farmed using sustainable agricultural methods. This cuvée is 100% Chardonnay from the 2004 and 2003 harvests. Half the blend is made of fruits sourced from Grand Cru vineyards. My notes: light color, sour apple aromas on the nose, fine bubbles, crisp acidity. I found this one more mono-dimensional than the other Champagnes.

• Champagne Franck Bonville Brut Prestige Blanc de Blancs: Champagne Franck Bonville is a family enterprise making Champagne from fruit grown in the Grand Cru villages of Avize and Oger. This wine is a blend of the 2002, 2000 and 1998 vintages, all sourced from old vines from the estate Grand Cru vineyards. My notes: lighltly colored, aromatic nose, rich complexity on the palate, mineral finish. This crowd pleaser was indeed the winner of the evening!

• Champagne Leclerc Briant Les Crayères: Champagne Leclerc Briant cultivates 30 hectares of vineyards between the Montagne de Reims and the Marne valley, using biodynamic farming methods. The maturing cellars are made of over 1 km of galleries dug in solid chalk 30 metres underground. This blend is 38% Pinot Noir, 37% Meunier and 25% Chardonnay sourced from a single vineyard called Les Crayères (The chalk mine), an exceptional terroir: vines have deep roots in that very shallow soil followed by a deep subsoil layer of chalk. My notes: our first bottle was unfortunately flat, the second one was much better. Light golden color, apple cider aromas on the nose, a toasty and winey palate, dominated by Pinot flavors.

• Champagne Laurent-Perrier Ultra Brut: when no sugar is added during the second fermentation in the bottle, the Champagne is labeled Ultra Brut. This cuvée is produced by Champagne Laurent-Perrier, the largest family-owned Champagne House. The blend is 55% Chardonnay, 45% Pinot Noir sourced from Grand cru vineyards, and exclusively coming from very ripe harvests, in this case, 1995. A rigorous selection ensures that only grapes with both high sugar levels and low acidity are used. My notes: forward fruits on the nose with mineral notes, very distintive palate with a lot of depth, long finish. One of my favorite wines of the evening.

• 2000 Champagne Louis Roederer Vintage Brut: when the harvest is exceptional, a Millesimé or Vintage wine is declared. A Vintage cuvée is made with fruits from a single harvest and has to mature for at least 3 years in bottle. This wine is produced by Champagne Louis Roederer, one of the largest remaining independent Champagne Houses, owned by the same family since its foundation in 1776. It is a blend of 67% Pinot Noir and 33% Chardonnay sourced almost exclusively from the Roederer estate Grand and Premier Cru vineyards. My notes: expressive fruity nose, good acidity, clean flavors on the finish, but I have to say, I was slightly disappointed by this wine.

• Champagne de Castellane Brut Rosé: Champagne de Castellane was founded in 1895 by Vicomte Florens De Castellane, member of one of the oldest noble families in France. This wine is a blend of three grapes dominated by Pinot Noir, 15% of which being still red wine. My notes: light salmon color, pleasant fruity nose, fresh and delicate palate, slightly bitter finish.

For our next tasting event, we'll be pairing cheese and wine. Soft, hard, blue, cow, goat, sheep cheese: which wines will work the best with all these cheeses? Stay tuned!

Previous wine club tastings:
•  Tasting the wines of South America
•  Tasting Summer Wines from around the Mediterranean Sea
•  Guess the wine tasting
Technorati tags: wine food & drink

Tasting the wines of South America

The wines from South America was the theme of our last wine club tasting event. The selection included three wines from Argentina and four from Chile. The overall impression of the tasting was that many of the wines were big and some rather high in alcohol. These wines were also highly rated by wine critics —six out of seven were rated 90 points and above — showing that these South American wineries had been successfully positioning themselves for the American/European market.

Argentina
Although Argentina is one of the world's top five largest wine producing countries, quality-focused winemaking in Argentina has a young history. Not so long ago, most of Argentina's production was aimed at the local market. However, economic stability over the past decade has encouraged substantial investment — especially from foreign countries — and quality has drastically improved.

In Argentina, the winemaking region spreads along over 2,400 km at the foothills of the Andes. The region is dry and arid, a semi-desert with a wide thermal amplitude between day and night. Irrigation is essential and comes from the melting snow of the Andes. Here, altitude is one of the key factors to growing quality wine grapes. Vineyards are planted at between 2,500 and 5,000 feet to exploit cooler temperatures.

Chile
According to Chilean winemakers, “Chile is a paradise to grow grapes”. Wine has been made in Chile for centuries thanks to a unique combination of climatic and geographical conditions. Chile's wine regions are located in the broad valleys that lie against the Andes Mountains. In these valleys, the climate is generally hot and dry, although always balanced by cooling influences from the cold Pacific Ocean that is rarely more than 80km away.

Thanks to the Andes Mountains, a natural barrier against the invasion of diseases, Chile has never been attacked by the root louse Phylloxera. Therefore, vines can safely grow on their own roots. They can be planted by simply sticking cuttings into the ground without the burden and expense of grafting them on to resistant rootstock.




The wines we tasted:

• 2006 Colomé Torrontés Salsa. Torrontés is Argentina's number one white variety although it is practically unknown in other parts of the world. It produces fragrant and fruity wines with crisp acidity and plenty of body. Bodega Colomé is situated at 7500 feet elevation in the Salta wine region near the base of the Andes and is actually the highest altitude winery in the world. Their Torrontès comes from 80-year-old vines farmed using biodynamic principles. My notes: extremely aromatic, a hint of sweetness, medium-bodied, reminded us of a Viognier.

• 2006 Montes Sauvignon Blanc Leyda Vineyard: Viña Montes is a state-of-the-art winery from Chile that was founded in the late 1980s with the mission “to produce the best wines and continue opening markets and bringing the Chilean flag to all the world.”. Every bottle of wine is embossed with a seal that reads “From Chile with pride.” Today, over 90% of the wines from Montes are exported to over 70 different countries throughout the world. This Sauvignon Blanc comes from Leyda Vineyard located north of the Colchagua Valley and slightly cooler thanks due to its proximity to the Pacific Ocean. My notes: very fruity nose, aromas of citrus, crisp, pleasant.

• 2004 Montes Alpha Syrah Apalta Vineyard: The Apalta Vineyard is located in Chile's Colchagua Valley at fairly high elevation, some 40 miles from the coast. The weather is characterized by warm and sunny days and very cool evenings. My notes: purple black color, ripe fruit aromas on the nose, thick, woody, and alcoholic on the palate. Overall, was found bold and for some, unbalanced.

• 2006 Achaval Ferrer Malbec Mendoza: Achaval Ferrer is an Argentinean winery located in the Province of Mendoza, the country's largest wine region. The wine is 100% Malbec, Argentina's great red grape. Malbec is also one of the traditional Bordeaux varietals and the dominant red varietal in the Cahors appellation. Argentinian Malbecs are sometimes considered the best in the world. My notes: dark purple color, black fruit and pepper on the nose, some tannins and acidity on the palate. Nice yet not overly complex.

• 2003 Tikal Patriota: from the Mendoza wine region in Argentina, this is a blend of Bonarda and Malbec. Unrelated to the Piedmont grape Bonarda Piemontese, Argentina's Bonarda may be the same grape as Charbono a variety of French origin and imported from California. Bonarda is today the second most widely planted grape variety in Argentina after Malbec. My notes: dark color, rich fruity flavors, well-balanced with some complexity. One of my favorite wines of the evening.

• 2005 Arboleda Carmenère: Also a traditional Bordeaux varietal, Carmenère is currently the rising star of the Chilean wine industry. Because of its susceptibility to mildew and pests, it is rarely used in Bordeaux anymore and as of today, Chile produces the vast majority of Carmenère wines with more than 4,000 hectares cultivated. Arboleda, which in Spanish means grove of trees, is a company founded in 1999 by Robert Mondavi and Eduardo Chadwick of Viña Errázuriz. My notes: deep color, aromas of black fruit and bittersweet dark cocoa, smoky, round mouthfeel, dusty finish. Another favorite of mine.

• 2005 Casa Lapostolle Cabernet Sauvignon Cuvée Alexandre: The Marnier-Lapostolle family, creator of the Grand Marnier liqueur, founded Casa Lapostolle in 1994, purchasing an old wine estate in Chile's Colchagua Valley. The cuvée Alexandre is named after the owner's great-grandfather, Alexandre Marnier, who created Grand Marnier in 1880. It is a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot coming from non irrigated 60 year old vines. My notes: deep red color, black berries on the nose, firm on the palate with tannins. Seems too young to be drunk now for my taste, should age a little bit longer.

Our next tasting event is our traditional end of the year Champagne tasting. We'll have a great selection of wines, mostly from small Champagne growers so don't miss it!

Previous wine club tastings:
•  Tasting Summer Wines from around the Mediterranean Sea
•  Guess the wine tasting
•  Tasting the wines of Australia and New Zealand

Technorati tags: wine food & drink

Summer Wines from around the Mediterranean Sea

Our last wine club tasting event was in September, kindly hosted by my sister in law. This was our first gathering after the long summer break and it was great to see everybody again. And this time, in order to prolong our summer vacation memories, I had decided to select a set of summer wines from different Mediterranean regions.




So that day, we tasted 7 different wines, two whites, one rosé, and four reds, from Greece, Spain, Sicily, Provence, and Roussillon. Here are my notes:

• 2006 Sigalas Santorini Assyrtiko. Santorini is the southernmost and maybe the most beautiful member of the Cyclades islands in the Aegean Sea. It is a a volcanic island that suffered a devastating explosion around 1500 BC, leaving a huge, submerged caldera where the center of the Island had been. The island is covered with volcanic ash, lava and pumice stone, perfect soil conditions to grow vines. There is little rain during the year, except in winter. However, nocturnal moisture coming from the sea brings needed water to the vines. The dominant white grape is Assyrtiko, often described as Greece's best white varietal. Growing on the arid, volcanic soils of Santorini, the varietal is known to produce very distinctive wines. My notes: Light yellow color, aromas of white flowers on the nose, fresh acidity on the palate. The perfect summer sipper.

• 2003 Vin de Pays des Côtes Catalanes Blanc Domaine Olivier Pithon La D18: Olivier Pithon has been involved in winemaking from an early age. His Grandfather was making wines in Anjou and his brother is one of the best Loire Valley producers. The D18 cuvée was named after a local breathtaking road that goes through the Corbières mountains, west of Perpignan, and is based on a selection of the best slopes of White and Grey Grenache. My notes: yellow color, herbal nose, oxidized sherry flavors on the palate. Was the wine flawed?

• 2006 Côtes de Provence Rosé Château de Pampelonne: The wine comes from the ultra-trendy Saint Tropez peninsula. It's a typical rosé of Provence, blending Mediteranean varieties such as Tibouren, Cinsault, Grenache, and Syrah. My notes: light salmon color and aromas of citrus and red berries. On the palate, dry and crisp, with a mineral finish. Very well crafted, perfect with a Pissaladière or some Petits Farcis

• 2005 Descendientes de Jose Palacios Petalos del Bierzo : Bierzo is a small wine region in Northwestern Spain. The main variety is Mencia, an indigenous grape that was thought to be related to Cabernet Franc. The wine is made by Alvaro Palacios, one of Priorat's leading producers, and his family. My notes: 100% Mencia, dark purple color, peppery nose with notes of violet, thick with tannins on the palate, ripe fruits flavors, long finish. A serious wine.

• 2002 Benanti Etna Rosso di Verzella: The wine comes from the volcanic, sun-drenched, arid slopes of Mount Etna. It is a blend of Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio, the two main indigenous grape varieties of the Etnean region. The Azienda Vinicola Benanti is one of the best producers of the region and was recently awarded the Winery of the Year title at a Gambero Rosso event in San Francisco. My notes: medium red color, fragrant herbaceous aromas on the nose, fruity, slightly pruny, nice mineral finish. Extremely food friendly.

• 2003 Bandol Domaine de la Bégude: The wines of the Bandol appellation are considered the best of Provence. One of the reason for their special typicity is the high amount of Mourvèdre that has to be included in the blend (at least 50% for the appellation). The vineyard of the Domaine de la Bégude is situated at the top of the appellation, 400 meters above the Mediterranean sea. The vines are cultivated on terraces facing south. Their red Bandol is a blend of 85% Mourvèdre and 15% Grenache. My notes: red ruby color, nose of black currant and caramel, elegant and balanced on the palate, aromatic finish. Classy!

• 2004 Côtes du Roussillon Domaine Le Roc des Anges Vieilles Vignes: The Domaine des Anges is a 13 hectare estate located 30 kilometers northwest of Perpigan in the Côtes du Roussillon appellation. The vineyard comprises old vines of Carignan, Grenache Gris, Grenache Noir, Syrah, and Maccabeu growing on decomposed flaky schists, which allow excellent drainage and encourage the vines to form deep root systems. The Vieilles Vignes cuvée is a blend of 40% Carignan, 40% Grenache Noir, and 20% Syrah with an average vine age of around 70 years old. My notes: dark color, nose of ripe black fruits, rich and full on the palate, almost chewy. Should be perfect with a beef stew.

Our next tasting event will feature a selection of wines from Argentina and Chile. These two countries are making better wines than ever and they are still very affordable, so stay tuned!

Previous wine club tastings:
•  Guess the wine tasting
•  Tasting the wines of Australia and New Zealand
•  Tasting the wines of Piedmont

Technorati tags: wine food & drink

Beaulieu Vineyards Georges de la Tour Private Reserve Cabernet Vertical Tasting by James Strohecker

My friend James Strohecker was very lucky to attend a vertical tasting of Beaulieu Vineyards Georges de la Tour Private Reserve Cabernets. The event was organized by wine collector George Kautzman on September 6, 2007. Kindly enough, James is now sharing his tasting notes with us:

Overview

The Beaulieu Vineyards Georges De La Tour Private Reserve Cabernet tasting was a special, once-in-a-lifetime chance to sample some of the great Napa Cabernets from some great years: 1968-1976. Over the years, noted collector, George Kautzman, painstakingly acquired the Georges De La Tour Private Reserve Cabernets for the sole purpose of one day hosting vertical tastings of the wines.

The Georges De La Tour Private Reserve Cabernets were all 750 ml with generally high shoulder fills, and were pre-decanted between 5:15 p.m. and 6:15 p.m. prior to the 7:45 p.m. tasting. The wines were then blind tasted by the 11-person group, after they'd been bagged and offered to the tasters in flights of three, beginning with the youngest three wines, to the oldest three wines.

All of the Georges De La Tour Private Reserve Cabernets were purchased around the release date (generally five years after the vintage year) and original purchase price is provided as available (some bottles actually had the price tags still on them).

With regard to the (famous) 1968 vintage, the wine we tasted came from the last bottle of the second case of wine that George Kautzman had ever bought (his first case being a case of the Georges De La Tour Private Reserve Cabernet 1967 vintage). I think most of us expected this wine to knock us out of our seats and/or blow all the other vintages out of the water. The truth is, as you can read below, it didn't stand out as the highest-rated Georges De La Tour Private Reserve Cabernet of the evening.

In all, however, the majority of the wines from this era were still packed with Napa Cabernet clout; they opened up, and in some cases were remarkably edgy — but never flabby. This was simply a tremendous tasting, offered by a stellar host and collector, Mr. Kautzman.


General Notes

First flight: Great start; the 1976 vintage clearly stood out. These wines were an example of the fine Napa Cabernets that were produced by famed winemaker, Tom Selfridge.

Second flight: Only after we'd sampled the second flight, did George Kautzman read from the "White Book of California Wines", the bible on wine during that era. The 1972 Georges De La Tour Private Reserve Cabernet received a score of 11 out of 20. "The harvest was in rain and mud, with people gathering grape clusters in ankle-deep water ..." The 1972 Georges De La Tour Private Reserve Cabernet received a score of 16 out of 20.

Third flight: the best of the evening The surprise was that the 1968 Cab didn't stand out as the knock-down favorite. Feedback was varied. However, the 1969 vintage was vivid and solid; an unrecognized year with a tremendous output (from Beaulieu). Apparently, according to George Kautzman, his is not the first time that this Georges De La Tour Private Reserve Cabernet vintage has shown so well. It's been consistently great in tastings over the years.

Wine	Tasting Notes
Roederer Estate Sparkling Wine NV	Clean, dry, refreshing — with a perky finish on the palate. Azalea blossoms and rice nose. Opened up a bit — with more flowers and a finer finish.
Grgich Hills 1978 Napa Valley Chardonnay	Nice, with residual fruit and pear blossom nose. Good color, with a polished finish.
Kenwood 1979 Deltane Ranch Sonoma Valley Chardonnay	Very apple cider nose with a light, caramel finish. Color had changed to a cream soda look; nutty and Sauternes-like flavors on the palate.
Georges De La Tour Private Reserve Cabernets	(in order of flight tasting)
1974 Vintage	Full nose; completed; Man, this is polished; pushing to perfection; "medicinal nose." 4 votes for best. ($16.99 original price)
1975 Vintage	Latent palate finish; "edgy and unbalanced," a little barnyard with some chocolate, less finished or polished. A second (delayed) tasting of this brought this reaction from me: "A lot of character." ($12.95 original price)
1976 Vintage	This really sings; younger, with more bounce; Ummmm!; nice, nice finish. "Fresh fruit, nice and balanced." ($16.99 original price)
1971 Vintage	Wow, Surprising finish; "Only 1/3 the menthol as the 1973."
1972 Vintage	Polished; full; driven. Berry, with a bouncy finish and a smooth nose. Some choco-berry hanging in the palate.
1973 Vintage	Rich; classic; slight menthol nose.
1968 Vintage	Chocolate and Napa soil; tobacco and spice. "Trunk of the car wine!" Very firm and diverse; food friendly. Leftover "muscle memory" from a great year. But it's the right time to consume this wine — it's not going to get any better.
1969 Vintage	Plush. Awesome. Complete. Holding steady & expanding into berry land. Surprisingly excellent.
1970 Vintage	Very, very good; this is an epitome of the Cabernet; cigar box nose; fruit intact; a lot of open-field room to move. The favorite of the tasters for the evening

James Strohecker



Technorati tags:: wine food & drink

Guess the wines

Before Summer break, we had a special tasting event for our wine tasting club. This time, each wine had been transfered into a non related bottle to be tasted blind, and the guests were asked to identify the varietal and region of the wine. Everybody had fun, tried hard, and generally did well with several good answers. Nevertheless, our friend Jean, who was also hosting the event, was the best. He got half of the answers right and won the winning prize, a bottle of Champagne.




We tasted 7 different single varietal wines from different regions of the world including Australia, California, Chile, France, Italy, and Spain. Here they are:

• 2005 Fortitude Luvisi Semillon. Fortitude is a project developed by the Etude Winery winemaking team to focus on endangered varietals such as Semillon, Valdiguie, Charbono, and Carignane. This is a 100% Semillon from 25-year old vines grown in the Luvisi family vineyard near Calistoga in Napa Valley. Showing aromas of citrus and honey, the wine was medium-bodied and refreshing, and many tasters identified it as a New World Sauvignon Blanc.

• 2005 Step Road Chardonnay. The wine is produced from a high altitude vineyard in the Adelaide Hills region, in South Australia. It is a cool-climate region with high winter rainfall and cool summers, ideal for Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. The wine had a golden color, tropical fruit and citrus aromas and a good depth on the palate. Many tasters rightly identified the wine as a New World Chardonnay, the most cited regions being South Africa, California, and Australia.

• 2005 Valle Isarco Sudtiroler Pinot Nero: This is a Pinot Noir from the cool Alto Adige region in northern Italy also known as Sudtirol. The region is bordered by Austria to the north and by Switzerland to the north-west. The wine had a light garnet color, a fruity nose, with a good amount of acidity and slightly tannic on the palate. This light-bodied Pinot Noir was not easy to identify and many tasters thought they had recognized a Gamay.

• 2005 Fleurie Clos de la Roilette : the Clos de la Roilette is a nine hectare east-facing vineyard in Beaujolais' Fleurie appellation, bordering the famed Moulin-à-Vent appellation. The soil is clay and manganese, the vines are on average 25-33 years old. The wine is 100% Gamay with a deep purple color, peony and red berry aromas, a medium-bodied palate with a well-balanced acidity. This one was rightly identified as a French Gamay by many tasters.

• 2005 El Quintanal Vendimia Seleccionada: the wine is a 100% Tempranillo from Spain's Ribera del Duero region. In the Ribera del Duero appellation, vineyards lie on either side of the Douro river, on a high-altitude plateau with cool nights and low rainfall, ideal growing conditions for the Spanish native grape Tempranillo. With a deep color, a black fruit nose, a ripe and spicy palate, this was tricky wine identified as a California Zinfandel by many tasters.

• 2004 Los Vascos Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve: Viña Los Vascos, located in Chile's Colchagua Valley, is owned by the Domaines Barons de Rothschild-Lafite. Vascos means Basques and is a reference to the estate's Basque origin. This is a Cabernet Sauvignon with a dark red/purple color, black fruit and licorice aromas and a well balanced and elegant palate. Many tasters rightly identified the wine to be a New World Cabernet Sauvignon. The most cited regions were California, Argentina, and Chile.

• 2005 Ridge Zinfandel Ponzo Vineyard: Ponzo Vineyard is a cool-climate vineyard located in California's Russian River Valley. It has small amounts of Carignane and Petite Sirah interplanted with Zinfandel in the oldest blocks. The wine had a deep color, a blackberry and cherry nose, and a fleshy, spicy texture on the palate. Many guessed rightly recognized a California wine, a few identified a Zinfandel, others thought that it was a Syrah.


Our next tasting event will feature summer wines from around the Mediterranean Sea so let's stay in touch.

Previous wine club tastings:
•  Tasting the wines of Australia and New Zealand
•  Tasting the wines of Piedmont
•  Champagne Tasting

Technorati tags: wine food & drink