Doug Paulding Wine Picks

Hamel Family Wines! Worthy!

2022-10-15T09:18:00.000-07:00

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A couple of bottles arrived on my doorstep the other day, of which I knew nothing. They were red wines from Sonoma County, California labeled Hamel Family Wines from the 2018 harvest. I opened both to taste side by side in a quiet setting so I could properly taste and describe the experience. The first wine, Hamel Family Ranch, was a nearly opaque glistening magenta in the glass reflecting the setting sun. Tasting of dark cherry, pomegranate, tart cranberry with a

background pleasant hint of oaky sweetness with mouth filling structure, it was a ‘Wow’ moment. Then I tried the Hamel Family Wines Nuns Canyon Vineyard from Sonoma’s Moon Mountain District. This wine showed dark fruit, blackberry, raspberry, was dry with hints of cinnamon, cedar and balanced tannins. ‘Wow again’. Both wines come in at 14.5% alcohol by volume.

After revelling in these wines for the extended sunset and well beyond it was time to do a bit of research. Proprietors Pamela and George Hamel Jr. met in high school in Virginia and years later became an item. They moved west and ultimately bought a property in Sonoma Valley with an acre of planted Cabernet Sauvignon vines. One post college son John took a big interest in the vineyard. He had learned a bit about organic gardening and wanted to kick start the winery concept with organic and bio dynamic directions. Another son George came to the vineyard with a financial background and immediately established a proper business model.

After John received his winemaking certificate at UC Davis, and had a few harvests of grapes to practice on they got serious. The family bought an adjacent 124 acre property and began planting vines. But what caught my attention the most was the all star cast of consulting professionals they brought in to guide them to excellence in all areas of winery ownership. Their consultants include a noteworthy winemaker from Italy, an expert in biodynamic practices from Bordeaux, a technical viticulturist from Napa, and most notably for me, the terroir and soil scientist from Chile, Pedro Parra.

I attended a seminar several years ago in Manhattan hosted by Pedro Parra. He is passionate about studying and identifying soil types to determine which grapes specifically will shine in a particular setting. At the seminar he showed himself in many photos chest deep in backhoe-dug pits where he was pointing out the soil types deep into the pit. What might be a perfect soil medium for one grape might be the undoing of another. Then we proceeded to taste several of the wines from the same vines with different soil types and they were quite different. When Pedro Parra determines the proper vine for a specific site you can be sure it’s a synergistic win.

The Hamel family now owns four very different planting sites where they grow Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Grenache, Zinfandel, Syrah, Carignan, Petite Sirah and Chasselas and you can bet that each is in its proper place. All of their vineyards are certified organic and biodynamic, no small feat. They have a custom built meticulous winery with a 7000 square foot room with stainless steel and concrete tanks for fermentation. Adjacent to that is a 12,000 square foot wine cave where oak barrels are contributing color, flavor and structure to the wine as well as oak barrels for actual fermentation and concrete egg fermentation tanks.

The Hamel Family have a wonderful indoor tasting area for visitors, by appointment only. The website has several tour and tasting arrangements paired with light snacks or complemented with a complete meal assembled by their chef. Look for the badger prominently displayed on their label facing to the right. And that’s symbolically relevant as their serendipitous house purchase with a vineyard in place, two sons with appropriate interest and backgrounds and the staff they have assembled to make brilliant wines is clearly right.

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Judging a Wine Competition

2020-09-13T08:06:00.001-07:00

Brad Ring, publisher of Wine Maker magazine, has organized this wine tasting
since 2002.

“Dear Mr. Paulding,

We would like to invite you to help judge our annual International Amateur Home Wine Maker Competition in Manchester, Vermont in August.”

With that, I became a wine judge. I have judged for beer, sake, mead and hard cider competitions a few times. I was on the Santé Magazine wine and spirits reviewing panel for several years. But this was the first time I was asked to participate as a judge for a wine competition. This particular event was first scheduled for April, then May and then in July, when Covid-19 kept postponing it. So with state mandated safety protocols in place, 30 judges converged on Manchester, Vermont on Friday, August 21 to judge homemade wines for 3 days. And during the event, the State of Vermont sent a state inspector to ensure all required safety measures were actually being followed.

Any gathering of wine professionals is always enlightening. Each comes to the event with a specific body of wine knowledge and there is never a perfect overlap of knowledge or interests. Some arrive with a writing background, some with grape growing/wine making history, some from the sommelier field and some through wine certification programs and arrive with some letters after their names. But each comes with their fortés and interests and conversations are always lively, fun and very informative.

This particular Wine Maker Competition began in 2002, generated by Brad Ring, publisher of Wine Maker Magazine. This year, ten panels of three judges each were to taste 2519 entered bottles from all 50 states and 6 other countries. A $25 entry fee accompanied each bottle and application. Prizes were awarded for the top few entries in each category. I understand the value of a commercial wine winning awards to push sales, but these are amateur home fermenters. I asked Brad the value of awards for the home winemakers. “First, it gives the winners bragging rights maybe. But more importantly, for a small fee, it gives the winemaker an impartial juried sense of what was right and what was wrong about their wine. We encourage from our judges, in fact insist on, descriptives and wine terms, successes or failures on each technical sheet and these are all delivered back to the winemaker.”

We began judging Friday at 2:30 PM and went almost to 10 PM. Saturday we started at 9 AM and went through to almost 10 PM again. Sunday we began at 9 AM and wrapped up by 1 PM. That’s a lot of tasting, especially considering each wine had to be analyzed with appropriate adjectives and ratings for every entrant. For each tasting flight each table, with the three randomly assigned judges, were poured the same six glasses of wine. Each judge had a page specific to each wine, with five parameters on each page to rate; appearance, aroma/bouquet, taste, aftertaste and overall impression. A perfect score for a wine was a 20 but most fell in the 9 to 15 range. At my table, when the three of us were done with a wine we discussed flavors and the score we each gave. If there was more than a four point discrepancy (and sometimes there were) on the 20 point scale, we had to retaste and discuss and arrive within that four point happy place.

Some of these wines could easily be big successes on the commercial market. Many were good and adequate wines for home consumption and sharing. And a few shocked the palate commanding a “What the Heck”? Home wine makers can buy kits to naturally or synthetically add flavor to a wine, a shortcut to the desired flavor. They can add oak wooden staves, or oak chips or liquid oak essence. They can add smokiness from a bottle. They can add vanilla, licorice, black pepper extract, each designed to emulate proper oak barrel cellar aging for a tiny percentage of the cost. Any of the wines that appeared synthetically manipulated for some holy grail of flavor didn’t go far with me. But those wines that appeared honest and well made without much intervention usually ascended on the judges’ rating sheets.

In doing the math, with 2519 entrants and each of the three panel team tasting the same wines, each team had to taste and rate over 800 bottles over the three days. The days were long and exhausting, the tasting became a bit numbing after awhile even with “taste and spit” being the preferred and necessary approach. But over the long weekend I met a few grape growers, a few wine makers, a writer or two and a somm or two. It was a great way to make a few new friends.

Sagrantino & the Wines of Umbria, Italy

2020-04-13T07:49:00.002-07:00

Peter Heilbron, owner of Tenuta Bellafonte, in his immaculate winery

I was invited to a Sagrantino tasting seminar in New York several years ago, hosted by the Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG. Sagrantino is thick skinned but small grape that produces a powerful and nuanced wine. Montefalco is one of the major walled hill towns of the Umbrian region just south of Tuscany and is at the heart of Sagrantino production. And DOCG, of course, is the Denominazione di Origine Contrallata e Garantita, the Italian federal organization that tests and jury tastes the wines to guarantee the highest quality. I remember the Sagrantino wines we tasted were full flavored and interesting on the palate but several were overly tannic, almost overwhelming the flavors. I was recently invited to Umbria to taste the just-released 2016 Montefalco Sagrantino and what a treat it was.

Umbria, pronounced “Oombria”, long known as the “Green Heart” of Italy for its omnipresent agriculture, is also quietly known as “Tuscany without the crowds.” It has many small villages and walled hill towns that point to the ancient ways of life of Italy. Churches and town centers that anchor many towns date back many centuries. Just aimlessly wandering through the streets and alleyways, observing and interacting with locals, and taking in the local business ventures is a lovely adventure. From the hilltops the views go on forever suggesting that peaceful and agrarian way of life tempered by the villages and hill towns borne of social desires and defensive needs.

I tasted many Sagrantino wines and asked several wine makers how they softened the tannins in the past decade and the answers were mostly the same. Liù Pambuffetti of Scacciadiavoli winery told me, “Our tannins would have softened naturally just by the maturing of the vines. Many of the Sagrantino vines were planted in the ‘80s and ‘90s and even later and the grapes now are more texturally friendly. Also, many producers are employing de-stemming prior to crushing the grapes and many are using soft press air bladder equipment so the tannic seeds aren’t broken or disturbed. Sagrantino, in the past ten years, has changed a lot.”

Sagrantino, historically, was used to make a sweet wine known as Passito. The grapes are harvested and left loosely in open baskets or trays in a well ventilated area to dry and concentrate flavors. These partially raisined grapes are then pressed and fermented into a delightful sweet wine often served with dessert or as dessert. But one producer, Arnaldo Caprai, in 1971 began to make a dry wine with Sagrantino which became very popular. In 1988, his son Marco took over and built a beautiful tasting room to receive wine guests, something unheard of in Umbria at the time. All of Arnaldo Caprai Sagrantino wines are carefully hand harvested and soft pressed before maturing in new French oak barrels. All of their wines were big and aromatic with dried dark fruit flavors with spices, licorice, pepper and decidedly present, but tame and pleasant, tannins.

The biggest wine producer in Umbria is Lungarotti, now in the hands of the founder’s two daughters. They bring 2.5 million organic bottles to market every year and are exported to 47 countries. And the smallest producer I visited was Ilaria Cocco, making 10,000 bottles each year; her first vintage being 2013. She has a small start up winery and grows grapes on just 3.5 acres. Both mega- and micro- producers of Umbria show quality and flavor in their wines. Ilaria told me, “I don’t cover the fruit with wood. I prefer big barrels to impart texture but not oaky flavors. Every vintage I strive to preserve the freshness of the fruit.” Cocco wines are great. She and the winery are going places. And the Lungarotti Rubesco wines have been favorably compared to some of the top iconic wines from all of Italy.

I also visited Tenuta Bellafonte which I’m told is a German translation for “Place of Beauty.” Purchased by Peter Heilbron in 2007, he rebuilt the winery from the ground up, and made 2008 his first vintage. I have been in hundreds of wineries around the world and I have never seen one as sparkling clean as Tenuta Bellafonte. Even Peter has a striking resemblance to Mr. Clean. The fermentation tank room, the oak barrel room, the visitors’ center and the tasting room, all look and smell like it was just installed, as if no wine had ever been made there. And the vines are meticulously pruned to an art form. Nothing inside or out is out of place. And the wines. Delicious! Virtually all the producers also make a few (or a lot of) white wines out of either Grechetto or Trebbiano Spoletino. Both show lemony citrus, perfumy essence, and elegance. Peter said, “In central Italy we get enough from the fruit. We don’t need to add oak flavor. And we don’t press the seeds and the grape skins are empty but intact.”

Giampaolo Tabarrini, owner and winemaker of Tabarrini, is a whirlwind of manic energy whose infectious laugh is entertaining by itself. The winery is toward the end of a major and beautiful rebuild. Again, the winery is spotless and the air in the oak barrel room recycles and renews 72 times per day. They are high on a hill with big diurnal temperature swings. Giampaolo is a fifth generation wine maker. His white wines and his red wines are wonderful and worthy. Most of the Umbrian producers also make a Montefalco Rosso, using a blend of Sangiovese, Sagrantino and Merlot or Barbera. All of the Montefalco Rossos I tasted had great fruit flavors and balanced tannins.

Other producers worth looking for are Cantina le Cimate (pronounced chi ma’ tay), Antonelli, Romanelli, Colleallodole, La Veneranda, and Paolo Bea. Don’t let the long and difficult names deter you. Just look for Montefalco wines. They remain a largely undiscovered region in the shadow of Tuscany, which indicates a great price to quality ratio. It’s easy to buy a high quality bottle under twenty dollars and even twelve dollars should bring a well made and enjoyable experience. Look for some, especially now. Drink up. Italy and Umbria need our help. Now.

Armagnac~Refined Elegance

2020-01-09T07:53:00.000-08:00

Remy Grassa of Domaine Tariquet is a major producer of high quality Armagnac.

I travelled to the Sud-Ouest of France about 12 years ago on a media trip to taste the wines of the region. There are many subregions of wine production spanning this massive, 300 mile wide region with geographical islands of wine production spanning from the Pyrenees mountains on the Spanish border to the Languedoc-Roussillon wine region. During one dinner with several wine makers, one producer pulled out a bottle of Armagnac from his cellar and introduced it as a grape based distilled spirit that he called ‘Cognac’s rustic cousin’. I just returned from a second trip to the region and tasted many Armagnacs from many decades, the oldest vintage from 1893.

We visited one Armagnac production house, Domaine D’Esperance, owned by Jean-Louis and Claire de Montesquiou, who bought an estate and began Armagnac production in 1990. After a lovely tour and luncheon in their kitchen with many Armagnacs to taste, Ms. Montesquiou declared, “I don’t want to be the ‘rustic cousin of Cognac’. Our Armagnacs are very elegant, far from rustic.” Well the region is decidedly rustic. Narrow two lane roads with quaint villages to drive through where one could open the car window and touch homes on a pass through. It’s common to see locals foraging for mushrooms, or berries or dandelions right beside the road. The farms are rustic with historic and charming buildings and old trucks and tractors with a dearth of visible and modern commercial farming equipment. The restaurants we dined in were small mom and pop operations with a rustic menu and service. But the Armagnacs we tasted throughout our visit were lovely and elegant, expressive of the region and its terroir and decidedly, not rustic.

Armagnac production predates Cognac by a century and a half and for many small producers then and now, it was made as an insurance policy, a hedge against a monetary slump, an asset in the cellar that could be monetized when necessary for a new car, tuition, a wedding or retirement. Indeed many were taught to put away some barrels for the future and old barrels are still frequently found tucked away and forgotten decades ago.

Cognac production is largely controlled by four houses; Rémy Martin, Courvoisier, Hennessey and Martel. Cognac grapes, almost all Ugni Blanc, are grown on 185,000 acres compared with a little over 10,000 acres of planted grapes in Armagnac. In Armagnac ten grape varietals are allowed with the most production being Ugni Blanc, Folle Blanche, Baco Blanc and Colombard. Both Cognac and Armagnac are grape based brandies. The grapes are harvested, fermented into a low alcohol wine and then distilled into a clear eau-de-vie (water of life) spirit. This spirit is then oak aged, blended and then bottled for popular consumption. Most of Armagnac is distilled once. Cognac is distilled twice. Each distillation removes congeners and flavor. I have heard wine producers say many times, “Good wine starts with the fruit.” Brandy producers historically used bad wines to make brandy. I heard several Armagnac producers say, “Better grape production makes better wine and better wine makes far better Armagnac.”

The Armagnac region is subdivided into three regions; Bas Armagnac to the west, Armagnac-Tenareze in the middle and Haut Armagnac to the east. Each subregion has different soils and micro climates and each imparts different flavors to their product. Each producer chooses barrel types and degree of toast or char on the barrel which has a profound effect on the taste. And some regions or producers create a more fresh and floral bouquet, some exhibit a smooth spiciness while some cradle the palate with savory oak flavors. One Armagnac producer, Baron de Lustrac, owns no vineyards. They have no grape presses or fermentation tanks. They have no distillation machinery. They simply buy Armagnac barrels from 20 different producers that meet their criteria of flavor profile, they continue the aging process until just the optimal moment and then blend and bottle on request. Chateau de Tariquet, on the other hand, is a multi generational operation with vast vineyards and every piece of modern fermentation and distillation equipment. They craft their Armagnac from buds on the vine through to oak aging the distillate which infuses the eau-de-vie with flavors of pepper, spice, orange peel, licorice, toffee, caramel and cinnamon.

Armagnac might not be readily available in small retail shops in the US but larger outlets should have some respectable options, and if not, could certainly order some. Look for Janeau, Delord, Chateau de Pellehaut, Darroze, Esperance, Castarede, Marquis de Montesquiou, Chateau de Laubade and Dartigalongue. All of these producers have a long and unique history of production and are crafting high quality, ethereal and mesmerizing Armagnacs. If you get a chance to visit the region, virtually all the production houses will gladly welcome visitors and offer extensive tastes and several bottles. The sips are heady and lovely, its elegance belies the region. The Armagnac elixir shared with a friend or two will create memories of flavor and celestial conversation. Armagnac is so not rustic.

Ascendent Wines of the Loire Valley

2019-01-29T11:42:00.000-08:00

Sylvain Naulin, managing director of Interloire, in front of Chambord.

The Loire Valley to the west and south of Paris and the Champagne region to the east of Paris have been the northernmost regions in France for grape cultivation and wine making. The Loire River, at 630 miles, is the longest river in France and drains nearly a fifth of all the land mass of France. The river itself, with the water moderating the air temperatures while throwing off reflected sunlight, is responsible for bumping the temperature up a few degrees to allow for proper growing conditions. Indeed, the Loire Valley, known as the Garden of France, as much of the fruits and vegetables necessary for people and livestock are grown there, and the Loire River has, for centuries, allowed for relatively easy transport to Paris.

Castles and Chateaux were built along the river originally as fortifications against enemy invaders. And then a bit of one upsmanship began, with each king, business man or lord wanting to outdo, or at least, impress the aristocracy and the locals. Today there are close to 300 Chateaux in the region. On a recent trip we visited a few Chateaux, notably Chambord and Chenonceau. Chambord, with 600 rooms, 282 fireplaces and 83 staircases, including a centerpiece double-helix staircase inspired by Leonardo da Vinci, was originally used primarily as a hunting lodge. Chenonceau was built in the 1500s and was gifted to multiple mistresses over multiple generations and was subsequently wrested back from them by the lady of the house. It was used as a hospital during wartime. Chenonceau today, is close to welcoming one million visitors per year.

Oh, but the wines. If you are a fan of honest and pure, unmanipulated and fruit driven wines, the Loire Valley is perfect for you. On a previous trip to the region Charles-Andre de Cossé-Brissac, the owner of Château de Brissac, told us, “The Loire Valley is quite simply the most versatile wine making region in all of France and, quite possibly, the world”. It is the top French region for white wines, the second French region for sparkling wines after Champagne, the second French region for rosés with 79 appellations and denominations. The total wine production of the region is 320 million bottles per year, a fifth of that for export.

The wines near the Atlantic tend to be exclusively white, usually made from Muscadet, an easy drinking wine and perfect for virtually any seafood pairing. As you move inland toward the east, white wines made of Chenin Blanc and Sauvivnon Blanc will be found and rosés become part of every winery’s inventory. Further west and closer to Paris we find significant red production. These are carefully crafted wines that can be opened young but patience will be rewarded. And the terroir is special.

The Loire River runs east to west, spilling into the Atlantic well north of Bordeaux. The Loire and its many tributaries create weather pockets of comfort to vineyards all over the region. Sylvain Naulin, managing director of Interloire, told me, “There are major soil differences on the north and south side of the river. And at the confluence of the Loire and its tributary rivers you will find ideal growing conditions for dynamic reds.”. In the past the reds have been fresh and fruity, ready to drink when bottled. The Loire producers are now growing and harvesting red grapes from Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Gamay and Malbec, known locally as Cot. And as they do in Bordeaux, they will blend individually vinified grape types until they have a wine of style and substance.

The soil is perfect for creating wines of structure and flavor, beyond the typically fruit flavors. The regional soil consists of volcanic rock, gneiss, granite, schist, chalk and limestone and each of these will impart its unique specificity to the wine. It is not a regional propensity to use much oak for aging. Some producers use none. Some employ the judicious use of oak for balance and structure but rarely flavor. And some really good news. It would be difficult to find a wine costing more than $50.

There are over 4000 wineries in the Loire Valley. With all the educational opportunities in the wine world, both formal and informal, with producers keeping meticulous notes on growing conditions and production methods and all the information sharing between producers and regions, the wines of the Loire are still ascending in quality. Liz Gabay, a Master of Wine, told me, “Wines of the Loire are very much at the beginning.” Muscadet producers are adding structure and flavor by leaving the pressed juice on the lees, ie the pulp and skins, for longer. The Sauvivgnon Blancs and Chenin Blancs of the region are being produced as a lovely still wine or coaxed into a bubbly Cremant, available at a fraction of some other bubblies of the world. And with global warming helping the red wines to ripen properly, producers today have more options for harvest time, helping them create the wine they envision. A few day s in the Loire Valley were transformative. It is very much a region moving forward. If you haven’t tasted some wines of this region for awhile you owe it to yourself to give some a try. It’s easy to find a Loire Valley wine that will pair with any food, any time of day and any situation.

2018-11-02T11:05:00.000-07:00

France Meets Argentina. Profoundly Good Wine!

Ramiro Barrios, managing director of Clos de los Siete, Michel Rolland, consultant and vintner, Lauren Lucas, media manager and Peter Deutsch, CEO of Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits.

Michel Rolland has been in the wine industry his entire life. He grew up on a farm/winery in Bordeaux. He learned the life and the industry from his parents and went to oenology school in Bordeaux where he met his future wife, Dany. Michel is an affable and fun guy with a big and hearty, contagious laugh. He owns wineries in France and produces much wine but he is much better known as a consultant. His client list is more than impressive with professional winemaking consultation happening in over 150 wineries in 13 countries and on four continents. Wine importer Bill Deutsch, founder of Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits, has been in the wine business half of his life. He came of age in the accounting industry, but got a glimpse of the wine world when he was assigned an audit of a wine company. He soon morphed sideways into the seductive world of wine. And in Wine Spectator’s 40^th anniversary edition in 2016 both Michel Rolland and Bill Deutsch were named as two of just 43 wine industry giants worldwide, alongside the noteworthy names of Rothschild, Antinori, Mondavi, Chapoutier, Harlan and Turley, to name a few.

In 1988, Mr. Rolland was invited to visit Argentina for a consulting project, and immediately saw the wine making potential of the region. He assembled a small team of partners from Bordeaux and went to work. He decided the weather, the soil, the hot days and cool nights and the very local influence of the snow capped Andes mountains 100 kilometers south of Mendoza would be a perfect location. They found a perfect plot of land of 2000 acres at 3600 feet above sea level. The idea was to bring Bordeaux wine making techniques to Argentinian terroir. They, including Michel Rolland, built four different bodegas, or wineries, each owned and operated by a different partner making their own brand. But each bodega would contribute significant amounts of wine to a group project, a custom Rolland blend of all four bodegas known as Clos de los Siete.

Bill Deutsch has been importing Michel Rolland wines from France for many years. The Deutsch Family is now responsible for importing Clos de los Siete into the US. I had the opportunity recently to dine with Michel Rolland and Bill Deutsch’s son and CEO, Peter Deutsch in a private room in Tocqueville restaurant in Manhattan. We tasted through a brilliant vertical presentation of Clos de los Siete, beginning with the 2015 vintage, followed by the ’14, the ’11, the ’10, the ’09, the ’06, and finally the 2003 made from baby vines just four years old. All of these wines are blends of Bordeaux varietals with slightly different blend percentages in each vintage. The 2015 was comprised of 58% Malbec, 23% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Syrah and 1% Petit Verdot. Each of the other vintages were the same order of grape dominance but the percentages were changed to reflect something in the growing environment that year. With five main grape types to taste and blend each year it guarantees a quality product each vintage. Peter Deutsch said to me, “Find me a better wine for under $20. It can’t be done.”

Each of these wines showed the same DNA of flavor profile; dark and dense fruit with a good backbone of tannins and spice. Dark cherry and blackberry were dominant in all of them. Some showed licorice, spice box and leather, some more generous and giving, some more restrained, (think decanter) but all showed good balance, great mouthfeel and an extended finish. My personal favorite of the lineup was the 2006, showing hearty dark fruit and a silky smoothness. The label is attractive and uncluttered with a seven point gold star, each point representing one of the partners. I found these wines online at around $18 per bottle. A 12 bottle case purchase will bring the price down closer to $16 per bottle. Michel Rolland said, “Argentina is so great for wine production. And we want to make wine that people like to drink. And then drink again.” Currently they are producing close to a million bottles of Clos de los Siete each year and are hoping to bump that number to 1.2 million bottles soon.

Malbec has a long history in the world of wine dating back many centuries. It found its fame and prominence in the southwest of France, specifically the Cahors region. But Argentina imported the grape and over a couple of decades showed what some altitude, a lot of sun, significant stony geological environment and high quality vineyard and winery practices could create. And Monsieur Rolland took it to another level by adding differing amounts of the noble Bordeaux varieties grown in Argentina to improve the nuance, the structure, the flavor and the experience of solo Malbec. As Autumn arrives and cooler nights begin to usher in winter order up some Clos de los Siete. This is a high value wine at a very attractive price brought to you by a couple of wine industry giants.

Whistlepig Rye Whiskeys~Pure Whiskey Elegance!

2018-10-18T09:39:00.004-07:00

Whistlepig CEO, Jeff Kozak in Shoreham, VT where the rye is grown, milled, fermented, distilled & bottled

Whiskey drinkers are a dedicated, devoted and loyal group. Wine drinkers might drink a cabernet one night, a sangiovese the next, and a chardonnay the next. But a whiskey drinker knows what they like and tends to stick with it. There are the Irish whiskey drinkers, there are the bourbon whiskey drinkers and there are the scotch whiskey drinkers. And scotch drinkers either move toward pure highland flavors or the more peaty and smoky lowland tastes. Well here’s a class of whiskey that your great grandparents might have enjoyed but then was crushed by prohibition, fell out of favor and never properly recovered, until now.

Sales of rye whiskey have been on a massive upward trend. Since 2009 domestic US rye sales have increased from 88,000 cases to 775,000 cases in 2016, an increase of 778 percent. And sales have grown in that same time period from $15 million in sales to $160 million. And as if guided by the rye gurus of yesteryear, Whistlepig Rye whiskey came to be in 2009; the brainchild of Raj Bhakta. Mr. Bhakta wanted to capitalize on two big trends; rye whiskey consumption and the farm-to-table phenomena. Searching for an appropriate and beautiful location he decided Shoreham, Vermont, not far from Lake Champlain, would be perfect. He purchased a 500 acre dairy farm and quickly converted it to whiskey production. He bought some aged rye whiskeys from Canada, began some blending and bottling and labeling, and he was in business.

I was in Vermont very recently and gave Whistlepig a call and set up a meeting with CEO Jeff Kozak for a tour and tasting at the farm, which is not available to the public. But a tasting room in Middlebury, VT and another in Waterbury, VT near Stowe will give the curious and the sophisticated a wonderful experience. Whistlepig farm is rustic yet elegant, re-purposed from production of milk to production and promotion of rye whiskey. Jeff is from Canada and was a commodities broker, hooking up buyers and sellers of large quantities of product, like soybeans, milk or pork bellies. Raj called Jeff and structured a deal for delivery of many tons of rye from Canada. He then hired Dave Pickerell, with 14 years at Maker’s Mark bourbon house in Kentucky as master distiller, and Peter Lynch as master blender.

Whistlepig is located in remote farm country in west-central Vermont

So they went to work and test marketed their rye whiskey in the New York marketplace where it was received very well. Whistlepig now has 300 acres dedicated to growing rye, making them one of Vermont’s biggest grain producers. Whistlepig employs 60 people nationwide with 25 working in various operations on location at the farm. And the growth of Whistlepig continues to expand at 40 to 50% per year, current sales in the $35 million range per year. Whistlepig is a word Raj heard someone say on a hike in the hills one day. A whistlepig is a marmot, a black and mountain dwelling woodchuck, which gives a clear and distinct whistle when it needs to communicate. Raj thought to himself, “One day I will use that name, for something.”

Jeff Kozak told me, “We are not corporate owned, we are not part of a distilling empire. Our team makes all our fermentation, distillation, blending and aging decisions, in house, on location. And we are confident rye is the new cool kid on the block.” Several of Whistlepig whiskeys are aged and finished from white oak wood harvested from the property. Some of the other whiskeys are blends of product aged in used port, sauternes and madeira barrels. Each of these barrels will contribute an accent to the final flavor. And Jeff asked me if I ever find an interesting used barrel flavor in my travels, to please let them know. They are always looking for exciting new concepts. Whistlepig rye whiskies have won several national competitions and have received top praise from national spirits magazines.

My first impressions of the tasting were of relief. I was expecting flavors of bakery rye bread, of which I’m not a big fan. The tastes were elegant and wonderful pure whiskey flavors. The alcohol levels in all of them were well integrated and not hot, astringent or biting. The oak influence and then the wine and/or fortified wine impregnated wood gave unique flavors to each bottle. But throughout the line in varying degrees I found caramel, some dark chocolate, vanilla and hints of dark and dense coffee, held together by a backbone of sweet white oak. This is a brilliant mixer which would do justice to any cocktail calling for whiskey. But I would taste it in a nice round glass with a small cube and drink it as a pre-dinner experience or for dessert. This is a savoring whiskey. Swirl, smell, swirl and smell again. And taste. Thank you Whistlepig! Purity and velvety smoothness in the glass. Ahhh!

Padre Azul Tequila. It's New and Worthy!

2018-08-14T11:50:00.001-07:00

Padre Azul Tequila Reposado! Pure and Wonderful!

Austria to meet Mexico in Germany. And no, this isn’t some undercard event for World Cup football. It is the birth of an exceptional tasting experience of a super premium and boutique made tequila. I didn’t (couldn’t) drink tequila for decades after an ill advised and unpleasant experience. Just that tequila flavor wafting nearby took me back. But I am happy to say I am cured. It took a serendipitous romantic connection in Germany where Austrian son-of-a-schnaps maker went to study and met fellow student, Mexican daughter-of-a-tequila lover. As these romances go, it was time to go to Mexico and meet her parents. And as these things go, her dad brought out a bottle of tequila to initiate his future son in law, HP Eder, into their Mexican way of life.

I have traveled and tasted and written about many types of spirits; bourbon, single malt whisky, vodka, rum, gin and many types of fortified (higher alcohol) wines. But I have never been asked to taste and discuss tequila until now, and what a beautiful experience. HP Eder had never tasted a well made tequila in Europe and at the moment of his epiphany in Mexico, and with the old connections he had and new connections he quickly made, he felt confident he could create something special there.

I’ve never been much of a shot glass guy. I taste most things out of open and round wine or snifter glasses. Sake will often be served in a tiny ceramic mug, champagne in flutes, tequila in shot glasses with some sprinkled salt on the back of your hand with a wedge of citrus. But give me a larger glass, let me swirl and taste, and swirl and taste again, and I feel like the drink exposes itself to me. Initial flavors and then lesser, tertiary notes will become increasingly apparent.

At present, Pādre Azul tequila makes three different tequilas, ranging in price from $75 to around $100 US retail. The Pādre Azul Blanco is bottled directly after distillation. No oak aging is implemented so it is clear and pure blue agave flavored. Agave is a tropical American plant that is the source of all tequilas. And as with grapes, terroir matters. The soil, altitude, aspect and horticultural techniques all contribute to the final product. Also produced is the oak aged Tequila Aῆejo and the Tequila Reposado. The Aῆejo is aged in used oak bourbon barrels for a minimum 18 months. The Tequila Reposado, which I tasted, is oak aged as well for a minimum of eight months.

So, HP Eder and his future wife started the process of exploring the finest tequilas, the finest agave fields, the best tequila makers, the best techniques and, of course, that all important money thing. They approached some Austrian buddies to partner up with some financing, and incorporated his wife’s dad into the partnership. And his wife, Adrian Alvarez Maxemin, has a cousin who became the master distiller. I asked HP Eder via email what made Pādre Azul Tequila so special and “Super Premium”?

“The tequila is hand crafted and slow cooked in traditional “Mamposteria” ovens for a minimum of 24 hours, with some resting time, in order to attain maximum flavor and is fermented slowly with naturally occurring yeasts, which can slow down the fermentation process and create a more complex flavor profile. Even the bottle is handmade. The taste is one of a kind, due to the agave sourced carefully from the Valles and harvested at about eight years of age when they a perfectly ripe; the slow cooking process; and aging in hand selected oak barrels for longer than the standard requirements for aged tequila.”

I poured a glass for me. I used a large wine glass, no ice, no fruit, no salt. I found it much like tasting a quality cognac or a premium rum. I wanted no camouflage of the flavors. Big swirls will fill your nose and draw you in with beautiful expansive and seductive layers. There were hints of chocolate carried by a backbone of citrus,with vanilla notes and coconut. There is a silkiness on the palate with a long finish.

This Tequila is 100% handmade, 100% blue agave and 100% Mexican. It comes in at 40% alcohol, 80 proof, standard for most typical spirits. I wouldn’t use it as a mixer. I definitely wouldn’t shoot it “to start the party.” This spirit is one to own and one to share and savor when you just feel like something a little different. Look for it in its leather clad bottle with metal skull on top. It will get your attention at the store and on your shelf.

Benefits of Your Own Wine Cellar

2018-07-29T09:23:00.003-07:00

Bernard Bouïssou, owner of Bernard's Inn at Ridgefield, in his very functional wine cellar

There is a crazy statistic that says that something like 92% of the wine in the world is bought to be consumed that day. The person planning the dinner meal will walk out of the grocery store and go straight into the wine store and buy wine; one bottle. Obviously these consumers have no need for a wine cellar. But if and when you evolve past this ‘buy now/drink now’ state of mind two things will happen. You will get to see the evolution of the wine over time perhaps. And you will have a need for proper storage of the wine. And proper storage essentially means being stored in a temperature and humidity controlled environment, more or less.

All wines should improve a bit after resting in the bottle, post bottling. And all wines have a life span of optimum drinkability. Well made wines will ascend upwards for months or years and stay at an optimal plateau of quality drinking for an extended time, and then will start to slowly fall off in flavor and experience. Lesser wines typically ascend quickly, plateau for a shorter time and then start to fall off quickly. Having a personal wine cellar will change your world. And by wine cellar I don’t necessarily mean a dedicated walk- in room. In using the term “cellar” I am essentially referring to a wine storage area. If space permits, racking out a room with shelving gives a great sense of building a lifestyle. But other storage areas could be the space underneath some stairs, the lower level of a closet or an under counter wine refrigerator.

The temperature and humidity are key to preserving and storing wine properly. The longer you expect to hold the wine the more important it is to have a proper environment. Look for a coolish place out of bright light in the home where the temps are between 55 and 65 degrees with minimal swings. Get rid of the incandescent light bulbs and replace them with cool touch LED lighting. Look for some shelving, either custom made or an on line kit or DIY rustic. My cellar is a dedicated room with long thick boards I milled, supported and spaced by 4” by 8” solid half cement blocks. It’s not particularly attractive but very efficient and functional.

I went to an expert to talk to him about the cellar. Bernard Bouïssou is the chef and owner, along with wife Sarah, of Bernard’s Inn at Ridgefield and Sarah’s Wine Bar just over the NY/CT border on route 35 in Ridgefield, CT. Bernard grew up and cut his culinary teeth in the Sud Ouest of France, moved to New York where he worked with Daniel Boulud at Le Cirque and met his future wife. Together they pursued a dream and found an underperforming restaurant that needed new blood, new passion and an inspired direction. The food at Bernard’s is wonderful and worthy of a visit. Each bite, each course is a palate pleasing romp that will make you giddy. But I wanted to talk wine with him.

When Bernard and Sarah bought the restaurant, the cellar had about 400 bottles. Today it contains more than 10,000. I asked what his advice would be to the new home wine cellar collector. “First of all , find out what you like. I love Burgundy, so my cellar is strong there. I also love Bordeaux and American Cabs. And it’s always good to find some larger format bottles. They tend to get aged longer, as you need a larger group to justify opening it”. Bernard also told me, “Develop a relationship with a good wine store owner. They can tell you when something arrives to your liking. And it’s always cheaper per bottle to buy a case or two”. Wines coming to a retail outlet or restaurant in Connecticut need to be supplied by CT licensed purveyors. But private buyers can shop on line at stores across the country, directly from wineries that will offer bulk or winery club member discounts, from the many wine clubs, such as the Wall Street Journal wine club (www.WSJwine.com) that offers 15 bottles for $70 as a welcome incentive. And other on line sites, such as www.wtso.com has one at a time deals that are significantly discounted.

I love to read a recipe and get inspired to cook up something. Or to read a newspaper or magazine wine story, and get excited to try a wine I haven’t tried in awhile. And instead of getting in your car, it’s especially satisfying to walk to your wine storage area, grab a bottle and open it. With a little thought, a little direction and a little money, anyone can start their own cellar.

Super Tuscan Querciabella. Find Some!

2018-07-28T11:10:00.001-07:00

1Querciabella export manager, Giorgio Fragiacomo, with a vintage line up of their flagship wine, Camartina

In more or less the geographic center of Italy, in the heart of Tuscany, Sebastiano Cossia Castiglioni is moving grape and wine production with an environmental passion that is helping to change the industry world wide. Querciabella was founded in 1974 by his father Giuseppe. Sebastiano took the reins in 1988 and has migrated the winery to full certified organic and biodynamic production. In 2010 they implemented a completely plant based approach to biodynamics making wines suitable for vegans. With 183 acres of prime Chianti Classico vineyards along with 79 acres of vines toward the western coast of Tuscany overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea, Querciabella makes several wines, both red and white, in many price ranges.

I visited the Chianti Classico region several years ago and then went to the Maremma in western Tuscany a couple of years later. At the time I was struck by the amount of bio-diversity, sustainability and organic production of grapes and wine making that was being embraced and enthusiastically employed by a certain majority of producers. But Sebastiano Cossia Castiglioni has taken this to a new level. Querciabella vineyards are alive and thriving. There are multiple crops planted between the grape rows which encourages pollinating insects, birds and other beneficials to make their homes nearby. These living and breathing vineyards not only provide sustenance for many creatures, they also make better fruit, and with better, in-balance soils encouraging deep rooting so they are able to tolerate extreme weather anomalies better than traditional vineyards.

Super Tuscan wines are often made from noble grapes, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot, not allowed by the Italian DOC and DOCG governing wine councils that ensure only allowed grapes are used and are from the specific area. Super Tuscan producers wanted to use other non-permitted grapes from the region, so another quality control agency was formed called the Indicazione Geografica Tipica or IGT. There are many producers of Super Tuscan wines. Ornellaia, Sassicaia, Tignanello, Solaia, Masseto, Vigorello and Querciabella are a notable collection of such producers.

I recently dined with Querciabella export manager, Giorgio Fragiacomo in a private room at Carbone Restaurant in Manhattan just south of Bleeker Street on Thompson Street. The food was creative and wonderful but we were there to taste through eight vintages of Querciabella’s flagship wine, Camartina, spanning twelve years. Giorgio told me, “Wine is an integral part of our culture. We want to make a world class wine that can compete with the best of France and other countries.” He continued, “Camartina is not made every year. Everything has to fall into perfect syncronicity to create perfect fruit to make this wine”. Typically these wines are mature and ready for consumption four to seven years post harvest. And they will remain lovely and at a happy place and will improve for at least 18 years post harvest.

We started off with the just-released 2011. This wine was still a baby but perfectly drinkable. Each vintage showed dark cherry elegance with varying degrees of black pepper and spice. Querciabella means “Beautiful Oak” in Italian and their judicious use of oak is subtle and beautiful. Camartina wines spend two years in oak, 80% new and 20% used French oak barrels. After bottling the wine rests at least an additional six months, prior to release. The earlier vintages were about 70% Sangiovese and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. From 2004 on, the year Sebastiano takes over, the wines became more Cabernet dominant. Each additional year in the bottle was rewarded with additional smoothness, balanced spice and nuanced flavors. Giorgio said they look to create a “Feminine wine with finesse.” Each subsequent, older vintage showed a maturity and an integration of flavors that were sublime.

In addition to the 2011, we tasted the ’10, the ’08, ’04, ‘03 (very difficult year), ’01, ’00, and 1999. My favorite was the 2000 vintage which showed balance, round, hearty dark fruit, perfectly aged for optimum pleasure. The ’99 was also singing and lovely. These wines retail somewhere between $100 and $150. Some of the earlier vintages may be impossible to locate but well stocked stores may have some remaindered. Look for Querciabella in all their price points. You will be supporting a living winery that is supporting and enhancing our planet. And other wineries are watching them.

Food and Wine Festivals. Super charged and super focused!

2018-07-28T10:24:00.002-07:00

Nancy Bean is the face behind the Nantucket and Newport Food and Wine Festivals

As a wine and spirits writer in the New York metro market, I get some wonderful opportunities. Wine and spirits seminars, wine luncheons and dinners happen year round, where I meet winery owners, winemakers or import representatives in a personal setting where I can taste through a series of wines, hear the rap from the producer and ask questions. I love this experience of quiet time with the source to hear the story of how this particular wine came to be; the season, the growth, the harvest, the crush and the evolution from grape to bottle. And a few times a year, I get an invite on a media trip, to go to a wine region and see for myself what makes this area unique and to meet the winemaker and taste through the wines and the vintages.

Many restaurants now feature wine tasting dinners offering a specifically chosen menu to introduce and promote a guest winery and to accent their wines. These dinners tend to be intimate, well run and attended by people with more than a passing interest in wine. And they are an opportunity to taste and learn the story of the winery and the wines and to put a face on a label. This gives the consumer a contact person at the winery for future questions on food and wine pairings or even for advice planning a trip to the area. It can be a valuable resource in many ways. Outside of these two options, how does the passionate amateur meet and talk to the people responsible for what’s in the bottle?

Food and wine festivals have been happening for years around the country but are gaining momentum, in actual events available, number of attendees and the number of exhibitionists from all related industries. Today there are festivals nationwide, from Pebble Beach to Aspen to Nantucket and everywhere in between. Typically a festival will go on for a weekend or more, sometimes coordinated with some featured event of the region, as in foliage season for Vermont, or timed to bring in the crowds off season. I attended a couple of wine and food festivals in 2017 and they are informative, fun, entertaining and an great opportunity to talk, face to face, with winemakers, celebrity chefs, well known wine educators and many purveyors of product.

The Westchester Magazine food and wine festival happens during the second week of June. There are gala dinners prepared by regional renowned chefs with menu pairings of some of the great wines of the world. There are many more food/wine events leading up to the Saturday food and wine tasting village at the Kensico Dam in Valhalla, NY. Wine educator and author Kevin Zraly, handpicked the wines for the connoisseur’s tent, and was available all day to discuss wine, in depth and from any direction anyone could want. There were cooking demonstrations by local well known chefs, wine, beer and spirits to be tasted, and a myriad of food products to sample, from cheese to pasta to tiramisu. Many local restaurants had booths where you could stroll through and taste a portion of their signature dish, often served by the chef.

Nancy Bean, of Wiseupevents, runs the Nantucket and the Newport Food and Wine Festivals. The Nantucket event happens in the third week of May and draws around 3500 paying devotees. There are 65 events coordinated over five days, from food and wine dinners in elegant water front homes, complete with a noteworthy wine expert present to discuss the nuances of each wine. Eric Asimov of the NY Times, Kevin Zraly and Ray Isles are all expected to be back in 2018. The Newport Wine and Food Festival occurs in the third week of September and overlooks the ocean from the mansions along the Cliff Walk. Newport draws over 4000 people and lasts for four days. As in Nantucket, the Newport festival has multiple gala dinners paired with wines introduced by wine educator Robin Kelley O’Connor. At the weekend tasting tent there are wine, beer and spirits to taste, food to sample, chef demonstrations on a culinary stage and on an outdoor grilling area. In 2017, I also got to take a freshly made Maserati SUV for a test drive around the streets of Newport. At any of these festivals there is likely to be topic related book signings by the authors.

If you’ve been to a festival, grab a couple of friends and go again. If you haven’t been, make 2018 your year to explore one. The experience is exciting and memorable. Organizer Nancy Bean told me, “We have a formula that would work anywhere with some customization. We need to know what brings people to the region. Both Nantucket and Newport share the ocean setting so we look for local flavor, local chefs and local products. And we love to support artisan purveyors, from knife companies to balsamic vinegar producers.” And don’t hesitate to talk to the experts. They have a wealth of experience and knowledge they are excited to share with the public. Ask for business cards and reach out to them when you follow up back home and re-experience their creation. It’s an education. It’s a party. It’s a concentrated “Wow”!

Catena & Rothschild Collaborate to Make Caro Wines

2018-01-30T07:24:00.005-08:00

Laura Catena and winemaker, Fernando Buscema, of Catena and Caro Wines of Argentina

Lafite Rothschild is surely one of just a few family wine names that conjures images of excellence in anyone’s mind. The earliest references to the family’s wine goes back to the early 13^th century. Their wines have been collected and served through the centuries by kings and queens, Russian czars and US Presidents, notably Thomas Jefferson. I can remember knowing the name “Lafite” before knowing anything of wine. The dreaded phylloxera , a soil borne destructive louse that will suck the life out of grape vine roots, decimated vineyards around the world and forced big name wineries to diversify and look elsewhere for appropriate vineyard sites. Established wineries looked all over Europe for safe zones to plant vines. Some owners looked to South America which already had a wine culture dating back to the Spanish conquistadors. This put Chile and Argentina on the world’s wine map.

In 1988, the Rothschilds began a collaboration with Los Vascos winery in Chile. Their mission was to find, focus and finance a quality producer and bring these wines to a much higher plane. The wines sell for a fraction of the cost of a Bordeaux first growth wine, but the vineyard methods and the oenological knowledge and direction is guided by Olivier Tregoat of Lafite Rothschild, the technical director for Lafite estates outside of Bordeaux. A decade later Lafite looked to the high altitude vineyards of Mendoza, Argentina and found Catena winery met their prerequisite of producing high quality wines with ambition and infrastructure and room to improve. They entered into an agreement with the Catena family, which had been making wines for three generations, to help advise,finance, and support all aspects of the partnership. They decided on a blend of the family names for the wine. “Catena” and “Rothschild” became Caro wines. They searched for a winemaker with big credentials and bigger potential and recruited Fernando Buscema, a fifth generation winemaker from Mendoza. Fernando was already fully immersed, having earned an oenology degree from Argentina and a master’s degree from UC Davis.

I met Laura Catena and Fernando in Manhattan recently, over an exceptional dining experience at Zuma Restaurant in Manhattan. Laura is owner Nicolas’s daughter and an emergency room physician living with her family in San Francisco. Over lunch, she told me the Catena family was a long time farming family dedicated to wine production. “We were absolutely giddy when the Rothschild family first approached us. Our wines were well known to be delicious and impressive in Argentina but this would take us to another level. Our mission is to make the most elegant wine from Argentina.” All of the grapes grown for Caro wines are hand harvested and hand sorted before de-stemming and crushing. This ensures no “off” grapes get into the mix and the tannic stems are removed creating a softer and more delicate wine. Caro produces Aruma, a single varietal Malbec wine, but their other wines are blends. By blending two grapes, the Malbec brings power, exuberance and fruitiness while the Cabernet Sauvignon provides structure and elegance.

We tasted the 2016 Aruma which was a refined and elegant version of Malbec showing dark cherry, soft spice and a silkiness to entertain the palate. Judicious use of Bordeaux barrels enhanced all these wines but Fernando told me, “We don’t want the oak to be the star. We want the fruit to speak for itself. The oak amplifies the flavors of the grapes.” Our next wine was the 2015 Amancaya blend of 85% Malbec and 15% Cabernet. It had lush and lovely notes with rich cherry and big delightful aromatics that kept the glass close and under the nose even when not sipping. We then tasted two of their signature wines, Caro, from two different vintages. The blend percentages are different each year depending on the specific weather conditions and the emphasis each wine will contribute to the final product. We first tasted the 2014 Caro which was dark and dense, with black cherry notes with hints of coffee and chocolate. The 2007 vintage showed a dark and brooding cherry tempered by licorice and vanilla. At the one decade mark, the 2007 is still very youthful with lots of time left. All of these wines are worth seeking out or even special ordering. Baron Eric de Rothschild called this venture “An association between two cultures, two families and two noble grapes.” All of these wines are affordable and significantly over deliver. For your next event, think Caro. All will be impressed.

Glassware: Why it Matters

2018-01-30T07:12:00.001-08:00

So, you’ve chosen the wine for the evening. You have brought it to proper serving temperature. You have opened it, quick sniff into the bottle. All good. Except your grandmother’s etched glassware you inherited with small bowls and vertical walls looks festive and pretty. But they will not allow your wine to properly express itself and achieve self actualization. Proper stemware matters. Riedel makes a specific glass for many of the noteworthy grapes of the world. I was invited to participate on a panel several years ago with several of New York’s “Wine influentials” to taste Malbec from a variety of shaped glasses; prototypes they had created to let the Malbec sing. As a group we swirled, sniffed, tasted and eliminated a glass or two in each flight. Ultimately there was one large egg shaped, large bowl, small mouth glass that was deemed the best shape for Malbec. And similar panels in Miami and Las Vegas came to the same conclusion, although admittedly, Georg and his son, Maximilian Riedel did their best to influence the outcome.

And how was this shape chosen. Malbec, especially when young, can be tight and contained. A large bowl allows for generous swirling, spinning and aerating the wine. This is almost equivalent to decanting for the same benefit. I really do not see the need for different shapes for every different grape. I look for open bowl and smaller mouth to discourage spillage. I look for lead free stemware. Studies have shown that lead can leach from the crystal into the liquid over time. I look for dishwasher safe. I look for thin walls and a graceful shape. I look for a pleasing tone when I flick the edge of the glass or I clink to seal the deal and complete a toast. And I look for affordability. Glasses will inevitably get broken and it’s not as painful when they were acquired at a good price.

Sparkling wines used to be served in short, open shrimp cocktail type glassware that was clumsy and impossible to walk around with without dripping. Then vertical and narrow flute glasses became the trend because the playful bubbles dance more visibly. This type of glass does prevent a hearty swirl which will keep the wine tight and contained. Again, I prefer an open bowl. I have been to the Champagne region in France and the Franciacorta sparkling wine region in Italy and they have moved to serving their sparklers in more open bowls. The bubble stream tends to be a bit more subdued and sedate but if a tiny etched mark is made in the bottom of the glass, the bubbles will be focused into a narrow and ascending stream in the middle of the glass. This will give you the properly aerated wine aromas and tastes, and the visible celebratory bubbles.

Many of the top producers of wine glasses are now making a stemless version of their vessels. These come in multiple shapes and definitely have their place. Obviously they are essential, for proper wine appreciation, on a boat. But they are helpful for mobile buffet type parties and events where there is a lot of movement. Stemware is significantly tippier and more likely to get toppled. And clean up is quick as the stemless glassware will fit in any dishwasher. The purpose of stem is to keep your fingers off the bowl itself which will change the temperature of the wine. So it’s good to put the stemless glass down between sips.

Many years ago a wine friend of mine told me, “Proper wine glass selection can add three Parker points to a wine.” Robert Parker is the famous wine critic, quite possibly the most influential critic in any field in the world. He has been responsible for changing the tastes we are likely to encounter in a wine and changing the industry itself as producers yearn for good ratings. If proper glass selection can add points and improve your wine experience, it can be the best use of your money.

Many stores and outlets now contain a variety of wine and spirits glassware. I have bought more than decent glassware at Costco for $20 for eight glasses. At another very different price point, Sophienwald makes just a few shapes for all wines. These glasses are stylishly elegant, light weight and do everything to properly amplify the wine. If you happen to find Sophienwald anywhere pick up a few or a set. Your wine, beer or spirit will taste better and make you happy. Cheers!

Destination: Western edge of the Iberian Peninsula!

2017-12-04T09:28:00.001-08:00

Pedro Araujo, of Quinta do Ameal, handcrafts wonderful white wines in northern Portugal

This column is usually written about wine and spirits. I often focus on a producer, a region or maybe a type of grape or spirit. Today let’s take a trip together to an exotic land and talk of castles, ancient monasteries, mountains, cathedrals, food, history…and wine. I recently returned from a wonderful and eye opening trip to the west coast of the Iberian peninsula, first exploring the Galicia region, in the northwest corner of Spain. We then crossed the Minho River, separating Spain and northern Portugal, and experienced the flavor of Portugal; north, central and south. Put this destination at the top of your short list for your next vacation, whether it be family style or romantic, and immerse yourself in an experiential taste of history and culture…and wine. It’s more affordable than you think.

Virtually anywhere you look is gorgeous country side or bustling and historical city centers with the ocean never being far away. Galicia has five different Denomination of Origins (DOs) for their wine production. Rias Baixas is a region known for lovely white wines made from 100% Albariῆo grapes. This wine pairs perfectly with virtually any seafood dish. There are three different UNESCO World Heritage sites in the region, all well worth a visit including the Hercules Tower in Coruῆa. It is the only fully preserved Roman navigational lighthouse. It was built in the first century AD and is still in use today. The Santiago de Compostela, another UNESCO site, is a town built around the cathedral paying homage to biblical disciple St. James, whose remains were said to be found near there. There are now pilgrimage trails originating in France, Germany, Spain and Portugal to visit Santiago, which along with Jerusalem and Rome are the three holiest Christian cities. A significant trek on the St. James trail is believed to purify oneself and to eventually open heaven’s gates. To promote the spiritual quest and concept we spent a night in Parador de Santo Estevo, a former monastery, dating back to the sixth and seventh century, and now a super luxury hotel in Ourense, Spain.

As we moved southward we entered the Ribeira Sacra DO and found white and red wine production. We visited the winery Abadia da Cova. The reds are predominantly made from Mencia and Garnacha grapes. The setting is among the most stunningly beautiful vineyard and winery scenery I have seen anywhere. The terrain is wild, looking out over a horseshoe shaped riverbend a thousand vertical feet below, with such steep topography, every row of vines needed its own retaining wall. The stone work alone must have taken decades of harvest just to break even and I can only imagine how impossible harvest time is every year. But they make beautifully structured and elegant wines worth seeking. A bit further south overlooking the Miῆo (Spanish spelling) River we tasted through the wines of Viῆa Costeira, a major producer and wine cooperative spanning two DOs; the Ribeiro and the Valdeorras. This winery has hundreds of partners and hundreds of growers. They grow grapes and they buy grapes and their winery is high tech and modern. The wines are well made, worthy and easily affordable.

Then we crossed the river into the Vinho Verde region of northern Portugal. All of the Vinho Verde wines we tried were lovely expressions of the local grapes. The spritzy, soda like quality of Vinho Verdes of the past are being replaced with delicious and elegant wines capable of aging. Portugal has recently established a wonderful lodging environment that will amaze anyone. The Solares de Portugal is a collection of over 100 historical estates, country homes and farmhouses throughout the country, many dating back hundreds of years, with rooms for rent, that have been inspected and certified as architecturally, historically and luxuriously interesting. Instead of staying in a hotel, you stay in a living and breathing environment. One owner told us, “You come as a guest, you leave as a friend.”

We dined with a Count and his wife at Paco de Calheiros, tasted their wines, toured their manor and learned about the evolution of the area through the generations. We visited Quinta do Ameal, a hidden gem of a wine producing property owned by Pedro Araujo. The five meticulous and elegantly appointed guest rooms, opened onto the country estate, where river sports, hiking and biking are regular pursuits. And of course, Ameal wines are sound and organic in concept. Pedro told me, “Wine must represent a sense of place. We make our wines in the vineyard and not in the cellar. By focusing on the development of the fruit, making the wine is simple”. These white wines are natural and delicious, showing balanced citrus pucker with a full mouthfeel. Casa de Sezim dates back to 1376 and is home to very old wallpapered rooms that has become a pilgrimage of its own to historical wallpaper enthusiasts.

At any of these Solares properties, the owners live on the property, dining will be high quality and likely to be served family style. Instead of learning from the hotel bartender you are likely to get an in depth lesson of the region from the proprietor and taste the wines from the estate. Portugal is home to 115 UNESCO sites, scattered all over the country. And the best part. Affordability. Rooms are available for somewhere between $125 to $170 per night. And to drive from the top of Spain to the southern edge of Portugal is about an eight hour drive. Any visit to the western coast of the Iberian peninsula, Spain and Portugal, is a taste and experience of centuries of history. Find out what life was like with all the luxurious perks of what life can be.

Oysters and Wine: A Taste of the Sea!

2017-09-08T06:10:00.001-07:00

Guy Bascou, president of AOC Picpoul de Pinet wine region in Languedoc in the south of France says Picpoul wines pair better with oysters than any wine from anywhere

The adage of only eating oysters and other shellfish in months containing the letter “r” is centuries old and from before refrigeration probably had significant value. The hotter months, May, June, July and August, have no “r” in their spelling and food would spoil much quicker then. Today, with proper refrigeration and micro-biologic understanding, along with the fact that 95% of the oysters we eat today are commercially farmed, the oysters available year round are safe and delicious. Commercially farming fish can create a host of negative issues not found in line or net caught wild fish. But commercially farmed oysters actually creates a cleaner, safer oyster, with more dependable taste and texture and is better for the environment as no ocean floor dredging is necessary. Oysters filter and clean their water environment and will absorb some of the local water flavors which will affect the taste. Terroir is the wine word used to describe that certain something that soil type, wind, weather, altitude and orientation of the vineyard will impart to the grape, affecting the flavor and maybe the texture of a wine. Merroir (“ Mer” is the French word for “Sea”) is a newly coined word to describe the unique environment’s role and effect and the different flavors the region imparts to the oysters and it is profound.

In the US, east coast oysters tend to have a high salinity, a brininess and freshness that will transport you, if only briefly, to the seashore. West coast oysters tend to have more of a cucumbery flavor, fresh, lively and sweet. I have been to massive oyster farming operations in the Languedoc region in the south of France. In a protected bay area adjacent to Picpoul de Pinet AOC wine region, oyster farmers have installed scaffolding with lines on which to “plant” or attach baby oysters known as spats which will grow into millions of oysters. They have installed solar powered motors to lower the lines covered with oysters slowly into and out of the bay twice a day to mimic the tides. This system allows for oyster flavors as nature intended.

The first time I tried oysters on the half shell was many years ago and the friends I was dining with slathered each oyster with so much cocktail sauce, the essence of the oyster was lost. Since then I have tasted with several oyster “sommeliers” and they know some truths about oysters. Of course, they can put flavor descriptives to a myriad of oyster producing regions. And each likes little or no additives or flavor enhancements. I met Julie Qiu, an oyster expert at an over-the-top Taittinger Champagne celebration in Manhattan recently and she told me, “I like to eat my oysters naked.” Of course I knew what she meant but the imagery was fun. And I tasted several varieties of oysters with her explaining the flavorful differences while we sipped Taittinger’s Champagne, fully clothed.

So what wine would you pair with oysters? Any crisp and acidic white wine would enhance the experience. I might choose a bubbly wine like the newly created and released Louis Pommery sparkling wine from California. And Kim and Erica Crawford sold the Kim Crawford wine company from New Zealand to a bigger operation and moved on to create a boutique and better version of New Zealand wines called Loveblock. The Loveblock Sauvignon Blanc has a bracing lemony acidity which gave flavor and perspective to the oyster. I interviewed the president, Guy Bascou, of Picpoul de Pinet in the Languedoc region of France. He told me, “There is no wine that goes with oysters better than Picpoul de Pinet. Most wines slide underneath the oyster. Picpoul de Pinet will rise up and go over the oyster, enveloping it with acidic freshness”. I’m still not sure what he meant by that but he said it with passionate conviction. Brancott Estates of Marlborough, New Zealand also make a few Sauvignon Blancs in different price ranges that all will enhance the oyster experience. And you wouldn’t go wrong with a Chenin Blanc or a Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley. Riesling, Gruner Veltliner, gently oaked Chardonnay, virtually any dry and crisp white wine or rosè will bring you to a happy place.

Languedoc-Roussillon Producers Fine Tune Their Palette (sic)

2017-08-19T08:10:00.003-07:00

Gerard Bertrand, in his barrel aging cellar, is a major producer in the Languedoc-Roussillon region. He is detail oriented with big picture direction. He makes wonderful wines in many price ranges!

Growing grapes for wine is a relatively easy venture. Plant the cut shoots, known as canes, either purchased or from pruning another vineyard. Add water and some trellising, train the vines along the wires, wait for the third harvest and you can make wine. And it’s a predictable and reliable annuity. Until something goes wrong, which could manifest itself anytime and in a variety of ways. Early and late frosts or hail storms anytime can devastate a crop, reducing yields by upwards of 70 percent and having a significant negative affect on the next vintage’s harvest. Big rains approaching harvest time will bloat grapes, diluting their flavors and will wash off natural yeasts on the skins, affecting fermentation. Insect attacks, fungal and bacterial blooms and even wild turkeys or wild boars scavenging can decimate the vineyard and fruit, seriously impacting the bottom line. I often wonder how regions like Burgundy, for instance, that relies almost exclusively on Pinot Noir for its reds and Chardonnay for its whites, recovers from some serious natural assault.

The Languedoc-Roussillon region in the south of France along the Mediterranean Sea, stretches from the Pyrenees Mountains straddling the Spanish and French border to just north and east of Montpellier. The region has until relatively recently, made uninteresting wines, often sold in carafes or in bulk. But as other regions and their wines have increased in value, producers and winemakers from these areas have bought interests or holdings in the Languedoc-Roussillon region, or have up and moved, buying up or planting vineyards as their personal estate. It is the largest wine producing area in France and one of the biggest worldwide.

The area ranges from sea level to quite mountainous elevations, with vineyards at many areas, altitudes and orientations. The hot summers and strong, predictable winds make it a wonderful region for farming sustainably, organically and/or bio-dynamically, minimizing or eliminating the need for chemical intervention. And as producers reduce each vine’s yield and vinify the grapes with better methods, the wines have improved radically and are now worthy and well priced. The region is still in a state of organizational flux with many big and small producers publicly debating how best to market their wines and their lifestyles. New rules have been established for regulating which properties and subregions receive qualitative designations. Look on the label for AOC Languedoc, Grand Vin de Languedoc or Crus de Languedoc; each successive designation indicating better terroir, technique and wine. Several other local subregions, that have produced wines for centuries, are well into the process of qualifying for, and attaining, AOC status.

There are dozens of varietals of grapes grown here and many types of wines produced. Some are instantly recognizable noble varietals, as in Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc and others, such as Picpoul and Bourboulenc are rather unknown, and somewhat specific to the region. With all the varied vineyard sites of altitude, exposure, both directionally, and toward water or other geographic features, producers are capable of making quality wines in any weather conditions they are likely to see. There are a few single varietal bottles in the region but in Languedoc-Roussillon blending is the norm. Each specific varietal offers up its own personality. A winemaker always has the option to enhance the wine by adding accents from other grapes to incorporate other taste profiles.

On a recent trip to the region, I had an engaging and informative interview with Monsieur Jérôme Villaret, managing director of Languedoc AOC wines. He told me, “Some grapes of our region are used for flavor, some for acidity, texture and/or mouthfeel. Adding small amounts of Mourvèdre to Syrah, for example, will add a velvety, textural feel in the mouth. Carignan will add freshness and acidity, contributing to a lengthy finish. And it’s the same for the white wines. A wine that’s short on acidity, as Grenache Blanc sometimes can be, can be improved by adding a touch of high acid wine like Vermentino. Syrah tends to make a dark cherry flavor with pepper and spice notes. Grenache offers up more red cherry fruit flavors leaning toward strawberry. Cinsault makes a light and very fruity wine. Marsanne makes a white wine with lovely balance of dry acidity. Roussanne will give off floral flavors tending toward white flowers with a rich mouthfeel.”

In the world of wine, the palate is of the mouth. It is where all the flavors and textures of the wine are sensed and interpreted by taste, smell and feel. In the Languedoc-Roussillon region, winemakers are like artists, painting a picture with a palette of wines each contributing flavor, fruit, acid, mouthfeel and texture. Each winemaker, in every vintage, can realize and create almost the perfect vision of their wine. Most of these wines will tell you on the bottle the grapes used and the percentages. Pick up a few bottles and take some simple notes about which grapes interest you. Soon you will have a sense of which producers and which grapes produce wines of sufficient flavor, body and accent, and which subregion will maintain your interest. In the Languedoc-Roussillon there is a wine for any palate.

2017-07-08T06:58:00.003-07:00

Diane Flamand, winemaker for the Lafite-Rothschild Lègende line of wines, in Manhattan recently

Diane Flamand has a wonderful job. Diane is employed by the Rothschild wine family currently in their sixth generation of ownership of Lafite-Rothschild, certainly one of the most recognized and respected names in all of wine. Wines from Lafite-Rothschild sell for many hundreds of dollars and often reach into the thousands for select vintages. Lafite is one of the five first growth wines of Bordeaux, a classification of wine excellence dating back to 1855. It is a very special occasion wine for people lucky enough to inherit a bottle or two, lucky enough to be able to afford it or lucky enough to have very good friends who can afford it. I have tasted wines from Chateau Lafite Rothschild several times. It is always a noteworthy event not to be forgotten.

The Chateau has bought up or entered into partnerships all over the world, buying properties or buying into partnerships in Chile, Argentina, Languedoc-Roussillon and Sauternes. They have recently planted vines in China to test the grape growing terroir and the markets of Asia. Any Chateau Lafite-Rothschild first growth wine is very expensive and can take decades of patience for it to reach its full expression and potential. Diane Flamand was hired as the winemaker for the Légende line, known for its affordable and easy ‘drink-now’ wines made with the Lafite touch. Diane told me, “The Légende line of Lafite-Rothschild wines are made with finesse, elegance and balance.”

The grapes on the estate of the Chateau are all called for, so how do you get the fruit you need to make these Lègende wines? Diane works with local regional wine making cooperatives where she has the opportunity to oversee all aspects of grape cultivation and wine making. There was a time when wine cooperatives made dull and uninteresting wines. Grape growers were encouraged to increase the yields of each vine, as they were paid by the weight of their deliveries. Today, the growers are encouraged to deliver a smaller yield consisting of more flavorful berries which will make a significantly better wine. The Légende Bordeaux Blanc and Bordeaux Rouge uses grapes from various sources in Bordeaux. They also produce better and more nuanced wines specifically from notable growers in Bordeaux sub- regions of Medoc, Saint-Emilion and Pauillac. .

Our tasting was at Vaucluse Restaurant at Park Avenue and East 63^rd Street in Manhattan. Chef and owner, Michael White, crafted an outstanding multi course meal to enhance each wine. The wines were poured as each course was being delivered. These wines can stand alone to be consumed just with friends over conversation, but they rose to another level when tasted with food. The Légende wines are food friendly and lovely. Our first wine was the Lègende 2016 Bordeaux blanc. At 50% Sauvignon Blanc, 40% Semillon and 10% Sauvignon Gris it showed citrus flavors with lovely aromatics. There was a mineral contribution of flint and limestone. No oak contribution enhanced the fruity flavors. This was followed with the Légende 2016 Bordeaux rouge. This wine was 60% Cabernet Sauvigon and 40% Merlot and showed dark and red cherry notes with hints of blueberry. There was a touch of oak aging for texture, not flavor.

Our next pour was the Lègende 2015 Medoc. At 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot it threw a peppery and pleasantly spicy dark cherry flavor. Diane told me, “This wine, as all the wines of this line, can be drunk now. But it also will benefit from aging.” Her 2014 Saint-Emilion showed a pleasant earthiness, owing to its 85% Merlot. The 15% Cabernet Sauvignon lent dark cherry flavors with balanced tannins. And our final red was a 2014 from Pauillac. This was a classic Bordeaux blend with more body, more spiciness and hints of tobacco. Diane said, “This is a beautiful and approachable Pauillac.” Approachable means affordable and it overdelivers.

In 1984 the Château procured an estate, Chateau Rieussec, in Sauternes, a nearby region made famous for botrytis, a fungus that attacks and shrivels the fruit and concentrates grape flavors. This produces a lovely and unctuous sweet wine mostly served with dessert. A second label from this estate, Château de Cosse2014 vintage was a perfect finish as the sweetness was balanced by a beautiful acidity. These wines can be bought for about $18 for the Bordeaux blanc and rouge, $27 for the Medoc, $45 for the Saint-Emilion, $54 for the Pauillac and around $30 for a half bottle of the Château de Cosse. It is likely that case discounts will apply at your local store. Beautiful flavors, affordable prices, the Lafite-Rothschild touch. Now that’s Lègendary!

Wines of the Loire:Versatile and Delicious!

2017-06-03T10:03:00.001-07:00

Charles-Andre de Cossé-Brissac, the Marquis of Brissac enjoying life and his wine at his castle!

Ahhh! The Loire Valley. I’ve heard many attractive comments of the region. Over the years I have met many wine makers and winery owners and tasted many of the region’s wines. I had served Vouvray and Sancerre in my first restaurant job in the seventies but didn’t give them much thought. I just returned from a whirlwind Cliff notes trip to the region and I have some firsthand thoughts. We spent two full days and a couple of partial days in Central Loire near Saumur, residing at the Royal Abbey of Fontevraud. This is a UNESCO site that, by itself, was well worth the cross-Atlantic flight. Originally constructed around the year 1100 as an oasis for spiritual attainment, it became a destination of royalty, common folks, religious seekers and kings and queens. It remained a deeply religious community, replete with cathedrals, cloisters, gardens and vineyards, until the French revolution, when it was plundered and then became, of all things, France’s harshest prison for a couple of centuries.

The Loire River enabled relatively easy access from the city to the country. The Loire Valley became a country retreat for the wealthy and for French royalty. Traveling around the regional countryside seems typically and beautifully French, but then you go around a corner and get gobsmacked by the sight of a castle, with turrets, spires, defensive garrisons, gardens and dungeons, dating back many centuries. The region boasts of 300 chateaux and over 4000 wineries. We visited one privately owned castle, circa 1050 AD, known as the Château de Brissac, owned by Charles-Andre de Cossé-Brissac, the Marquis of Brissac, with a promotion to titled Duke in his future. A guided one and a half hour tour and wine tasting will cost ten euro. The Marquis told us, “The Loire Valley is quite simply the most versatile wine making region in all of France and, quite possibly, the world”. The Loire is the second largest sparkling wine production region in France. It’s the second largest producer of Rosé AOC wines and the third largest AOC wine making region in all of France, contributing 380 million bottles per year to worldwide consumption. And they produce white wines, rosés, red wines and sparkling wines all over the dry/sweet continuum.

The Coudray-Montpensier Chateau as seen from the writer, Rabelais' homestead.

Oenologically, the area is challenged by northern and colder weather, sometimes not allowing for full ripening and saturation of the fruit. The whites, the rosés and the sparklers do just fine as chaptalization is allowed. Chaptalization is adding small amounts of sugar during fermentation, which would have been produced by the grape with a longer growing season, in order to get wine of proper heft and alcohol. In the past the reds have been fresh and fruity, ready to drink when bottled. The Loire producers are now growing and harvesting red grapes from Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Gamay and Malbec, known locally as Cot. And as they do in Bordeaux, they will blend individually vinified grape types until they have a wine of style and substance.

And the terroir is special. The Loire River runs east to west, spilling into the Atlantic well north of Bordeaux. The Loire and its many tributaries create weather pockets of comfort to vineyards all over the region. And the soil is perfect for creating wines of structure and flavor, beyond the typically fruit flavors. The regional soil consists of volcanic rock, gneiss, granite, schist, chalk and limestone and each of these will impart that certain je ne sais crois to the wine. It is not a regional propensity to use much oak for aging. Some producers use none. Some employ the judicious use of oak for balance and structure but rarely flavor. And some really good news. It would be difficult to find a wine costing more than $50.

The wines near the Atlantic tend to be exclusively white, usually made from Muscadet, an easy drinking wine and perfect for virtually any seafood pairing. As you move inland toward the east, white wines made of Chenin Blanc will be found and rosés become part of every winery’s inventory. Further west and south of Paris we find reds made mostly of the aforementioned varietals. These are carefully crafted wines that can be opened young but patience will be rewarded.

We listened to one presenter of Loire valley wines and he told us, “In the Loire you will find wines of fruit; fresh and elegant. Loire Valley offers red wines from the freshest, fruity expression of the grape to more mature, nuanced wines with depths of flavors. We do not like oaky dominant wines. And in the Loire we speak ze purest unadulterated French. We have no accents here,” he told us in his heavily accented French. Take a look at their website at www.Loirevalleywine.com. And for your next event, pick up a Muscadet from Nantes, a couple of Chenin Blancs from Savennières, a Rosè from Anjou, a couple of sparklers from Saumur and a red or two from Champigny or Chinon. Throw in a sweet wine from virtually any Loire producer and you have a party!

British Columbian Wines: Natural Beauty!!

2017-05-22T10:10:00.001-07:00

The British Columbian wine areas are among the most beautiful anywhere!

Many wine regions of the world are ancient, dating back through the centuries, with the vineyards originally planted by some church or abbey monks for sacramental purposes and/or daily consumption. A visit to Italy, France, Germany and Greece and other old world wine regions will show the palpable history is everywhere. The cobblestone streets, the duomos, the statues and artwork and architecture; every step seems to be re-experiencing the history of the region. As their political or religious sphere grew, their grape and wine production spread. And then there is the new world, notably Canadian wine production, mostly developed in the last couple of decades. Canada has instituted a strict regulatory agency, the VQA, or the Vintner’s Quality Alliance, which has established stringent rules regarding grape production and panel tasting of the wines to assure they are of good quality and free of flaw.

The Canadian wine industry has been quiet with most wines destined for Canadian consumption in households or restaurants. Then NAFTA was signed in 1994 which helped with wine exports. I visited Jost winery in Nova Scotia in 2009. Owner and winemaker Hans Christian Jost told me their export market to the US was healthy and growing steadily, and then September 11 happened which essentially closed the door to the US market. It has since reopened and the growth of the wine industry in Canada, in general, and British Columbia in particular, is exploding.

British Columbia abuts Washington State and would be in the running for the most beautiful natural wine region of the world. It has the Pacific Ocean, it has rivers and lakes everywhere, it has mountains including some of best skiing and boarding destinations on the planet, including Revelstoke, Kicking Horse and Whistler-Blackcomb. But the mountains of BC aren’t just majestic. They contribute to the quality of the wine production. There are four parallel mountain ranges in BC. The Coast and the Cascade mountain ranges create a rain shadow in the regions to the east of them. The mountains intercept weather and cause dry, almost desert like conditions to the east. Additionally through volcanic and glacial action, the soils are very attractive for making nuanced, high quality wines capable of significant aging.

There are currently five geographical wine regions in British Columbia, with the Okanagan Valley and Similkameen contributing 90% of the wines of the province. In 1974 the Canadian government planted 4000 vines with which to experiment and see which varietals were viable in this unique landscape. In 1984 there were just 13 wineries. In 1995 there were 30. By 2011 there were 200 and today there are over 275 wineries. Most of the grape types are of the noble varietals; grapes most everyone would recognize. Red grapes grown are Merlot, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah and Gamay. Whites you will find are Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Gerwurtztraminer, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier. Wine production contributes $2.8 million dollars to the local economy so it’s likely their production is only going to increase in quality and quantity. Their website link is www.winebc.com.

I recently had the opportunity to meet several British Columbian winemakers and taste their wines against the backdrop of an amazing multi-course seafood luncheon prepared by Chef Ned Bell of Vancouver in the James Beard House in Manhattan. The food was truly extraordinary and showcased each of the specifically paired wines. We started with a Steller’s Jay Brut sparkling wine. It showed good citrus, lively bubbles and a persistent finish. Made in the traditional (Champenois) method it will hold up to sparkling celebration wines from anywhere. Next we tasted an organic Riesling from Little Farm Winery. It was dry and pleasant and soft on typical Riesling flavors. Our next wine was an unmistakable Chardonnay from Black Hills Estate. This wine has a lovely citrus component carried by nuanced oak influence giving it layers and texture. Then we were served a Bordertown Winery Cabernet Franc which was rich and lovely, with red cherry and big floral notes and good mouthfeel. Then we tasted Syrah from Poplar Grove winery. It showed dark cherry, a great spiciness and pepper with aromas jumping out of the glass. And our last pour was a Bench 1775 Winery 2014 Viognier icewine. This is a gorgeous dessert wine with great balance of lemon citrus.vanilla and honey with an unctuous mouthfeel. Simply delicious!

I asked Laura Kittmer, media relations manager of the British Columbia Wine Institute what makes BC wines and the region special. “This is an exciting time for Wines of British Columbia as we build an international reputation for our fresh, bright, quality wines and premium tourism destination. 2016 was a record breaking year for wine tourism in British Columbia, welcoming more than 1,000,000 visitors to our world-class wine region, and the industry continues to grow." Other wineries I have tasted in the past and are proven worthy and delicious are Inniskillin, Mission Hill, Jackson-Triggs and Fox Trot. Travelling to Europe is wonderful, magical and unforgettable. But it takes effort to get there. Visiting British Columbia is considerably easier with flights to Seattle, Vancouver or any number of other airports. If a visit is beyond reach, pick up some of these wines from a well stocked purveyor. The wines are wonderful and will only improve with each passing vintage as the vines mature. Count me in!

Altaneve Prosecco. Finesse and Flavor!

2017-03-13T15:31:00.000-07:00

American born David Noto, creator of Altaneve Wines, oversees all aspects of their sparkling Italian wine.
(Daniele Buso photo).

Prior to the financial meltdown of 2007, weekend or dinner guests would often bring a celebratory bottle of Champagne to my house to get things started. Then the meltdown occurred, and by neediness or nervousness, house guests switched to bringing Prosecco, which could be purchased for perhaps half the cost of Champagne. I was never a big fan of Prosecco. The citrusy and floral flavors were there but there was minimal length on the palate and the bubbles poofed like sea foam in my mouth. Its flavor and structure seemed to quickly evaporate. Then I met David Noto and he and his wines gave me a new awareness and appreciation of Prosecco.

David Noto’s family is from Italy and they have a long history of agriculture, growing oranges, olives and grapes in the Calabrian region of south central Italy. In the early 1900s the family relocated to Genoa because David’s grandfather wanted his son to be more urban and less farmer. David’s father became an engineer and moved to the US. David also became an engineer in the US and in Italy and took a particular interest in the northeastern Italian town of Valdobbiadene, in the shadow of the Dolomite mountains in the Italian Alps, in the heart of the Prosecco region. Italy, like Spain, has rigorous rules for allowing labels indicating quality. Each wine region of Italy offers DOC labels which are guarantees of the region and the grape. The much more restrictive DOCG label are found on better bottles produced in the epicenter of the particular region, from better vineyard plots, better producers and these bottles have been jury tasted by local experts before the DOCG label is awarded. All DOCG labels have numbers and QR codes from which savvy consumers can find by computer search a host of information about the wine, the vintage conditions, growing conditions, wine making decisions and volume of production.

David Noto was born in the US but has lived in Italy for extended periods. He wanted to bring a very high quality Prosecco to the market. His boutique style production methods begin in the vineyard, where by DOCG law and desire, they limit the grape yields so the remaining grapes show a more concentrated flavor. David claims to have the best agronomist overseeing the vineyards, the best winemaker of the region and the best vineyard plots. Glera is the grape used for Prosecco but up to 15% of the volume can be composed of other varietals grown in the region. His wine is called Altaneve, (four syllables) which means “high snow”. The snow capped peaks of the Dolomites are visible from the vineyards. The vines are grown in very hilly terrain which makes automation impossible. All of Altaneve’s grapes are hand harvested.

Champagne, like Prosecco, is both a region and a wine. The main differences are the grapes used and the secondary fermentation method, responsible for the bubbles. Champagne employs a labor intensive secondary fermentation in the bottle, which needs to be riddled, or adjusted incrementally over weeks, in special racks to concentrate the sediment in the neck, which then needs to be flash frozen to disgorge the solid plug of dead yeast sediment. Prosecco’s secondary fermentation occurs in a pressurized tank and is known as the Martinotti method in Italy and the Charmat method in France.

I spent a day skiing with David recently (the guy can ski!) and our lift rides were spent talking Prosecco and Altaneve. He makes three wines; two Proseccos and one sparkling rosé. The two Proseccos are wonderful, with citrus, green apple, finesse and structure and finish. The second Prosecco is sourced from one exceptional one and a half acre plot high in the hills. Both Proseccos are made of 100 percent Glera grapes. A few years ago, David visited stores in the Hamptons to market his wines. Everyone trying them was suitably impressed. One store owner told him, “We sell a ton of sparkling rosè here. Can you make a sparkling rosé for us”?

So, in April of 2014, David invited some colleagues with exceptional palates to lunch at L’Escale in Greenwich. He invited Theresa Rogers of Horseneck Wines in Greenwich, David Fletcher, director of L’Escale, John Freitas, sommelier at L’Escale and Matt Habdas, sommelier of Gabrielle’s steakhouse in Greenwich. They all agreed Altaneve Prosecco was top tier, certainly one of the finest Proseccos they had tried. Theresa asked for some additional glasses for the table where she began blending Altaneve Prosecco with some Pinot Noir rosè. She tried several permutations and finally said, “Got it. This is it.” It was passed around for group approval and the Altaneve Rosè was born, made of 70% Pinot Noir or Pinot Nero in Italy, and 30% Glera and it is wonderful. It shows all of the great characteristics of a well crafted Prosecco, with fresh fruit flavor and structure of Pinot Noir. This is an Italian wine born in Greenwich. Look for Altaneve wines in their graceful and attractive bottles. Altaneve brings Prosecco to a higher place.

Wines of Catalunya~Something for Everyone!

2017-01-10T13:19:00.001-08:00

Winemaker and owner of Vinyes Del Apres winery, David Molas Alberti (seated) with export manager, Ricard Zamora Islanda at their winery at the foot of the Pyrenees mountains in Catalan region in Spain.

A few years ago I was on a trip to the Languedoc-Roussillon region in the south of France. I visited a wine estate and was talking to the owner and he mentioned the importance of Catalan traditions, of which I knew nothing. At one point I asked him, “Do you consider yourself more French or more Catalan”? Without hesitation he said emphatically, “Catalan. Of course.” I just got back from a wine centric trip to Catalunya, the Catalan region in the northeast of Spain, immediately south of the Pyrenees mountains. The Catalan region used to be a separate protectorate, extending into current day France, established many centuries ago to protect the local population from invading forces, mostly Moors and then Muslims, who were trying to establish their hegemony over the strategically located Iberian peninsula. Catalunya was its own region until the Spanish Civil War when Franco essentially annexed it and made the Catalan government, language and customs illegal. The language is half Spanish and half French with some Italian thrown in for good measure.

Because of its location on the western edge of the Mediterranean Sea with short and easy access to the Atlantic ocean, the region has always done well and its people have been industrious and creative. Today there is a secessionist movement much like the Basque secessionist movement from a few years ago. The locals feel they give way more than they get from the Spanish government and imagine an independent existence would be preferable. Catalunya is an energetic, vibrant and beautiful region with villages and cities showing architecture exhibiting testimony to their Greek, Roman, Muslim and Christian influences, to name a few.

I am a firm believer in experiential family vacations where everyone is exposed to other cultures, languages, food and history. It gives a broader world view and gives a personal relevance to studying a multitude of subjects in school. The Spanish tourism board (www.winetourismspain.com) has done an amazing job putting together wine routes of various lengths and various subregions in Catalunya. There are organized bus trips to wineries or you can travel by car or train. Just a generation ago much of the wine made in Spain was consumed locally or was sold in bulk to other regions. I visited Castell del Remei, the first winery in the region with their own brand, and proprietor Tomàs Cusinè said, “In Spain we are going through a second revolution. We planted Cabernet Sauvignon in the 1920’s. Now we are going back to planting indigenous varieties like Garnatxa (aka Grenache) and Monastrell. And more local wineries are welcoming visitors.” A visit to one of these smaller wineries will likely find you talking and touring with the owner or the winemaker.

We also visited and tasted the wines of Clos Pons, which began as a massive olive tree farm and olive oil producer. They have over 200 varieties of olive trees, with Arbequina being the specific variety of olive oil chefs treasure and love most for finishing and flavoring dishes. Clos Pons planted their first vines in 2005 and 2008 was their first vintage wine. And as it is in the south of France, the predictable and thunderous Tramontane winds make it easy to be organic or sustainable. Both regions tend to not get a lot of rain or humidity and the winds will dry things quickly, reducing any need for fungicides. We visited the mega Cava house, Codorníu, and tasted through a variety of their sparkling wine styles. Their cavas are made in the traditional method, are delicious for any occasion, and are affordably priced. Kids will love the theme park style train/tram ride through the underground aging tunnels. And Castillo Perelada is a wonderful estate, complete with a castle and a casino and a golf course. Their restaurant in the castle is not to be missed.

The city of Girona is brimming with beauty, history and culture.

And there is so much more to the region. There are very large estates and producers. There are mom and pop boutique producers. There are vineyards and production houses dating back to middle ages and wineries that have sprung up just recently. There is easy access to the Mediterranean beaches, medieval villages, botanical gardens, hiking, ballooning, snorkeling and kayaking. There are street festivals featuring food, music, art and even a festival featuring the dreaded phylloxera pest that destroyed vineyards world wide. In short, there is something, many things, for everyone. It is a vacation and experience that will change someone, forever and for the better.

Grgich Hills Wines. Wonderful!

2016-12-07T14:29:00.000-08:00

Violet Grgich in Manhattan with a selection of Grgich Hills wines

“I don’t drink Chardonnay,” a very smart lawyer friend of mine told me not long ago. I asked her why and she told me “It’s too oaky.” I replied, “Oh, you don’t like oaky Chardonnay. Neither do I”. Most wine people today don’t like or drink oaky wines. In the seventies, heavy and clumsy oak influence was employed because there were many new wine drinkers that embraced the caramel and butterscotch flavors. That didn’t last long and soon winemakers were reducing the oak in all their oak aged wines to “Let the fruit speak for itself.” Indeed, oak became a seasoning like salt, to give mouthfeel and accent but not flavor. Oak like salt, once you can taste it, is too much.

Violet Grgich, Milijenko “Mike” Grgich’s daughter was in New York recently to show us Grgich Hills Estate’s current wine releases. Mike Grgich was born in Croatia, the youngest of 11 kids. He grew up in Croatian vineyards and learned to make wine. He enrolled in oenology classes in Zagreb and then West Germany and heard from a mentor and wine teacher that Napa Valley was paradise; the perfect place for growing grapes and making wine. Mike made his way to Canada and then to California and became acquainted with and/or employed by the Christian Brothers, Robert Mondavi, André Tchelistcheff and the Barrett family of Montelena winery. It was here that Mike made the 1973 Montelena Chardonnay that turned the wine world upside down. In the now famous 1976 Judgement of Paris, this wine was chosen in a blind tasting using only French wine judges, against several Burgundian and California producers, as the best Chardonnay in the world.

When you’re voted best in the world you get some serious street cred. In 1977, Mike partnered up with Austin Hills of Hills Brothers coffee fame and started Grgich Hills Estate winery. I asked Violet if Mike Grgich wines ever led or followed the pendulum swing to heavily oaked wines. She said, “No, our wines have always been pure. They start simple, subtle and then grow in the glass. There was never a need for manipulation.” And Grgich Hills was a frontier forger with organic and sustainable practices in the vineyard and in the winery. Grgich Hills owns all their own vineyards and they don’t have to buy grapes, which gives them complete ‘vine to bottle’ control of the product.

We tasted a series of wines against the backdrop of a wonderful meal prepared by Raoul Whitaker, owner and executive chef of David Burke kitchen. We tasted Grgich Hills 2014 Fumé Blanc and it was crisp and tight with a lemon citrus dominance. It was dry with a pronounced fruity presence and was perfect with a root vegetable salad. The 2014 40^th Anniversary Chardonnay was a rich, creamy, lovely balanced wine with subtle oak influence. The 2012 Merlot and the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon each showed a dry dustiness with dark cherry flavors with full bodied generous mouthfeel and finish. And the Grgich Hills Violetta is a wonderful dessert wine experience. Of course, you could pair it with certain dishes like foie gras, but to me it is wonderful paired with dessert, or being the featured dessert. It is made using grapes affected by botrytis, the same noble fungus that affects and is responsible for the flavors in a Sauternes. This wine showed deep, sweet, golden honey with an unctuous mouthfeel carried and balanced by a backbone of rich acidity.

Mike Grgich is a man blessed by hard work, dedication, knowledge and probably a bit of luck. His list of friends is a veritable list of Who’s Who in the California (and Croatia) wine industry. He came to this country with just a couple of dollars, a suitcase, some wine knowledge and experience and built a new- world wine in the old-world style. Grgich Hills Estate signature wine style is food friendly, balanced and elegant. There are so many great wines today. Mike Grgich’s suitcase and his 1973 Montelena Chardonnay are in the Smithsonian and his wines have been served at White House state dinners. Pick up some for your next event. Grab a piece of history. They are very easy to find and well worth the price. To Milijenko Grgich and his charmed life. Cheers to You!

Bruno Paillard Champagne. For Celebration or For Fun!

2016-11-11T05:19:00.004-08:00

Alice Paillard, daughter of Bruno Paillard, with an attractive selection of Bruno Paillard Champagnes

With the holidays just around the corner, wineries that produce sparkling wines are getting busy. Decades ago the Champagne region did an amazing job linking their wines to celebrations. New Year’s Eve, weddings, anniversaries, business triumphs and political successes are applauded and sealed with a Champagne “Pop” and pour. Indeed, almost a quarter of Champagne’s massive annual bubbly production is sold in the month of December. I recently attended a dinner and a tasting of Bruno Paillard champagnes in Manhattan. Alice Paillard, a daughter of winery founder Bruno, was just settling in after a cross Atlantic flight. I arrived at the restaurant about a half hour early and immediately recognized her from the promo pictures, grabbing a small bite near the bar. She invited me to sit and talk about her wines, one on one.

Alice told me, “We are the youngsters on the block”. It’s very rare for a new Champagne house to originate. Usually smaller family owned houses are bought up by the mega producers so there is a diminishing autonomy in the region. Bruno Paillard had worked in his family’s multi generational brokerage house in Reims, hooking up growers of Champagne grapes with producers of Champagne. At age 27 in 1981, Bruno decided he wanted to make Champagne, but only a premium and pure Champagne. So he sold his one possession of value, a vintage Jaguar, bought some grapes from a Grand Crus vineyard, rented a cellar with some wine making equipment, and got busy.

From the beginning the goal was to buy grapes from top tier Grand Cru plots where the grapes have accented flavors of fruity acids and flowery elements with a backbone of steely minerality, picked up from the limestone and chalky soils. Bruno only used the premium juice of the first pressing of the grapes from the best plots he could find. In 1994 he bought his first vineyard, a seven and a half acre grand cru plot, which gave him more control from vine to bottle. He employed sustainable and organic principles before that was popular and now uses no herbicides or pesticides in the vineyard. They plant flowers liberally which, of course, is very pretty but their function is more important. Roses, in particular, are more sensitive to certain fungi than grapes. If there is evidence of a fungal attack on the roses, the vines will be next. This “canary in a coal mine” approach helps minimize intervention. The flowers also attract pollinating birds, bees and butterflies, helping to breathe life into the vineyard.

By 1990 Monsieur Paillard began building his own high tech winery. Today Bruno Paillard owns 79 acres of vines in 100 distinctly different plots with 30 of those acres labeled Grand Cru. In 2007 Alice joined the business and today is co-manager of the brand. Alice has jumped in to all aspects of the house, including vineyard management, wine making, media relations and sales and export markets. Bruno Paillard was the first in Champagne to print the disgorgement date of the label. Disgorgement is the process unique to sparkling wines where they coax the sediment into the upper neck of the bottle by turning the bottles and making them a slightly more upside down vertical in special racks over a few weeks. Finally, they freeze the bottle necks, pull the cork and the ice plug of sediment is expelled and the bottle is topped off with a touch of wine.

Alice told me,” Champagne is not just a celebratory drink. It’s a wine. It pairs wonderfully with many meals and cuisines.” Champagne can be made with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes. Each type of grape and each grape plot is vinified separately into a still wine and then carefully blended to complement the other’s flavor profile. Each individual still wine changes at its own pace meaning the blended wine is changing in the bottle. Post disgorgement, Bruno Paillard will let the wine sit and and the flavors merge considerably past the required time. The wine will not get released until a taste test proves to be an attractive and smooth blend.

At dinner we tasted through a wonderful selection of Bruno Paillard champagnes. Their Multi Vintage (MV) wine is their most affordable wine. They blend wines from the cellar, some of them over 25 years old. Their Extra Brut Première Cuvèe (SRP $50) was pure, with lovely citrus and a refreshing saltiness on the finish. The Extra Brut Rosè Première Cuvèe (SRP $70) was dry with a beautiful acidity with a clean finish. Other descriptives I found in these Bruno Paillard wines are elegant, dry, puckery, clean minerality, a beautiful freshness, creamy and crisp, great balance and mouthfeel. These wines are lively and exciting and “dance on the tongue and in the mouth”. They pair wonderfully with a broad selection of food on the table. Obviously, these wines would be perfect for your next special event or celebration. Pick some up for your next non event. Dinner at home. A movie. Turn the mundane into a celebration.

Premium Sake~Worthy Flavors For Everyone

2016-10-15T09:39:00.001-07:00

Toshio Ueno, Master Sake Sommelier, presenting a seminar on premium sakes in Manhattan

I’ve never felt the effects of sake because, quite honestly, I have never finished the small porcelain cup it was offered up in and I’ve never requested another. I only tried it as a house pour in Japanese restaurants usually served warm and, in retrospect, I now realize, it was a poorly made sake. I recently had the great honor and pleasure of participating in a premium sake master class and tasting, hosted by Toshio Ueno, a master sake sommelier and vice president of the Sake School of America. Although the production of sake goes back thousands of years premium sake is a relatively new concept, taking hold in just the last 50 years or so. I had always thought of sake as a rice wine but Mr. Ueno was adamant that it isn’t a wine. Indeed even the sake production houses are known as breweries.

Sake is relatively easy to make. Certain rice is grown specifically for sake production and not for food. This sake rice has higher starch concentration, less protein and fewer lipids (fats and fat like material) making it far less nutritious and less tasty for human consumption. The rice is then milled or polished until the tougher and bitter outer parts are ground away leaving the shinpaku, or the “white heart”. Many bottles of premium sake will tell you the percentage each grain of rice is polished. The higher the seimaiuai , or polishing number ratio, the smaller the resultant white heart and the purer the sake. Look for numbers approaching or exceeding 50%. The temperatures of the mash will be tweaked both up and down throughout the fermentation process to keep the fungi, the yeasts and the transformation in sync.

Wine is made by encouraging the sugars in the fruit with the presence of yeast to become ethanol, or consumable alcohol. Simply add yeast to soaked sake rice and nothing will happen. This rice is loaded with starch with almost no sugar. Koji, a fungus unique to Japan is added to the rice mash first to convert the starch to sugar, and those sugars with the introduction of yeast are then converted to alcohol.

The flavor profile of premium sakes can be all over the sweetness/dryness continuum. Many premium sakes today have a sweetness scale on the back of the bottle making choosing a style, much easier. Usually, the bottles representing a wine production area are similar by local law or by habit. Bordeaux uses a shouldered bottle for trapping sediment. Burgundy employs a graceful and sloping neck. Alsatian wines are delivered in tall and narrow flute bottles. But sake bottles come in many colors and various shape. Brown, green, light blue, dark blue, pink. Some come in clear and translucent colors. Some bottles are frosted. Some are tall, some squat. Some in baskets similar to some chiantis. So how do you choose? Premium sakes are quite affordable, most retailing in the $15 to $35 range. Look for highly milled sakes and find your sweetness/dryness comfort zone. Then find your alcohol zone because sakes can have the highest alcohol content of any solely fermented product. Wine alcohol percentage is usually between 10% and 15.5 %. Sakes can be anywhere between 5% and 20%. Many of their higher alcohol sakes are then diluted toward the end of the process but some come in at full strength.

Our first taste of sake was educational for me. The flavors were subtle and soft, very unlike any white wines I’ve had recently. Sauvignon blanc, Vermentino, Albariῆo and even Grüner Veltliner are big citrus fruit bombs by comparison. The lemony notes of these wines will reach out and grab you. No mistaking it. But sakes are subtle and soft with fresh and clean apple, pear, melon or citrus flavors, sometimes with a hint of finely ground white pepper or other soft spice for structure. And they are very food friendly that will take you way beyond sushi and Japanese cuisine. Sakes will pair with any type of seafood, lightly dressed pasta dishes, raw bar selections or vegetable platters. Ceviche would be a perfect pairing. None of the sakes we tasted come with any vintage date on the label. Sake is meant for drinking fresh and young with only a few producers experimenting with aging them in the bottle. So make sure you purchase from a purveyor with some stock. A small retailer might have the bottle on the shelf for years. Pick up some sake and retrain and re-tune your palate. There is a place in everyone’s wine cellar and at many wine dinners for a variety of sakes. Just don’t call them wine.

Emerging Wine Frontiers

2016-09-12T10:33:00.004-07:00

An emerging frontier wine from Croatia. Dig around. Ask questions. Explore the wine world!

Kevin Zraly is one of those guys that everyone in the world of wine, and well beyond, is familiar with. Kevin has been teaching about wine for over forty years, has developed wine lists for multi starred restaurants, including Windows on the World restaurant on the 107^th floor of the World Trade Center. He conceived and taught the Windows on the World Wine Course that has escorted 20,000 students into oenology to become immersed in wine knowledge, for personal awareness or professional ambition. Kevin also wrote the brilliant book, Kevin Zraly’s Windows on the World Complete Wine Course. This comprehensive text book, originally published in 1985, has been updated annually and republished regularly, and has sold over three million copies.

Kevin still lectures regularly although I recently received an email from him saying he was ending the Wine Course with one last semester. I ran into him hosting a wine event for wine professionals in New York recently. I asked him, “Isn’t it great to be alive now in the age of enlightenment of wine production”? Many regions of the world are now producing very good wines. Grape growing, vineyard management and wine making ideas are disseminated at colleges and universities offering wine making degrees. And the internet allows for instant and endless transmission of questions, answers, ideas. There are specialists in every field of production, from soil and grape types to vinification, barrel usage and even pairing proper stemware to the specific wine. He thought for a second and said, “Yes and no. You’re right that the wine available is generally far superior than at any time in history. However, the downside is that there are no new emerging frontiers”.

I’ve thought about this comment for several weeks now and been to many regionally specific wine tastings since. And even today there are frontier wine producers emerging from all over the globe. Just a few years ago there were only a few respectable wine regions in the USA. California, Washington, Oregon, Finger Lakes, the forks of eastern Long Island. Today all fifty states produce wine, many very respectably. Canada makes some lovely wines, especially from British Columbia, Ontario and Nova Scotia. And if global warming continues, Canadian wine production will only get bigger and better.

Many producers, vineyard managers or winemakers from the fully recognized regions of Bordeaux and Burgundy, among others, are cashing out and moving to less heralded regions to buy something or build something and migrate with their knowledge of quality wine production to emerging regions. The Languedoc-Roussillon and the Sud-Ouest region of France, known forever for making uninteresting bulk wines, are now proudly offering wines that will stand up to crafted wines of other regions costing many more Euros. Italy and Spain have their famous regions, Chianti Classico, Piedmont, Ribero del Duero and Rioja to name a few. But each country has many other regions that have emerged and are still improving their wines.

I have visited Israel several times in several different decades and the wine I tasted got better with each passing decade. American born Victor Schoenfeld, of Golan Heights winery in northern Israel is quite simply the most influential wine maker of the extended region. His winery is a mega producer with plenty of shekels and interest in supporting experimentation with the vines and production methods. All the wine producers of Israel and in surrounding countries are closely watching Victor and his generous knowledge dispersal will continue to improve those regional wines.

And then of course November 9, 1989 happened. The freedom that East Germans yearned for was building to a crescendo. The anti soviet wall crowd grew and surged until the soviets finally opened the doors to the west and began dismanteling the wall of oppression. Post World War II the wineries that were present in the soviet occupied countries were rewarded with volume; quantity over quality. Some of the oldest wine producing countries became soviet ruled and it killed incentive to make good wine. Hungary, for instance, had made some wonderful wines that got crushed with soviet domination. Now wine production has been redeveloped and improved in Georgia, Croatia, Hungary, Slovenia, Romania, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Ukraine and Crimea to name some. All of these countries are still reinventing and re-developing their wine industry. And the attractive prices will reflect general consumers’ lack of awareness of these former soviet bloc wines.

So, Kevin, I respectfully disagree. There are still emerging frontiers all over the wine world. Some are peripherally related to large established regions. Smaller producers from invisible sub regions of Bordeaux and Burgundy for instance are offering up well made wines at great prices. Some are little known and unexplored regions we now have access to and are building their export markets. Look for something off the beaten track. Ask your sommelier or store owner for something they recommend from a new or emerging production area. Your palate and your wallet will thank you.