WBW #21 & IMBB #26: Summer Daube and Bandol

You may think that Daube Provençale, a hearty beef stew cooked in red wine, is not the right food to eat when it is warm and summery outside. But in fact, a lighter version of the dish exists that is delicious even in summer. It uses white wine instead of red wine and is equally good served hot, warm or cold. So, it happens that the other day, I felt like making a summer daube.



Any full-bodied red wine, although not overly tannic, would work well with the dish. So that day, while making the daube, I felt like having a Bandol.

Was the first bottle of Bandol sold in this country imported by Berkeley's Wine Merchant Kermit Lynch? Hard to know but Kermit Lynch was certainly influential in introducing this unique Provençal wine to Americans. Who has not been inspired by the vivid accounts of his friendship with the Peyraud family of Domaine Tempier and by the mouthwatering descriptions of Lucien Peyraud's wines and Lulu Peyraud's recipes?

The Bandol appellation lies between Marseilles and Toulon on the hillside of a natural amphitheater facing the Mediterranean sea. Its unique terroir is characterized by arid and well-drained limestone soils, the dryness of the soil being fortunately balanced by the humidity of the air coming from the sea and by some occasional rainfalls. It is the only region where the use of Mourvèdre is required in red wines: by law, the red wine of Bandol must contain at least 50% Mourvèdre, although many quality-oriented producers use more than this.


Maison des Vins de Bandol

The origin of Mourvèdre must be Spanish and the varietal is better known as Monastrell in Spain. It is believed that the grape moved to France some 400 years ago and was then planted in Languedoc, Roussillon and Provence. It is a late ripening and demanding grape but it thrives in sandy, rocky soils and in sunny and hot sites tempered by sea breezes. Mourvèdre is recognized for adding backbone and aromatic complexity to blended wines.

To accompany the daube, I chose a 2001 Bandol Domaine de la Bastide Blanche, a blend of Mourvèdre, Grenache and Cincault. The wine had a dark purple color and a gamey, spicy nose with notes of black fruits. On the palate, it was full-bodied and opulent with a mouthfilling texture and a long finish. What a wonderful wine, elegant and wild at the same time! And without boasting too much, the daube was delicious too!

Summer daube, serves 4

2 pounds cubed stew beef or short ribs
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 carrots, sliced
2 stalks celery, sliced
6 potatoes, quartered
1 cup dry white wine
1 strip of orange peel
1/2 cup black olives
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup vegetable broth
1 tablespoon flour
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon herbs of Provence
salt, pepper
fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Preheat oven to 300.
In a heavy dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat.
Add beef and saute. Season beef with salt, pepper, and herbs.
Dust beef with flour. When nicely brown on all sides, transfer meat to plate.
Add onion and garlic. Cook until softened.
Deglaze with wine, scraping pan to loosen browned bits.
Add tomato paste, bay leaf, carrots, celery, orange peel, and beef.
Add broth to cover the meat.
Cover and bake at 300° for 3 hours.
An hour before the end, add the potatoes and black olives.
Serve topped with chopped parsley and with a good red wine.

This was Wine Blogging Wednesday #21 and Is My Blog Burning #26, co-hosted this month by Lenn over at Lenndevours and Alberto at Il Forno. The theme was Fabulous Favorites Festival, a wine and food pairing exercise where cooks become sommeliers and wine lovers become cooks: cook your favorite dish and pick a wine that goes with it or pick your favorite wine and cook a dish that goes with it. Maybe more work than usual but a lot more fun!

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Chardonnay Blind Tasting

I have to confess that I am usually an ABC (Anything But Chardonnay) kind of person. I like crisp and refreshing whites with distinctive fruity and floral aromas and I am often disappointed with Chardonnay. Nevertheless, Nothing But Chardonnay, or NBC, was the theme of our last blind tasting, which ended up being very instructive. Four out of the six wines that we tasted that evening originated from Sonoma County. The remaining two were from Italy and New Zealand. All came from cool climate wine regions and had a similar light straw color. None showed excessive oakiness.

This was the first time that we were blind-tasting white wines and we discovered that our tasting ritual was not well adapted to whites. We usually pour a little bit of each wine in different glasses in order to compare the wines side by side. But while red wines generally evolve nicely in the glass and reveal their personality with time, white wines become quickly too warm, dull and flat, and are thus harder to judge. So next time, we'll go back to tasting red wines!

Our first wine was the 2003 Belvedere Healdsburg Ranches Chardonnay Sonoma County, a gold medal winner at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition — Chardonnay $14.00 to $19.99. A blend of fruits from the cool Russian River Valley and from the warmer Alexander Valley, the wine had a nose of ripe pear with a hint of oak. On the palate, it was round with aromas of cooked apple. Overall, the group liked this well balanced wine and ranked it #3.

Our second wine was the 2002 Waugh Cellars Chardonnay Indindoli Vineyard Russian River Valley. Waugh Cellars is a small Napa winery that has one main purpose: to bring a taste of passion to our life. 2002 was the winery's first vintage of Indindoli Vineyard Chardonnay. The wine was barrel-fermented but no new oak was used. The wine had a sweet nose with notes of butterscotch. On the palate, it was smooth with strong apple cider flavors that some of us found overpowering. The wine was ranked #5.

Our third Chardonnay was the 2002 Jordan Chardonnay Russian River Valley. Established in Alexander Valley since the early 1970's, Jordan Vineyard & Winery is a renowned winery producing a popular Cabernet Sauvignon from Alexander Valley and a Chardonnay from Russian River Valley. The Chardonnay is cool fermented in stainless steel tanks and then aged in French oak barrels (35% new). Malolactic fermentation is only partial to retain the natural crisp acidity of the fruit. The wine had a fresh nose of citrus and peach. On the palate, it was light, crisp, and not oaky at all, although some guests found it too acidic. It was ranked #4.

With our fourth Chardonnay, the 2003 Vie di Romans Chardonnay Ciampagnis Vieris, we left California and moved to Italy. The Vie di Romans winery produces wines from Friuli Isonzo, an appellation located in the northeast corner of Italy, not far from the Slovenia border. The Ciampagnis Vieris Chardonnay is an unoaked wine that undergoes a complete malolactic fermentation. It had a floral nose with notes of white peach and citrus. On the palate, it was smooth with sweet pineapple flavors and a long, aromatic finish. For most of us, this was our favorite wine and the group ranked it #1.

Our next wine was the 2001 Kistler Chardonnay Vine Hill Vineyard. Kistler Vineyards is a family-owned winery renowned for its Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from the Russian River Valley. Vine Hill Vineyard is a twenty acre cool site in the Russian River Valley, producing Chardonnays with tremendous concentration and complexity of flavor. Unfortunately, the bottle seemed to be flawed. The nose was musty with some chemical off-flavors. On the palate, it was tart with not much fruit. The wine was ranked #6.

With our last wine, the 2004 Neudorf Chardonnay, we moved to the southern hemisphere. Neudorf Vineyards is a small family-owned winery producing Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Gris in Nelson, New Zealand eighth largest wine region. Nelson is situated on the north-western corner of the South Island and is particularly well adapted for growing cool weather varietals. The wine was made from hand picked fruits from Neudorf's own vineyards. It was then fermented with indigenous yeasts and aged in barrels (20% new oak). The nose was attractive with citrus and tropical aromas. On the palate, it was crisp, earthy and well-balanced with a slightly oaky finish. Overall, everybody liked it a lot and ranked it #2.

Other recent blind tastings:
• Pinot Noir Blind Tasting
• 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon Blind Tasting

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Pairing wine with sushi

The traditional accompaniment to sushi is of course sake, one of the oldest brewed beverage in the world. Beer is also a popular selection in Japanese restaurants. But what about having wine with sushi?

The word sushi means vinegar (su) and cooked rice (meshi, shortened to shi). Then, the rice is usually combined with other ingredients such as raw or cooked fish, other seafood, cooked egg or vegetables, and can be wrapped in dry seaweed called nori. Finding a wine that goes well with sushi can be a challenge because the wine has to stand up to the tartness of the vinegar, the oiliness of the fish, the saltiness of soy sauce, the spicy taste of wasabi, and the exotic flavors of pickled ginger.

I recently attended a sushi class organized by a Japanese friend of mine. She showed us how to make California rolls and Chirashi-zushi, or scattered sushi, which is rice spread in a bowl with fish and vegetables scattered on top.



Making sushi was a lot of fun and not as hard as I had imagined. And last but not least, at the end of the class we organized a little wine pairing exercise. We first try our sushi with sake. The sake had a mild, slightly sweet taste that mirrored well the flavors of the sushi rice. But not being a sake connoisseur, I have to confess that I did not get too excited about it.



Then we tasted a Champagne J Lassalle Brut. I found that the toasty and yeasty flavors of the Champagne added more stylish and distinctive notes to the sushi. The bubbles and acidity of the wine had a lively cleansing effect on the palate, which helped us better appreciate the complex flavors of our food.



Finally, we tried a Corazón Gewürztraminer from Anderson Valley. The wine had a discreet flowery nose and a dry, crisp palate with green apple and typical lychee fruit aromas. The wine had a lot of finess and I really liked the way it enhanced the flavors of the food.



So wine is great with sushi. My personal taste goes toward dry, fruity, and crisp whites. I also heard that light, non tannic red wines such as Pinot Noir or Beaujolais work as well. If in doubt, however, don't forget that a lively bubbly will always be fine.



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How do you tell if a wine is too old?

The truth is, you don't, until you open the bottle. A recent Beaujolais tasting proved again how difficult it is to predict how wine age.

Some time ago, I helped a friend of mine make an inventory of his wine collection and upload it into my Wine Cellar Management website. I noticed that his collection included some aging Beaujolais bottles and urged him to drink them soon. He then explained to me that these were leftover bottles from a Beaujolais Nouveau party that he had organized in 2001 and that he had simply forgotten them.

More recently, I asked him again about his Beaujolais. “You see, I am not really a Beaujolais fan and so I still haven't drunk them.” he replied. And then he added, “Maybe I should just dump them down the drain”

“Let's try them instead.” I told him. “Maybe we'll be surprised!”

So the other day, he brought a 2000 Beaujolais Louis Jadot, a 2001 Beaujolais-Villages Nouveau Domaine Piron, and a 2001 Beaujolais Nouveau Domaine Ruet. To tell you the truth, we were not expecting much from the last two, especially the one simply labeled Beaujolais Nouveau, the lowest appellation in the Beaujolais hierarchy.

A Beaujolais Nouveau is a light, fruity, uncomplicated wine, and is not made for aging. After a short vinification process that takes only two weeks, the wine is traditionally released the third Thursday of November following the harvest. The wine should be drunk right upon release or within the next few months.

On the other hand, the 2000 Beaujolais Louis Jadot looked more promising. A Beaujolais is aged at least a month longer than a Beaujolais Nouveau and is slightly more age worthy. Moreover, 2000 was a great year in Beaujolais.



We started pouring the wines. They all had a bright red color showing no obvious signs of age. But the first one had a corky nose and unfortunately, this was the Louis Jadot. The second one had a sweet nose of strawberry and a fermented fruit juice taste typical of Beaujolais Nouveau. This was the Beaujolais-Villages Nouveau Domaine Piron. The last one was the wine we preferred by far and unexpectedly, this was the Beaujais Nouveau Domaine Ruet. The nose was fruity with banana aromas and the palate had a pleasant structure and earthiness.

The fact that these Beaujolais Nouveaux had not turn into vinegar after all these years really surprised me. The Domaine Ruet was actually very drinkable. We even finished the bottle that evening. There is no doubt that these bottles had been kept in optimal storage conditions, which is great news for the other bottles still slowly maturing in my friend's wine cabinet!

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An awesome Sunday with Wangari Maathai

Last Sunday, I had the privilege to meet and hear Professor Wangari Maathai, 2004 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and founder of the Green Belt Movement. She had come to Palo Alto to launch the East Palo Alto Tree Initiative organized by the city of East Palo Alto with the assistance of Canopy, a Palo Alto-based environmental organization.

The goal of the East Palo Alto Tree Initiative is to plant 1,000 trees in East Palo Alto by 2010, but Wangari Maathai does not think this number is high enough. As she was planting the first tree — an African olive tree from her country, Kenya — at the new Wangari Maathai Grove, she challenged the local residents to plant not one tree but at least 10 trees each. She herself helped African women plant 30,000 trees on their farms, and in the vicinity of their churches and children's schools.



Professor Wangari Maathai is a beautiful and charismatic woman who knows how to deliver powerful speeches. “Citizens need to be empowered.” she says, “They can't wait for the government or someone else to do it for them; they need to take action themselves.”

To illustrate her point, she likes to tell the tale of the hummingbird, a story that she heard in Japan:

When the forest where the hummingbird lived went up in flames, the other animals ran out to save themselves. But the hummingbird stayed, flying to and from a nearby river with drops of water in its beak to pour on the fire.

From a distance, the other animals laughed and mocked it. "What do you think you are doing?" they shouted. "This fire is overwhelming. You can't do anything."

Finally, the hummingbird turned to them and said, "I'm doing what I can."

After the planting tree ceremony, Canopy had organized a reception and dinner in her honor during which guests and local businesses could contribute to the initiative. The wine that was served at the dinner was generously offered by K&L Wine Merchants, Mumm Napa, Picchetti Winery and Ridge Vineyards. From K&L Wine Merchants, we had an organic wine, Domaine l'Attilon from the unusual Marselan variety, while Mumm Napa donated a refreshing sparkling rosé, Picchetti Winery, their crisp Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay, and Ridge Vineyards, their fruity Zinfandel Three Valleys blend.


Wangari Maathai with my friend Catherine Martineau, Canopy’s Executive Director

As I am writing this, I look out the window and notice that the hummingbirds are back, attracted by the tiny red flowers of the Rosemary Grevillea bushes that grow in my garden. I am thinking about the four R's she talked about during her keynote address: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle ... Repair. And all of a sudden, I am asking myself: how can I also become a hummingbird?


laspilitas.com

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Wines of the World Tasting

For the April meeting of his Wine Club, Arnaud wanted to tour the world with wines from not very well known wine regions. That evening, we tasted wines from places as different as Canada, Israel, Portugal, Lebanon, Greece, and Hungary, and made some exciting discoveries!

We started with Canada. Our first wine was a Okanagan Valley Sauvignon Blanc from Jackson-Triggs Vintners. The Okanagan Valley is British Columbia's oldest and main grape-producing region. It lies east of the Cascade Mountain at the same latitude as the northern German and French vineyards, but thanks to dry and sunny conditions, it is not considered viticulturally a cool climate region. The Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Estate vineyards are situated in the south Okanagan Valley on moderately sloping terraces above Osoyoos Lake. The lake has a beneficial cooling effect that tempers daytime high temperatures during summer.

The 2003 Jackson-Triggs Proprietors' Reserve Sauvignon Blanc Okanagan Estate was one of the discovery of the evening. It had a light straw color and an appealing nose of citrus and lemon blossom. On the palate it was dry and crisp with a refreshing mouthfeel and an interesting brown sugar finish. This wine ended up being everybody's favorite.

We moved to Israel with our next wine, a Chardonnay from Barkan Wine Cellars. Barkan Wine Cellars is one of the leading wine producers in Israel. With its new ultra-modern winery, it is enjoying an increasing popularity in its country as well as abroad.

The 2002 Barkan Reserve Chardonnay had a bright straw color and an intensely aromatic nose. The palate was soft with dairy and mineral flavors but I was somewhat disappointed by the short finish. Nevertheless, most of the guests enjoyed the wine for its minerality and aromatic character.

Our first red wine was from the Douro region of Portugal. Douro is maybe the world's most difficult wine region. Vineyards are planted on harsh and rugged mountains that rise up from the Douro River. There is almost no soil on these mountains and vines grow on hard shist and slate stones that retain little water and provide few nutrients. Temperature variations are often extreme. Protected from the humid Atlantic winds by four mountain ranges, the Douro enjoys hot, dry summers and very cold winters. Since the 18th century, the main product of the region is Port, but recently the quintas have been producing an increasing amount of high quality table wine.

The 1999 Casa Ferreirinha Vinha Grande Douro is a blend of the typical varietals that are used in Port. It had a dark color with black fruits and cocoa powder on the nose. On the palate, it was medium bodied with fine grain tannins and a well-balanced acidity on the finish. Many guests were not convinced by the wine although I personally liked it.

With our second red, the iconic Chateau Musar, we moved to Lebanon. Founded in 1930 by Gaston Hochar, Chateau Musar is located in an 18th Century castle in Ghazir, just fifteen miles north of Beirut. The vineyards lie 30 miles east of Ghazir in the Bekaa Valley. Chateau Musar is the winery's premium wine. It is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsaut, Carignan, Grenache and Mourvèdre. Each varietal is fermented separately in concrete vats and aged up to 24 months in French oak barriques. Then the final blend is made and the wine is bottled and stored in the Chateau's cellars until its release after about 5 years.

The 1995 Chateau Musar had a dark brick color and a gamey nose with notes of Provençal herbs. On the palate, it was medium-bodied and spicy with a long finish. The style of the wine was unusual and old-fashioned and many guests didn't like it.

Then we moved to Greece with a Xynomavro from the Alpha Estate. The Alpha Estate is situated in the heart of the Amyndeon region in the far north west of Greece, towards the border of Albania. Xynomavro, which means sour black, is the principal red varietal of the region. It is a grape that produces wines with high level of tannins and acidity.

The 2003 Alpha Estate Xynomavro Unfiltered is a blend of Xynomavro, Syrah and Merlot. It had a deep purple color with aromas of cherry and vanilla on the nose. It was soft on the palate with a light finish.

The first of our two dessert wines was a Tokaj Aszú from Hungary. Aszú is the Magyar word for noble rot. The wine was created in the seventeenth century in the Tokaj-Hegyalja region, perhaps by accident: an harvest been delayed because of war.

The shrivelled, raisiny, botrytis-infected berries are carefully picked by hand and put in puttonyos, traditional wooden vessels holding 20 liters. Then, a certain amount of the rich aszú paste (the more puttonyos, the sweeter and richer the wine) is added to a base wine, made the previous year from unaffected grapes. Furmint is the dominant varietal of the Tokaj region. Its thin skin makes it particularly susceptible to botrytis. Its name comes from the French word froment, or wheat for the wheat-yellow color of the wine it produces.

The 1999 Royal Tokaji Red Label Aszú 5 Puttonyos had a stunning bright apricot color and a vivid fruity nose. On the palate, the wine was fresh and lively, not sirupy at all. The mouthfeel was amazingly rich and light at the same time. I checked the alcohol content: only 11%! The wine was absolutely delicious with dried apricots.

Our last wine took us back to the Douro region. To end this enlightening world tour, Arnaud had selected a Late Bottled Vintage Port from Quinta do Noval. Founded in 1715, Quinta do Noval is famous for its Nacional Vintage Port made from grapes grown on a small 2.5 hectare parcel of ungrafted vines.

Late Bottled Vintage (LBV) port is the product of a single year's harvest even in lesser years that are not declared vintage year. LBV port is generally smoother and lighter-bodied than vintage port. It is aged longer in barrel to mature more quickly but doesn't usually age in bottle. It is intended to be ready to drink upon release.

The 1999 Quinta do Noval Late Bottled Vintage Port was thick, sweet, warm and smooth on the palate with rich chocolate flavors, but it seemed very alcoholic after the Tokaj (19.5%). Nevertheless, the wine was excellent with bits of the bittersweet chocolate that Arnaud had brought. And what a wonderful way to end one of the first sunny evening of the season! We had stayed all the time outdoors, tasting the wines in the warm evening sun, comfortably seated on the lawn of our friendly hosts Benoit and Anne.

Technorati tags: wine food & drink

A five star rating for a tasting chart

Recently, rating notes have generated a flurry of attention in the blogosphere. First, in a post called The Art of the Wine Review, Tom Wark at Fermentation expresses his admiration for the reviews of wine merchant Kermit Lynch:

“The wine is described well.” he says about one of the reviews, “I have a connection to the wine through culture and art, I have context, I clearly understand the individuality of the wine and I'm entertained just by reading the review. Oh, and I want to buy it.”

But then, in The Total Fantasy of Wine Ratings, Mark Fisher at Wine Sediments questions the validity of wine ratings and tasting notes:

“With a wine of that production level [200,000 cases],” he wonders, “it's a damn sure bet that no matter how much blending Falesco does, there is not ONE SINGLE DROP of wine in the two-millionth bottle that comes off the production line that has much of ANYTHING in common in terms of vineyard site, clonal selection, picking time, etc. to the FIRST bottle that came off that production line, and which, for the sake of argument, was the bottle reviewed by the Wine Spectator. So why in the world would we give any credence whatsoever to what the wine's score was in the Wine Spectator, or Parker, or Decanter, or (shudder) even Wine Sediments?”

Furthermore, in Do Ratings Rate?, Eric Asimov at The Pour shares his mixed feelings about ratings:

“First of all, they can be valuable to consumers” he says, “For $100 a bottle, or $40, or even $20, people want to increase the odds that they are going to like what they pay for, and that's why ratings are useful.” But then he adds: “Tasting notes are among the least useful of all consumer aids. They offer the illusion of description, but really tell you very little about a wine.”

I also have mixed feelings about wine ratings and tasting notes. Tasting notes are very personal and have therefore far less significance to other people. I have also noticed substantial bottle to bottle variations: some wines that I had greatly enjoyed one day had disappointed me later with another bottle. On the other hand, tasting notes and ratings can be really helpful when you don't know the wine. Some tasting notes just compel you to buy it.

Now, while browsing the Tulip Hill Winery website, I recently discovered a tasting chart that, I think, is great at assessing wine quality and style. For instance, here is the tasting chart for the 2001 Tulip Hill Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley:



In addition to the chart, the winery also provides the following tasting notes: “A big wine, with dense blackberry, licorice and tobacco aromas, adding damp earth and violets to produce a rich yet delicate nose. Complex flavors of dark cherry, raspberry, cigar box, and dried fennel blend nicely with the toasty oak. Velvety tannins give exquisite texture and body, and a finish which borders on endless.”

So which do you think is more instructive? I would love to see these charts on shelf takers and also on restaurant wine lists. Isn't pairing a wine with food highly dependent on whether this wine is sweet, dry, acid and/or tannic?

Technorati tags: wine food & drink

Last tasting in Carmel Valley: the wines of Joullian Vineyards

Perched at 1400 feet in elevation in the Cochagua Valley, the 40 acres Joullian estate vineyard is planted with high density-spaced vines on a rocky loam soil. The most planted variety is Cabernet Sauvignon, followed by Zinfandel — Dick Sias, cofounder of Joullian Vineyards, is considered the father of Zinfandel in Carmel Valley —, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Franc, Sémillon, Syrah, Primitivo, and a patch of Italian field blend made of Aleatico, Alicante Bouchet, Carignane, and Grenache.

The winery is too remote to be visited but Joullian has a tasting room conveniently located in Carmel Valley Village, not very far from the Bernardus tasting room.

Tasting notes:

2004 Joullian Chardonnay Monterey County: sourced from Santa Lucia Highlands and Arroyo Seco vineyards. Ripe fruit aromas on the nose, buttery on the palate.

2004 Joullian Chardonnay Sleepy Hollow Vineyard: sourced from Talbott Vineyards' great Sleepy Hollow vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands appellation. Straw color, intense nose, complex and well-balanced on the palate, long finish, the best wine of the tasting.

2004 Joullian Chardonnay RogerRose Vineyard: from the Arroyo Seco appellation. Citrus aromas on the nose, crisp on the palate, finish not as lengthy.

Joullian Cépage Retro Rouge Carmel Valley: Non vintage. Blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Merlot and Syrah from the Carmel Valley appellation, Sweet candy nose, spicy Zin flavors on the palate, simple and easy.

2003 Joullian Family Reserve Merlot Carmel Valley: From the Joullian estate in Carmel Valley. Spicy nose, dry and somewhat tannic on the palate but lacks mid-palate concentration.

2002 Joullian Cabernet Sauvignon Carmel Valley: From the Joullian estate in Carmel Valley. Similar style as the Merlot. Also a bit hollow on mid-palate.

2003 Joullian Sias Cuvee Zinfandel Carmel Valley: From the Joullian estate in Carmel Valley, blend of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Aleatico, Alicante Bouchet, Carignane & Grenache. Intense fruity nose, a bit sweet with a lot of flavors on the palate, best red wine of the tasting.

2004 Joullian Zinfandel Rosé Carmel Valley: From the Joullian estate in Carmel Valley, blend of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Aleatico, Alicante Bouchet, Carignane & Grenache. Nice salmon color but really too sweet for my taste.

Well, after all these wines, we enjoyed a delicious and hearty meal at the nearby Café Rustica, before hitting the road and going back to the bay area.

Previous wines tasted in Carmel Valley:
• Talbott Vineyards
• Pelerin Wines
• Bernardus Winery

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More from Carmel Valley: the wines of Bernardus Winery

On the second day of our trip to Carmel Valley, we visited the Bernardus tasting room.



Bernardus Pon is the owner of Bernardus Lodge & Winery. Born and raised in Holland, he moved to Carmel Valley with his wife Ingrid in the early nineties and bought a small winery there. Believing that the place could potentially make World class Bordeaux-style red wines, he created Marinus, a blend of primarily Cabernet Sauvignon with some Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Marinus is the winery's flagship wine with grapes coming from the Marinus Vineyard in the Carmel Valley appellation.

We actually had seen the Marinus vineyard earlier that day, as we were waiting for the tasting room to open. It was almost hidden among rolling hills, coast live oak woodlands, and horse ranches, at the end of a narrow and winding road in the remote and secluded Cachagua Valley. Todd Kenyon, who was born and raised on a adjoining ranch, manages the vineyard. He plants the vines with an average density three times what is typical in California and severely restricts irrigation during the growing season. Therefore, the vines are forced to perform under drought conditions and put all their energy into fruit development. They have smaller berries with more concentrated flavors.

Tasting notes:

2004 Bernardus Sauvignon Blanc Monterey County: 35 % is cool fermented in stainless steel tanks for freshness. Blended with 1% Sémillon. Pale yellow color, aromatic nose of citrus. On the palate, fresh, crisp and grassy. Great Summer wine.

2004 Bernardus Sauvignon Blanc Griva Vineyard: The Griva vineyard is located in a cool, windswept area of the Arroyo Seco appellation. Pale yellow color, citrus nose, more spices on the palate.

2003 Bernardus Chardonnay Monterey County: Light straw color, crisp, fresh, fruity style.

2001 Bernardus Chardonnay Griva Vineyard: Golden color, more intense nose, buttery and nutty on the palate.

2004 Bernardus Pinot Noir Monterey County: Purple color, sweet nose, fresh and peppery on the palate.

2001 Bernardus Pinot Noir Bien Nacido Vineyard: From the Santa Maria Valley appellation. Light ruby color, shy nose, some acidity on the palate, mature.

2003 Bernardus Pinot Noir Rosella's Vineyard: From the Santa Lucia Highlands appellation. Aromatic nose of cherry and vanilla. Rich flavors on the palate, intense finish.

2001 Bernardus Marinus Carmel Valley: Dark purple color, nice nose of blackcurrant, young and fruit-forward on the palate with some acidity on the finish.

1996 Bernardus Marinus Carmel Valley: The nose of a mature Bordeaux. Elegant and well balanced. Excellent.

1999 Bernardus Marinus Carmel Valley: In September 1999, just before the harvest, a devastating fire burned acres of local trees, and for sure, this wine is smoky!

Previously tasted:

• Talbott Vineyards

• Pelerin Wines

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Snowy Easter

Look at this: it's snowing in Tahoe!



Happy Easter!



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WBW #20: Cour-Cheverny, King Francis the First and Tintin

What is the relationship between Cour-Cheverny, an obscure appellation in the Loire Valley, Francis the First, France's first Renaissance monarch, and Tintin, the Belgian young reporter? You'll see, it's easy!

From the city of Blois in the Loire Valley, if you drive 15 km southeast, you'll find the Château de Cheverny. The castle is famous for being Hergé's model for Moulinsart, the ancestral home of Captain Haddock.



The castle is in the town of Cour-Cheverny, which gave its name to the Cour-Cheverny appellation, an appellation that was created for wines made exclusively from the Romorantin varietal. In fact, Cour-Cheverny is the only appellation in the world that uses Romorantin. According to legend, this rare Burgundian grape was brought by King Francis the First to the region on his way back from Italy in 1519.

Philippe Tessier is one of the few producers that grow Romorantin today. Its Cour-Cheverny cuvée Les Sables is made from old vines planted on light, sandy soil. To keep it bright and fresh, it is fermented in large neutral barrels and does not go through malolactic fermentation. The 2004 Cour-Cheverny Domaine Philippe Tessier Les Sables has a bright straw color and a fresh nose of lemon and grapefruit. On the palate, it is mineral with a snappy acidity balanced by mild nutty flavors. The finish is crisp and citrussy.

I will not claim that Romorantin is as noble a grape as its neighbor Chenin Blanc, but what a refreshing alternative to these far too often boring white wines that you find in the same price range. So let's not forget this unique varietal!

Today was April's Wine Blogging Wednesday and the theme proposed by Bill at Wine for Newbies was single-varietal white wines, but no Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay. He has already posted a first roundup. Check it here.


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Barrel Tasting at Pelerin Wines

After tasting the wines of Talbott Vineyards, my friend and I took the scenic Los Laureles Grade and then Highway 68 to Salinas. We had an appointment with Chris Weiddemann, owner and winemaker of Pelerin Wines, in one of Salinas's industrial parks where he currently shares a space with another winery. We had really enjoyed his 2003 Pelerin Pinot Noir Rosella's Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands and we were eager to try some of his new wines.

The name Pelerin means pilgrim in French and reflects Chris' ultimate quest for balanced and complex wines. While working for other wineries, Chris was able to forge relationships with some of the best grape growers in Monterey County and purchase grapes from Rosella Vineyard and Paraiso Vineyards, both in the Santa Lucia Highlands, and more recently, from Mesa del Sol Vineyard in the Arroyo Seco appellation. His first vintage was released in 2002.

Rosella Vineyard is a 50 acres east-southeast facing vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands. Thanks to the soil made of gravelly loam, and the cool climate (foggy mornings, sunny mid-days, windy afternoons), it is a place where Pinot Noir is thriving. The vineyard is owned by Gary Franscioni, also co-owner of the close by Garys' Vineyard, who named it after his wife Rosella.

Paraiso Vineyards is a 400-acre property located at the southern end of the Santa Lucia Highlands appellation. The land is owned by the Paraiso Vineyards winery, which sells part of its production to other wine producers.

Mesa del Sol Vineyard is a small organically farmed vineyard located in the Arroyo Seco river canyon, south of the Santa Lucia Highlands appellation. The site is warmer than in the Santa Lucia Highlands and a great place to grow heat-loving varietals such as Syrah, Primitivo and Sangiovese.

Chris is doing well and has plans to grow and move to a new facility at Paraiso Vineyards where he works part-time. He is also very happy with his Rhone-style wines, the quality of the grapes he gets from the Mesa del Sol Vineyard, and plans to make some Roussanne and Viognier in the near future.




Tasting notes:

2005 Pelerin Rosé (from barrel): fresh and very fruity

2005 Pelerin Pinot Noir Rosella's Vineyard (from barrel): a lot of structure, complex aromas, very promising

2005 Pelerin Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands (from barrel): tasty but a lighter version of the Rosella's Vineyard

2005 Pelerin Syrah/Viognier blend (from barrel): powerful flavors of mint and pepper.

2005 Pelerin Syrah Monterey County (from barrel): very fruity, nice to drink already

2005 Pelerin Syrah Mesa del Sol Vineyard (from barrel): has tannins, structure, and complexity, my favorite with the Pinot Noir Rosella's Vineyard.

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The wines of Talbott Vineyards

Talbott Vineyards was the first tasting room that I visited during my 2-day trip to Carmel Valley.



The story of Talbott Vineyards begins in 1950 when Robert Talbott Sr., his wife Audrey, and his son Robb moved to Carmel, California where they started a tie company. Eventually, the Talbotts became leaders in the luxury tie business as well as increasingly passionate about wines. In 1982, Robert Talbott and his son Robb founded Robert Talbott Vineyards and started planting Chardonnay on the 24-acre Diamond T Estate vineyard near their home in Carmel Valley, 8 miles from Carmel Bay.

The Diamond T Estate vineyard is planted with tightly spaced Chardonnay vines in almost soilless conditions of shale and granite on a 1,200 foot mountaintop. Due to challenging growing conditions, crop yields are extremely small and maritime influence as well as elevation leads to an extended growing season.

In 1994, the Talbotts bought the Sleepy Hollow Vineyard in the middle of the Santa Lucia Highlands appellation, along the western edge of the Salinas Valley. This hilly, 450-acre vineyard has a gravelly loam soil with a high percentage of gravel and rocks. It is a cool growing site with a predominately east-northeast exposure. Sleepy Hollow is planted in both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. It also contains 12 acres of newer Syrah plantings.

Talbott is a family winery with both Robb and his wife Cynthia Talbott directly involved with winery management and operations. Many of their wines are named after family members.

Tasting notes:

2004 Kali Hart Vineyard Chardonnay: named after Robb and Cynthia's youngest daughter, Kali Hart. Made from purchased grapes grown in Monterey County. 80% is aged in neutral French oak, the rest in stainless steel. Light yellow color and a fruity nose of green apples. On the palate, lively acidity and a great freshness.

2004 Logan Chardonnay: named after Robb and Cynthia's son, Robert Logan. Produced from Talbott's Sleepy Hollow Estate Vineyard, it is 85% barrel fermented and aged in neutral French oak for 10 months. Creamy nose, ripe flavors of pear and pineapple on the palate, and a fat mouthfeel.

2002 Talbott Chardonnay Sleepy Hollow Vineyard: Produced from older vines from the Sleepy Hollow Vineyard. 100% barrel fermented in French Oak and aged on the yeast lees. Smoky nose, full-bodied on the palate with stone fruit flavors, well-balanced with some nice acidity on the finish.

2002 Talbott Chardonnay Cuvée Cynthia: Same as the Talbott Chardonnay but bottled without fining nor filtration. Butterscotch and apple flavors, rounder on the palate, many more acidity on the finish.

2001 Talbott Chardonnay Diamond-T Estate: From the Diamond-T vineyard. Deep golden color. Intense nose of pineapple, creamy flavors of baked flan on the palate, long finish.

2002 Talbott Chardonnay Cuvée Audrey: named for Audrey Talbott, Robb Talbott's mother. Also from the Diamond-T vineyard but bottled without fining nor filtration. Deep golden color, intense nose of tropical fruits, has many more acidity and a longer finish.

2001 Logan Pinot Noir: From the Sleepy Hollow Vineyard. Medium-bodied and soft on the palate. Easy to drink but seems to become oxidized after some time in the glass.

2000 Case Pinot Noir: named after Robb and Cynthia's oldest daughter, Sarah Case. From the Sleepy Hollow Vineyard. Aged in French oak. Nose of vanilla and red fruit. On the palate, smoky, earthy with a lengthy finish. Very tasty.

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A trip to Carmel Valley

Who has heard of the Carmel Valley appellation? Until two weeks ago, I believed that this narrow valley that takes you deep into the lush forests of the Santa Lucia Mountains, was just a picture-perfect setting for elegant weddings and anniversary celebrations. It is actually one of the oldest American Viticultural Area in California (colored in light pink on the map).

Few vineyards can be spotted from the road that follows the Carmel river and takes you to Carmel Valley Village, about 12 miles from the mouth of the valley. Although the size of the appellation is over 19,000 acres, less than 300 acres is under vine. The rest is a pastoral scenery of oak woodlands, grasslands, and chaparral. The primary grape growing area follows the Carmel River as well as the adjacent Cachagua Valley (an Indian derivative of the French cacher and Spanish agua that means hidden springs). With some parts of the valley enjoying more than 300 sunny days a year, it is warmer than the close by Santa Lucia Highlands appellation and is suitable for growing Bordeaux varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc.

Because most of the wineries are in the upper part of the valley and can be difficult to reach, they have conveniently located their tasting rooms within a few steps of one another in the center of Carmel Valley Village. During my recent 2-day stay in the area, I was able to taste the wines of Talbott Vineyards, Bernardus Winery, Joullian Winery, and Pelerin Wines in Salinas.

Coming next: tasting the wines of Talbott Vineyards.



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Rediscovering the wines from Pessac-Léognan and Graves

For some obscure reasons, the wines of Pessac-Léognan and Graves — with the exception of a few top estates — attract less prestige than the wines from other main regions in Bordeaux, such as the Médoc, Saint-Emilion or Pomerol. Therefore, Arnaud's last wine tasting event dedicated to the wines of Pessac-Léognan and Graves, was a great opportunity to rediscover the fine wines of this region.


Bordeaux Wine Office

The region has not always been out of fashion. In the Middle Ages, at a time when the Médoc was mainly marsh, moorland, and forests, Graves was renowned for its Claret, a light wine much enjoyed by the English and shipped in large quantities to England. Château Haut-Brion, Graves' most famous estate, was the first Bordeaux Château to achieve international recognition. Its 1784 vintage was one of Thomas Jefferson's favorite wines. In the 1855 classification, Château Haut-Brion was ranked First Growth along with Château Lafite-Rothschild, Château Latour, and Château Margaux. In 1959, Graves created its own classification system that recognized 13 Châteaux for their red wines and 8 Châteaux for their white wines.

Graves gets its name from the soil, a mix of gravels, clay and sand carried out by the river. The gravel pebbles work as thermoregulator: during the day, they reflect the sun and accumulate the heat that they radiate back to the vines at night. The soil is also very porous, which creates a semi-arid condition producing low-vigor vines.

It is the only region in Bordeaux that is renowned for both its red and white wines. Two third of Graves wines are red and made primarily from Cabernet-Sauvignon with smaller amounts of Merlot and Cabernet Franc. The white wines, generally fresh, fruity, and dry, are among the best white wines in Bordeaux. Usually vinified in oak, they are produced from three grape varieties, Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, and Muscadelle.

Tasting the white wines

Our first wine was the 2003 Les Plantiers du Haut-Brion. A blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon, this is the second white label of Château Haut-Brion. The wine was delicious and my favorite white wine. It had a pale yellow color and an attractive nose of pear, apple, and honey. On the palate, it had a fat mouthfeel with citrus and butterscotch flavors and a nice long finish.

The next wine was the 2000 Vieux Château Gaubert Blanc. The Vieux Château Gaubert, from the Graves appellation, is considered to be a good value both in white and red. The white wine, a blend of 45% Sauvignon Blanc, 30% Sémillon, and 5% Muscadelle, had an aromatic nose of candied fruit, with grapefruit aromas on the palate. I found it to be crisper and leaner than the Plantiers du Haut-Brion.

Our last white was the 1997 Château Pape Clément Blanc. Château Pape Clément is one of the most ancient estates in Bordeaux. One of its original owners, Bertrand de Goth, was elected Pope Clément V in 1305. He was the first of seven Popes to rule from Avignon. He was also the one that established the Pope's country residence and named it Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The white wine, a blend of 45% Sauvignon Blanc 45% Sémillon 10% Muscadelle, represents only 10% of the total production. Unfortunately, the wine that we tasted was oxidized. It displayed a pretty amber color but on the nose, it had unpleasant cheesy and sherry-like aromas.

Tasting the red wines

Our first red wine was the 2000 Vieux Château Gaubert Rouge, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. I found the wine very pleasant with a red fruit nose, peppery aromas, a smooth palate and a well-balanced finish.

The next wine was the 1997 Château Smith Haut Lafitte. The vineyard of Château Smith Haut Lafitte is planted with 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc for the red wine, a classified growth in the Graves classification, and 95% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Sémillon for the white wine. I really enjoyed this wine, which was my favorite red wine. The nose was full of dark fruits, chocolate and coffee. On the palate, it was full-bodied and tasty with a long finish.

Then, we tasted the 1994 Château Haut-Bailly. The Château Haut-Bailly, another classified growth and one of the few properties that cultivates red varietals only. The Haut-Bailly vineyard consists of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, and finally 15% still planted with vines on pre-phylloxera French rootstock. This means that there are still many plants of Carmenère, Malbec and Petit Verdot in the vineyard, as it was common in Bordeaux in the 19th century. The wine had a red fruit nose, nice cocoa powder flavors, and a lighter-bodied palate than the Smith Haut Lafitte. For many guests, this was their favorite red wine.

We finished the tasting with the 2002 Château La Mission Haut-Brion. The Château La Mission Haut-Brion property is planted with 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot and 7% Cabernet Franc and lies on the opposite side of the road from Haut-Brion. For several decades, La Mission had been Haut-Brion's direct rival until the Dillon family of Haut-Brion acquired the property in 1983. Compared with Haut-Brion, La Mission tends to produce bigger and richer wines. The 2002 that we tasted was powerful indeed with smoky and chocolate aromas on the nose. It had a young and tannic palate with notes of crème brulée, followed by a vivid, lengthy finish.

Many thanks to Arnaud for another great tasting and to Marie-Christine and Edouard for sharing their house!



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Pinot Blanc, not always a poor man's Chardonnay

What is Pinot blanc? It is thought to be a white mutation of Pinot Gris, which is itself a lighter colored mutation of Pinot Noir. Originated in Burgundy, most of the Pinot Blanc that is grown in France nowadays is found in Alsace where it is one of the most widely planted varietals. For a long time, the grape has been confused with Chardonnay as the two varietals look similar. Often referred as poor's man Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc has the reputation to be rather neutral in flavor with a high acidity, but at its best, it can produce full-bodied wines with distinctive flavors.

Take for example the 2004 Meyer-Fonné Pinot Blanc Vieilles Vignes. It is produced by the Domaine Meyer-Fonné of Katzenthal, a small wine village just 6 miles west of the main city of Colmar, on the Route des Vins d'Alsace. The wine was made from old Pinot Blanc vines, planted on a small lot of less than 3 hectares. It shows a pale yellow color and a floral nose with mineral aromas. On the palate, it is dry with a generous mouthfeel, honeyed apple flavors, notes of spices, followed by a clean, lively finish.

I like to serve this wine as a aperitif, and last night, it was delicious as usual. It went particularly well with my sweet onion tart, an adaptation of the Alsatian onion tart where I substitute bacon with carrots and mushrooms.



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Mia's Playground Merlot

At a recent visit to my local Safeway wine aisle, I was surprised by all the new animal brands or fun brands with wacky names and catchy labels that you see on display now. One of them got my attention: the 2003 Mia's Playground Merlot Dry Creek Valley.

1. First, you read the label. The beginning is somewhat mystical:

“3's a well balanced number often representing a mystical trinity in which all things are contained in one, and one is present in all.”

But if you read the whole thing, you'll notice that there are three monkeys in a barrel and that the M in Mia's Playground is actually a 3. Three is obviously the magic number here, a reference to the three Sebastiani family members working for the Don Sebastiani & Sons company. Mia's Playground is actually named for Don's daughter, Mia (a three-letter name).

2. Then, you open the bottle. It's easy, the closure is a screw cap, like all the wines bottled by Three Loose Screws.

3. Finally, you taste the wine. “Drink this bottle with 2 other friends, making a party of 3.” says the label but we were only 2 last night. The wine had a dark color and an attractive nose of sweet blackberries. On the palate, it was medium-bodied and soft with a rather short finish.

But if you're looking for a fruit-forward, uncomplicated wine, this one is actually a well-crafted wine.

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Cleavage Creek: just a wine for macho winos?

No, this picture is not an Ad for one of these sexy Victoria Secret tops. This is a wine label from Cleavage Creek Cellars, a winery owned by Jeff and Barbara Conners of Sonoma County, California. The couple had been home winemakers for many years until 2003 when they decided to start their own wine business.

I learned about this winery in one of Dr Vino's recent posts. And then I read that the label might be in violation of the Wine Institute's voluntary Code of Advertising Standards. The label was considered to be degrading to women and tacky.

“We wanted a label that was eye-catching and would stand out. If you look at wine labels from 20 feet away, they all kind of blend together on the shelf.” explained Jeff Conners, one of the winery owners, to the Wines & Vines publication, “We found a way we can help fund breast cancer research with a fun name, a fun look and an award-winning wine.”

In 1999, Jeff and Barbara Conners learned that Barbara's grandmother developed breast cancer. Thanks to early detection and modern technology, she is now a breast cancer survivor, but breast cancer could be hereditary and someday affect Barbara or her daughters. Therefore, the winery donates 10% of its proceeds to Breast Cancer Research.

The Conners purchase wine from wineries in Northern California. Then the juice is blended and bottled at Cleavage Creek. Their Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay come from Napa Valley grapes, their Sauvignon blanc is from Mendocino County, and their White Zinfandel is a California appellation. Four of the winery's five wines won medals at the 2004 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.

So, is the wine any good? I decided to buy some and donate to breast cancer research at the same time.

The 2002 Cleavage Creek Sauvignon Blanc Mendocino County has a blond model with a white top on its label. it has a light straw color and citrus aromas on the nose. The palate is light-bodied with grapefruit and lime flavors and high acidity. This is a very crisp wine that needs to be paired with a lemony dish.

With a pink ribbon on the label, the 2003 Cleavage Creek Catherine's Blend was created to honor Barbara's Grandmother. The wine is a blend of different Bordeaux varietals from diverse regions of California. it has a deep red/purple color and a nose of sweet fruit. On the palate, it is light to medium-bodied, with red fruits and mint flavors, followed by an acidic finish. Try this unsophisticated wine with a pizza or with spaghetti and meatballs.

The 2000 Cleavage Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley has a blond model with a red top on its label. It has a deep garnet color and a more complex nose with blackcurrant and spicy aromas. On the palate, it is smooth, medium-bodied with a balanced finish.

After tasting these wines, I think that they are overpriced, even if 10% of the proceeds is donated to Breast Cancer Research. But the winery's website encourages you to join the Cleavage Creek Clinkage Club: as a member, you will have the privilege to access the photographs of prospective models and help selecting the ones for the new 2006 labels!
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A taste of Israel

Yesterday, a friend of mine brought a Israeli wine for dinner. I had never tasted a wine from that country before and I was curious to see what it would taste like. While not so long ago, most of the wines produced in Israel were reputed to be thick, sweet and unsophisticated, I am reading that today, the wine scene is booming with an increasing number of new quality-focused wineries.

The wine was from Domaine Castel. It is a winery located in the Judean Hills, west of Jerusalem, and named after a nearby Crusader fortress. The estate vineyards are situated at an average altitude of 700m on slopes facing the Mediterranean sea and deep valleys enjoying cooler summer temperatures and shorter hours of sunshine. The premium red wine of the Domaine is the Castel Grand Vin, a Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot. It is aged for 24 months in 100% new French oak barrels, as well as unfined and unfiltered. The winery also produces a Chardonnay and another Bordeaux blend called Petit Castel.

Last night, we drank the 1999 Domaine du Castel Castel Grand Vin with braised lamb shanks. The wine exhibited a dark purple color and opulent aromas of black fruits. On the palate, it was ripe and full-bodied with spicy dried fruit flavors on the finish. It went really well with the rich flavors of the lamb.

I love discovering new wines, especially when they are good, and for me, this wine compared very favorably to many Cabernet Sauvignon blends from better known wine regions of the world.

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