Down To Earth Wine

vins du jour feb 22

chris.cree@56degreewine.com (Chris Cree M.W.) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 20:12:25 PST

Fav wines of the day, from opposite sides of the Alps. Giachino Abymes 2010 -all Jacquères from biodynamically farmed vineyards in the Savoie. Fresh crisp and pure with a Muscadet-like saline minerality and acidity. Only 11% alcohol. fine pure balanced and plenty of depth. Bring on the seafood!

Second a red from the other side of Mont Blanc in the Vallèe d'Aosta primarily Petit Rouge, balance other indigenous grapes. Crushed red cherry, fresh acidity, lively but not tart at all.

Chris Cree MW's photostream

chris.cree@56degreewine.com (Chris Cree M.W.) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 07:02:58 PST

Chris Cree MW's photo stream click to view on Flickr.

Last Mays' trip to France with Bruce Neyers of Kermit Lynch Wine Merchants was without doubt full of fantastic winery visits, exquisite dinners and great wines, but one of the stops on the trip that truly stood out was the visit to Pierre and Anne Breton in Bourgueil in the heart of the Loire Valley. A bonne degustation of the current releases is the norm here, and this years line-up of beautiful, soulful wines that truly capture the essence of their northern Loire climate and geology was no exception.

After tasting in the cellar we moved out into a sparklingly beautiful sunny spring day for one of those impromptu little lunches that the French seem to throw together with such ease and grace: dried meats and saucisson of various types, crusty breads, piquant country mustards, pates, cornichons, a little roast Pork, roasted potatoes and vegetables, and of course an abundant selection of frommages.

On this lucky day, Pierre treated us to a tasting of some of the gems he has carefully cellared and stored in their cool cellars, including the 1995, an excellent year - ripe, full and solid, the 1992, a bit lighter (my wedding year!) but so pure, delicate and fresh still, and finally the 1986, Pierre's second vintage, mature and full of earthy gravely tones underpinned by leather and sous bois - a French term for underbrush aromas, think forest floor and autumn leaves.The only thing better than tasting them in this incredible setting was the offer Pierre made to make some of these available to our clients back home, which I am happy to present today. To order visit us online by clicking here! Cheers!

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chris.cree@56degreewine.com (Chris Cree M.W.) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 10:19:57 PST

Looking for something classic yet affordable? Second labels and second wines often offer the same style as a producers "Grand Vin", at a fraction of the price. In addition they are often much more accessible at an earlier age. To read about a super value from the Brunello region of Tuscany Check out my #constantcontact newsletter

California and Sinskey Jun 15, 2011

chris.cree@56degreewine.com (Chris Cree M.W.) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 08:59:04 PST

California and Sinskey Jun 15, 2011, click to view the entire set on Flickr.

Photos from our visit last summer to Robert Sinskey Winery, one of our favorites! Not only are Rob, Maria and the whole team great, fun, food loving people, they make beautiful wines from grapes farmed naturally in their biodynamic vineyards. The photos don't really do the food justice, with one great little appetizer after another coming out of the kitchen as we tasted through the current releases.

The entire approach, whether for their food or wine, is to create lovely pure and expressive products that are reflections of the natural environment where they are grown and made. Bravo!!

Burgundy 2012

chris.cree@56degreewine.com (Chris Cree M.W.) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:44:11 PST

Photos from January trip: Burgundy 2012 on Flickr - click for the rest of the photos. Enjoy!

chris.cree@56degreewine.com (Chris Cree M.W.) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 21:47:41 PST

Fantastic dinner at Resto in Madison! 77 Main Street Madison and the only thing I don't understand is why didn't we go there sooner?? Fantastic Bistro cuisine - Fois gras pan seared with baby carrots on the side. pheasant roasted with the umeaty parts pulled and tossed with pappardelle and beautiful sauce, tiny onions, and crispy skin bits sprinkled throughout. Intermezzo of creamy warm Demi-tasse of asparagus soup with hint of truffle. Tender breast of chicken, poached egg, potato gruyere purée. Rack of lamb. Wow. I've found a new home! Classic French for the wines:

Pinson Chablis 1er Cru Mont de Milieu. 2010. Crisp, mineral, focused.

Clos Rougeard 2006 - still young. Tight. Coolish herbal Cabernet Franc notes. Young, primary opened with 30 minutes. A little. Beautiful but young.

chris.cree@56degreewine.com (Chris Cree M.W.) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 20:43:56 PST

Wed Jan 4, 2012, Pluckemin Inn. Chef Juan Jose Cuevas totally rocked it! Wines not bad either. To tired to add the details. Texting direct to blog. Really want to just see if this works!

First bubbly???

Selosse substance

Pillot chassagne montrachet caillerets 2005

Meursault chevalieres bernard bousson verdot 2005

Leflaive puligny montrachet clavoillon 2002

Domaine Leflaive puligny montrachet les combettes 2002

Montille Pomerol Peyzerolles 2001.

Montille Pomerol peyzerolles 90

Maillard Corton renards 2003

Maillard Corton renards 1978

1979 wehlener sonnenuhr

Jerez amontillado 1830 el maestro sierra vinos viejos

Burgundy Rules!

chris.cree@56degreewine.com (Chris Cree M.W.) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 07:26:44 PST

Once again I was happy to be included at an impromptu dinner with JVE and friends, held on short notice due to a visit from afar of one of our esteemed members. JVE suggested Burgundy as the theme, putting up a bottle of DRC La Tache 1993 as incentive - needless to say there were not many no shows! In any case the crew dug deep and we tasted a great assortment of top notch wines that led to the dinner concluding with a call for a trip to Burgundy ASAP - I'm in!! Thanks to all for their generosity and camaraderie and especially to JVE for hosting yet another superb evening! Here are my rough notes, quickly taken and only slightly edited:

Paul Pernot 2007 Batard Montrachet - lovely! just opening and showing some complex tones of acacia, linden and apple. Softer and plusher than expected. Lovely core of solid fruit. Still young and primary but delicious! A few bottles available at 56 Degree wine.

Lamy Pillot 1993 Le Montrachet - Wow! Lush and complex and beautiful. Mouth filling, super-long. This was great out of the gate and just got better and better as it opened - improved significantly throughout the evening. Full, lush yet with great detail and underlying acidity. Acacia, linden, nutty caramel tones with good solid fruit. Outstanding wine!

Aubert Ritchie 09. Black spice. Ripe. New world saturated. Hint of petrol. Sweet. Alchy. Spiced black cherry liqueur. Some vanilla notes. Very saturated and dense. This opened nicely with an hour or so in the glass. Drink now, better in year or two and over 3-4 years thereafter.

Williams Seylem 04 Farrington vineyard. Earth. Mint. Some maturity. Touch rustic even. More mature. Leather and dried fruits. At its peak. Might have guessed it Burgundy if tasted blind. Starkly different from Aubert.

Volnay 2007 Cuvee Blondeau Simon Bize. Hospice de Beaune. Wow. Beautiful elegant red cherry, supple, Very detailed and fine. Drinking beautifully, will improve for 3-4 at least. Silky and pure, sexy Volnay on the lithesome side. Lovely wine.

Corton Bressandes 2005 Vincent Girardin. tight. touch reductive. Closed. Mineral notes, firm. Well proportioned and solid. Tight deep solid core of red cherry fruit. Opened and relaxed with some time in the glass. Great future ahead, 5 -10+ years. vg++

Vosne Romanee 1995 Latour dried leathery, a bit past prime.

Gevrey Chambertin 2004 Claude Dugat - Fresh turned earth. (merde was uttered, with some questioning the exact type) With time deeper cherry dark fruit emerged. Still earthy, a hint of green. Needs more time, 3-5 years minimum, to shed its youthful, compact attributes and whiff of 2004 greenness and for at least that long after.

Trapet Chambertin 2008 - Coolish. Tight. A touch greenish and herbal, with darker tones underneath. Med ruby. good. Young. Still closed and angular and young. Needs time! Drink in 10-15 years. Very Good+, just a bit young and tight right now.

Charmes Chambertin 1996 Perrot Minot. Med deep ruby/purple. A bit angular and high toned at first, closed a bit on the nose and palate, highish acids. Meaty leathery, dark cherry tones - seemed a bit awkward at first, opened with time. Very good+, but needs 4-5 years more at least.

Chambertin Clos de Beze Groffier 2002. Beautiful crushed cherry, spice. Still fresh and youthful but just out of its shell. Supple, harmonious. Balanced long, complex and intriguing. Silky. Beautiful. still young and somewhat primary, lovely mouth feel, ripe tannins, long, lingering persistent finish. Great wine! As good as it is tonight is still a baby, love to revisit this in 10+ years!

La Tache DRC 1993. Dark cool spiced. Intense. Porcini mushroom, black cherry, tight, structured and firm. Dark concentrated with tart black cherry fruit core. Wound tightly and while focused and firm not showing its stuff tonight. Highish acidity, went back to it after being opened for a bit not much change. This should have been rockin' and just couldn't figure it out tonight.

I looked this up when I got home as it was so perplexing, Burghound reports the following:

"Tasting note: (As noted in Issue 4, I have experienced a fair amount of bottle variation with the '93 but both this bottle and a second bottle that I had in early May were outstanding). ("severe, closed and understated but I am convinced it will be a great La Tâche" - AdV). This too evidences a slight floral quality, and a fascinating mix of earth, leather, tea and spice notes plus an interesting green bark component. The slightly austere, tannic, wonderfully rich flavors are dense, in fact extremely dense with excellent depth and terrific complexity and a finish that seems to go on forever. Though there are now hints of secondary aromas, this remains very young, structured and remarkably intense. When you get the right bottle, the '93 can be a real stunner. Note: the inconsistency of this wine continues unabated as a bottle opened at the Domaine recently was almost aggressively vegetal and awkward. In short, when it's good it's very good but I've now had too many disappointing bottles not to be wary." Not encouraging for a wine that trade well over the $1,000 mark!!

Clair Dau Clos de Beze 1962. another "WOW!" Hazy and a hint of brick. Nose mature yet vibrant and still fresh. Incredible! Earth. Sous bois, marmite. Magnificent from first whiff to last, lovely, lingering sip, with a finish lasted til the Jersey side of the Tunnel!

Thanks again JVE and everyone for a great night!

Once more to Mecca - A night at Brooklyn Fare

chris.cree@56degreewine.com (Chris Cree M.W.) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 22:27:02 PST

Part two of the weeks outstanding dining agenda took place at Brooklyn Fare with Chef César Ramirez and his truly amazing, indescribable, mind-blowing cuisine. I wish I could recall it all myself, but with the help of good friend Mark Scudiery and some of the rest of the

clan that was there that night, a decent accounting of the menu exists. (Mark's excellent Blog "Wine Without Numbers recounts the evening well better than my notes - click here to read). They really don't like you taking notes at Brooklyn Fare, and you will be reminded if you stray - but I respect that, and so I put away camera and iPhone after about course 4 and surrendered to the show. Ceasar wants you to be present in the moment, not head down in your device, tweeting bragging rights to your blog buddies. But it is SOOOO good, and there is so much variety, nuance, finesse....so much going on that it is nearly impossible to recall without a little crib sheet. All I can say is that every taste he plates up in front of your eyes is hors category, and every time way more than a few are far beyond that.

And then you have Cesare himself, focused, intense and subdued early on, warming up and relating a bit more as the night goes on. I can well imagine that the tone of the crowd on a particular night plays a role. Every time I am there it's a little like a winery visit where it can start a little cool as they sort of feel you out, sense your interest and passion, and once gauged, the whole mood warms (or not as the case may be). Meanwhile a non-stop, choreographed production goes on - no wonder he's quiet at first, he has a lot to do! We are talking 15-20 dishes prepared in Cesars own words "like your are working with no net, nothing to hide - everything up front, one shot at it, right in front of your eyes". It really is food theater at the very highest level. No pressure!

Why do I love his cooking so much? Why is this simply the best restaurant I have be

en to (twice now) since El Cellar de Can Roca? It's the amazingly creative, simple, perfect composition of every taste I encounter here. It is first and foremost about the ingredients: ingredients, ingredients! (David Bouley espoused the same just a few nights before. Nothing but great, fresh, seasonal, impeccable food. Second is the technique - only those with the very best can be so deft and subtle, and yet complex at the same time, interpreting, expressing - never taking over. Each part in its place, each flavor carefully chosen - nothing more, nothing less -

resulting in compelling,thought provoking flavors and textures. It's precise, measured - almost contrary to the high tech approach - this is simply perfect food, perfectly prepared and presented.

Oh, I almost forgot - did I mention we had seven wines from Domaine Leflaive? Yes, THE Domaine Leflaive! Hard to believe that wines of this caliber were almost an afterthought - but in retrospect it was because they too were in perfect harmony, melding with the cuisine, heightening, complimenting, and contrasting with the wonderfully nuanced food - the mineral, crisp 2007s were perfect with the seafood dominant menu. Many perfect pairings, building from Macon Verze, Bourgogne Blanc, Puligny Village, several 1er Cru Wines and on to the Grand Crus, and finally one lonely but delicious Maillard 1993 Aloxe Corton Corton 1er Cru les Lollieres. An excellent night - as Mark says in his blog "Hail César!"

An Evening at the Bouley Test Kitchen

chris.cree@56degreewine.com (Chris Cree M.W.) — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 09:16:29 PST

I didn't think about it ahead of time, but this week turned out to be a 1-2 tasting and dining experience with one of the country's best and well-established Chefs, David Bouley, and one of his proteges, Three-Star Michelin recipient Cesar Ramirez. The first event was a private client event at the Test Kitchen, Bouley's comfortable loft-like space that combines a cozy living room and a high tech studio with state of the art audio/visual equipment with an unbelievable open kitchen and your own team of Chefs for the evening. Our event was set up to be more social, fun and interactive rather than formal "sit down" style, starting with a selection of Canapes each prepared in full view of the guests. The offerings included Yellowtail with Soy Gelee, Micro Celery in a Crispy Cone Mini "taco" with Fresh Tomato and Avocado Salad (vegetarian) Homemade Blinis with Smoked Salmon, White Truffle Honey Parmesan Crisps and a few additional selections, all paired perfectly with the versatile and delicious Cremant de Bourgogne Rose from Parigot.

The balance of the evening was a petite Tour de France, with 2010 Domaine Sylvain Bailly Sancerre Chene Marchand, 2009 Domaine Albert Grivault Bourgogne Blanc, 2006 Chateau La Pointe Pomerol, Sabon Resevere Chateauneuf du Pape 2009. These were paired with a succession of delicious small plates prepared in the open kitchen including Poached Shrimp with Ginger Aromatic Sauce, Black Bass with a light tomato coulis and herbs, Grilled Duck with Pruneaux d'Agen and Beef Cheeks with Black Truffle Gnocchi. We finished up with a selection of decadent desserts and Coume del Mas Banyuls - one of the great chocolate wines of all time!

What really made the night was an extended visit by David Bouley himself who jumped into the kitchen and stayed all the way through dessert, cooking and mingling with the guests (the fact that it was 60 women from a Law Firm might have played a role!), and posing for photos like the rock star he is. His philosophy: technique gives the chef the skill, but it's all about the ingredients. Fresh, seasonal, carefully prepared to capture the essence and flavors with a little personal interpretation.

The Test Kitchen is available for private groups up to about 60 in a reception format, about 40-50 seated for dinner, and I have done a number of events there. Chef Bouley isn't always present, but I have been lucky each time I have been there and he has spent some time with us. Either way it is a great space and a perfect place for events of all kinds. For info or details contact me at chris.cree@56degreewine.com. More about part two at Brooklyn Fare to follow soon!

Cassis - A Mediterranean Gem

chris.cree@56degreewine.com (Chris Cree M.W.) — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 21:27:18 PDT

The region of Cassis, on the sparking Mediterranean coast on the south of France, is perhaps one of the most beautiful wine regions on earth. It is a popular tourist and vacation spot (about 20 kilometers east of Marseilles), with dramatic views of the sea, the mountainous cliffs (some of the highest maritime bluffs in Europe), and the beautiful rocky coves called Calanques.

It is also known for its delicious, if little known white and rose wines, and supposedly even tinier amount of red which I have never seen. The cliffs along the coast have been maritime landmarks for centuries, and this region has been occupied since the Ligures arrived in 500-600 BC, with the Romans not far behind. Cassis is also known for its stone, its quarries producing masonry for the quays of Alexandria, Algiers, Pireaus and Marseilles, as well as for the base of the statue of Liberty.

It is a tiny wine region, with only 12 Domaines making wine from 196 hectares of grapes. In some ways its beautiful location works against grape growing due to high land values that threaten the vineyards with development, and the stunningly beautiful cliffs and rocky outcrops that offer no room for expansion. There have been efforts to enforce strict zoning to protect existing vineyards however, and it seems that for now the tiny production of the region is safe. Soils are mainly limestone, with about 75% of the production white wine and the balance rose. Grapes for white include Clairette, Marsanne, Ugni Blanc, and Sauvignon Blanc.

At 56 Degree Wine we carry two producers: Domaine du Bagnol and Clos St Magdeleine, when we can get them that is! Not much wine is produced, and with local demand high, not much of that is exported. I look forward every year to the wines' arrivals, both the whites and especially the rose wines, whose arrival seems to herald the arrival of summer. The whites are crisp, clean, unoaked, but good body and character - perfect seafood companions! The Rose wines are dry, clean and aromatic, with slight variations from producer to producer and vintage to vintage, but are always among my favorites we stock. They are perfect with all sorts of appetizers, cured meats, grilled veggies, tapenades, salads of all kinds especially classic nicoise with seared tuna, and grilled fish like snapper or Bronzino. There is nothing quite so great as taking a small boat along the coast, packing a picnique lunch, a few chilled bottles of Cassis Blanc and Rose, and finding one of the secluded coves with a pebbly sandy beach and spending a lazy afternoon. Another gem is La Villa Madie located at the foot of the cliff just next to Clos St. Magedeleine. To see a list of Cassis wines in stock, Click here.

2008 Clos Ste Magdeleine Cassis Blanc - ORGANIC / BIODYNAMIC - $29 - This is one of the most beautiful locations for a winery in the world, bar none! Perched on a bluff above the sparkling blue Mediterranean, they craft lovely Cassis Blanc and Rose from grapes grown in their own estate vineyards. The region is miniscule, only producing something like 40,000 cases in total, and would probably have disappeared altogether if it weren't for strict zonong that restricts further building.
Region: Cassis (Provence), France
Grapes: Marsanne, Ugni Blanc, Clairette and Bourboulenc
Farming: Certified Organic & Biodynamic
Drink: Now
Cuisine: appetizers, grilled veggies, cured meats, olives, tapenade, grilled fish or a salad nicoise.
ABV: 12.5%

2010 Clos Ste Magdeleine Cassis Rose - ORGANIC / BIODYNAMIC - $33/750 - $76 magnums - the ultimate summer party wine! - This lovely, classic dry rose is from vineyards around the village of Cassis, literally a stones throw from the sparkling Mediteranean Sea. It is made from 70% Grenache, 15% Cinsault & 15% Mourvedre, all local red grape varieties with the juice and skins pressed and macerated together for just enough time for the wine to pick up its lovely salmon color. Gathering hints of red fruits and its tinge of structure before the skins are removed, its then fermented dry much like a white wine. Great served chilled with grilled seafood or poultry, all kinds of salads (nicoise - perfect!) seared rare tuna and all on its own on a warm night. Liquid summer!
Region: Cassis (Provence), France
Grapes: 70% Grenache, 15% Cinsault & 15% Mourvedre
Farming: Certified Organic & Biodynamic
Drink: Now
Cuisine: Light appetizers, poultry, seafood, salads
ABV: 12.5%

2009 Domaine du Bagnol Cassis Blanc - $27 - Comprised of 50% Marsanne, 35% Clairette and 15% Ugni Blanc, Domaine du Bagnol has fashioned a wine that is the epitome of fresh white from Provence. The thing that separates them from the pack is the layers of flavors that unfold in the glass, making this stimulating wine on many levels. Melons, white peach, honeydew with pears making an appearance as the wine resolves in a long finish. Lovely cleansing acidity, a wealthy of juicy fruit and nice texture make this a perfect choice for seafood, shellfish, roasted chicken or as a great aperitif. Ready to enjoy now so no need to wait.
Region: Cassis (Provence), France
Grapes: 50% Marsanne, 35% Clairette & 15% Ugni Blanc
Drink: Now - 2012
Cuisine: Seafood of all sorts - seared or sushi style scallops, tuna, swordfish, rouget, fresh sardines, or as an aperitif with anti-pasti, olives, cheeses, saucissons, crusty bread.
ABV: 13%
Price: $27

A Night on the Town in Phily - Lec Bec Fin

chris.cree@56degreewine.com (Chris Cree M.W.) — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 20:54:44 PDT

Dinner with JB and a couple of friends and clients in Philly, with the night starting at a spectacular location high in the Liberty 2 Tower, replete with cloud to ground lightning from a squall line raging through downtown viewed from our perch just above Billy Penn's chapeau, and the full expanse of the Delaware to the 30th Street station as a backdrop.

We started off with a 2000 Zind Humbrecht Heimbourg Riesling - Medium gold, nose of beeswax, petrol, lime blossom, and wet stones. On the palate baked apple, more lime and citrus, evolved and perfect and fresh, with firm minerality and more stony texture. From the ZH web site: "The Heimbourg of Turckheim is a small vineyard sloping 35% to the west, facing the east side of the Brand, then turning abruptly towards the south with the slope increasing to over 50%. Climatically, this hillside enjoys a lengthy period of evening sunshine, because thanks to its position facing the Munster valley, the vines are not in the shade created by the Vosges mountains. The west side is a late-ripening area, the grapes ripen slowly, always retain good acidity and develop noble rot late. The south side is naturally a lot warmer and early-ripening (the same goes for the Clos Jebsal), but always benefits from the wind from the valley which prevents the noble rot from developing too early.

The soil structure is a clay-limestone substratum (oligocene limestone and interbedded marl) where the yellow or white calcareous rocks are present in large numbers on the surface. We have chosen to plant the Pinot Gris in the upper part which faces west and has the poorest and stoniest soil. The Gewurztraminer lies just below, also facing west. The small south side was planted with Riesling in 1994. The wines produced on the Heimbourg are rich, opulent, often very spicy and affected with noble rot. The slower ripening of the grapes often produces more aromatic wines when young that its neighbor the Clos Jebsal."

After sopping up the last drops of the ZH in the posh environs of TK's apartment, we headed to Le Bec Fin for dinner. We started with a first Course of Pike Quenelles, Sauce American. Light, perfect, deceivingly rich yet delicate at the same time. With a lovely sauce served over fava beans all dramatically presented and assembled a table. This with a fantastic 2004 Puligny Montrachet Clos Mouchere Domaine Jean Boillot that started out great and only got better and better with a little time in the glass. In 4-6 years this lively, crisp but layered 2004 should be fantastic, and pretty good tonight!

Roasted Sweetbreads and Warm Shrimp, Sweet Potato, Burnt Orange Vinaigrette, Madeira Jus - Jean Boillot Volnay 2002 Chevret 1er Cru - JB had had a bottle or two previously that were off (oxidized) and so we were a bit worried, but this one was perfect: fresh, lovely dark cherry, beautiful fruit, still primary but having softened and just about to show some secondary tones (but not just yet), just beautiful, succulent, and pure, broadening and opening in the glass with time. The second wine was, of all things, a Janasse Chateauneuf du Pape 2009 Chaupoin - 100% grenache, ripe and saturated for sure but with floral fresh fruit tones amid all the power, and good acidity and fresh fruit tones underneath. Grape variety : 100% Grenache - stems removal : 80 % - maceration : 22 days , must pressing : once a day - elevage : 30 % barrels (1/4 new), 70 % vat - rendering : 25 - 30 Hl/ha - plantation : 1912 for the oldest part - keep time : 5 to 25 years. 2/3 in Foudre, 1/3 in 600 liter Demi-Muids. While the Burgundy worked best overall, seamlessly integrating with the sweetbreads, the sauce was pretty intense and the dish actually sort of held up to the Chateauneuf du Pape.

Kombu Cured Wagyu Beef, Tasting of Potatoes, Labne au Poivre , Sauce Bordelaise - Mouton Rothschild 1988 - a wine I have had on a few occasions but not in the last 3-4 years. Every time I have had it it was still quite tight, reflecting its coolish "classic" Bordeaux vintage, with a tannin structure I worried would ever resolve and lose its almost greenish notes. Well it has finally come around, still fresh, with cedar and #2 pencil tones, earth, lovely structure, and the cool, balanced focus of a wine newly emerged from its shell. Beautiful!

Dessert Cart - Cheesecake, light and creamy and perfect, chocolate double dark gateau, rich yet not heavy, a fresh fruit tart, and a double espresso for the road. As much as I would have loved to, I passed on the invitation for cigars back at the ranch and headed east to stay at my sister in laws to avoid the slog back to North Jersey. Thanks lads for a great night!

Chaine Event at Matts Red Rooster

chris.cree@56degreewine.com (Chris Cree M.W.) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 21:43:33 PDT

Great dinner with the Chaine at Matts Red Rooster in Flemington, with Summer Grillin' and Chillin' the theme. We had Chef/Owner Matt McPherson create a menu inspired by summers fresh, seasonal ingredients and worked the wines back from there to match. It was a great evening - superb food, great service, enthusiastic and appreciative crowd and the wines worked out ok too!! Thanks to everyone at Matts for a great job and to Celia for putting it all together! I really like this restaurant, the preps, the fresh local slant, the open kitchen and the BYO! Glad to be back for such a great event and have made promises to myself to come back more often! The menu and wines:

Reception - Chilled, Truffled Griggstown Chicken Liver Pate, Watermelon & Fresh Mozzarella Skewers w/ pickled red onions, Grilled Flat Bread w/ charred apricot chutney & roasted foie gras , Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho Shooters, A.B.C. (Avocado, bacon & crabmeat)

2009 Ameztoi Txakolina de Getaria - Who knew that a white made partially from a red grape could make a wine that is so devoid of color, yet so bathed in flavor intensity. Hondarribi Zuri (white grape) and Hondarribi Beltza (red grape) are grown on sandy, limestone soils in the heart of the Basque country near San Sebastian. Vinified in stainless steel tanks and bottled with a touch of natural residual carbon, this lively, zippy white has just a little spritz to it. I liken it to the most amazing grown-up limeade you'll ever encounter with the joy of effervescence. When at an authentic bar like Txikito, they will serve this wine to you in a tumbler, just as they do in San Sebastian. A special pourer is inserted in the top of the bottle and the wine is poured from high up to release all that frothy goodness in the glass. And while this certainly is a refreshing quaff, its also serious and complex wine delivering a multitude of flavors: fresh lime, sea salt, minerals, hint of mint

Region: Getaria, Spain
Grapes: Hondarribi Zuri (white grape) and Hondarribi Beltza (red grape)
Vini/Viti: Stainless steel cool fermentation
Cuisine: Light fish, seafood, apetizers of all types
Drink - Now
SRP: $22

First Course - Grilled Day Boat Scallop, Roasted local beet & horseradish compote

2008 Domaine Bzikot Bourgogne Blanc - From a great plot along the Puligny bench, Sylvain Bzikot tenderly cares for his vines in Huilleres. They lie right alongside those of Domaine Leflaive and the
vinification is just as exacting and meticulous as his village and 1er cru sites. He gently presses the wine and vinifies 1/3 of it in barrels (5% new) with the remainder only treated to stainless steel. This lends
texture but not oakiness. Clean and fresh on the palate, the Bourgogne shows Puligny-like characters of
apples, pears and stony mineral notes in the long finish. Superb now, but I suspect this little wine will live on and strut its stuff with flash for another four years.

Region: Burgundy, France
Grape: Chardonnay
Drink: Now - 2014
ABV:
SRP : $28

Second course: Wood Fired Romaine Heart, Roasted Corn & Creamy Parmesan Dressing

2010 Mas de Cadenet Sainte Victoire Cotes de Provence Rose - In what is clearly the steal of the season,
this wine from the small appellation of Sainte Victoire is destined to be the stuff of legend. And rightfully
so... It's that outstanding. Usually, Provence Rose is light and crisp, the ultimate refresher on a hot day.
Although Sainte Victoire is not on the tip of most wine lovers proverbial tongue, it is very well known in
Provence for making Rose wines with grace. This is the most complex Rose I've had all year. Floral and
pretty aromatics of jasmine and strawberry lead the way to a palate filled with light cherry, watermelon,
white peach, sea salt and a very long and mineral finish. Possessing a lovely salmon color and lively
acidity, this is phenomenal wine to enjoy right now.

Region: Sainte Victoire, Provence, France
Grapes: 40% Grenache, 40% Cinsault & 20% Syrah
Vinification: Stainless steel tank (no oak)
Farming: Sustainable
Drink: Now - 2012
Cuisine: Seared Tuna, Shrimp, Soft Shell Crab, Grilled Chicken
ABV: 13%
SRP : $18

Entrée - Sous Vide New York Strip Steak, Finished on the wood fired grill, paired with cold smoked heirloom tomato, demi- glace and served with Summer Vegetable Skewers and Grilled sweet potatoes

2009 Domaine de la Janasse Cotes du Rhone "Cuvee Tradition" - A kirschy lovable Cotes du Rhone,
Domaine de la Janasse keeps the focus on ripeness of fruit and not on the wood. While this is certainly not a rustic CdR, it has magnificent fruit purity and outstanding length. Choosing to only put 60% of the wine in oak, and of that only 1/3 of the barrels new, they made the wise decision to use cement vats for the rest of vinification. A juicy, racy wine based on Grenache, but also containing Syrah, Carignan, Cinsault and Mourvedre, the Cotes du Rhone Tradition lavishes the palate bing cherries, raspberries, jam and spices. A delicious wine and excellent Cellar Defender to enjoy now through 2015.

Region: Cotes-du-Rhone (S. Rhone,) France
Grapes: 55% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 10% Carignan, 5% Mourvedre & 5% Cinsault
Terroir: Red clay & crushed pebbly soil located to the north of Courthézon
Vinification: 60% French Oak (1/3 new) & 40% cement vats
Drink: Now - 2015
Cuisine: Grilled Steaks, Burgers, Roast Pork
ABV: 14.5%
SRP: $18.50

2007 Domaine Laffont Madiran "Cuvee Erigone" - This tiny Domaine (3.9 hecatres) produces one of the top wines from this little known region tucked into the Pyranees in the southwest of France. The Erigone (the name of the goddess seducced by Dionysus) is made from 80% Tannat and 20% Cabernet Franc grown in limestone and gravel soils. Vines are an average of 45 years old. They are detemmed, descending into wooden tanks by gravity, and undergoe a cold maceration for several days, then fermented with all natural yeasts and a veru long (5 weeks) maceration. Yhe wines then go into barrel, 2 and 3 year old, for 16 months. The wines go through malo in the barrels, and they are bottled with no fining or filtration. The results are big, sturdy wines with ample structure and the rugged framework they absorb from the region they are grown. SOlid, firm and chewy, with ripe tannins and well integrated oak. perfect for steaks, lamb, and game such as boar or venison. Drink now - 2016+

Region: Madiran, France
Cepage: 80% Tannat, 20% Cabernet Franc
Vinification: Wood casks, then 2-3 yr barrels for 16 months
Cuisine: Hearty fare - beef, lamb, game, stews, braised meats
Drink: 2011 - 2020
SRP : $18.50

Dessert: Peaches & Cream Bread Pudding

Cerdon de Bugey, Renardat-Fâche - This wine comes from a little known wine region with more obscure grape varieties. The small French town of Cerdon lies in the shadow of the Alps, and it is here that Alain Renardat-Fache makes his unique Cerdon de Bugey. This is a pink sparkler made from Gamay and Poulsard grapes using the traditional method of aging the wine in the bottle and disgorging like Champagne, but it's a lot less money! It has moderate sweetness, but is not cloying or heavy at all - just like eating fresh berries - naturally low alcohol makes it a perfect choice on a warm summer day as an aperitif, or after dinner for a refreshing nip that won't do too much damage!
Region: Rhone, France
Grapes: Gamay, Poulsard
Drink: Now
Cuisine: Apertif or Desserts with berries or chocolate
ABV: 7.5%
SRP: $24

Mylestone Equine Event

chris.cree@56degreewine.com (Chris Cree M.W.) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 21:08:22 PDT

A summer evening in the country for a great cause! Mylestone Equine Rescue exists to provide a home for horses who, having served there "useful" life, are headed to their demise. Mylestone provides a much better retirement plan - an organization I am more than happy to support! The evening was great - weather summery and warm, but cooler and drier than the week long humid heat wave we suffered. They served up lots of passed apps, followed by a buffet of barbecued chicken, cole slaw, salads, and other sides, followed by great desserts.

The wines:

Gorleri Vermentino
Mahoney Vermentino
Lamblin Bourgogne Blanc
Relativity Chardonnay
Voillot Bourgogne Rouge
Sinskey PN Aries
Janasse CdR
Lioco Indica Red

Summer Fare

chris.cree@56degreewine.com (Chris Cree M.W.) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 18:40:36 PDT

Wines of the day: Bzikot Bourgogne Blanc ($28) and Chinon Rose 2010 Gasnier ($15) - liquid summer! Paired with sashimi ahi, sliced medium thin and served with soy and wasabi, to start. Then on to Jersey corn, simply steamed and rolled in butter, heirloom tomato with sea salt and pepper - both so sweet they don't need anything else, steamed haricots vert with olive oil, sea salt and a squeeze of lemon, roasted farm fresh zucchini, onion, yellow peppers and and an unbelievable wild sock-eye salmon (also from Metro) roasted to medium-rare with thin lemon slices.

Bzikot Bourgogne Blanc ($28) - A terrific value and spoiler wine for those who say all good Burgundy is expensive. Balanced, mineral stony Puligny-esque qualities make this a wine that drinks WAY beyond its meager Bourgogne Blanc status. But what else would you expect from this up and coming superstar? Drink now - 2015.

Chinon Rose 2010 Gasnier $15 - All Cabernet Franc from the heart of the Loire Valley. Light salmon, fresh, crisp, light and delicious! Perfect summer rose for a starter, or with grilled Tuna, slamon, all kinds of apps, salad nicoise. Dry, delicate, perfumed with hints of raspberry and strawberry. Grab it while its here, its as fleeting as summer itself!

Piedmont and Italy and Les Alps!

chris.cree@56degreewine.com (Chris Cree M.W.) — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 01:47:51 PDT

Wednesday the Tour leaves France for a one day incursion into neighboring Italy and the town of Pierolo in the Piedmont. While not running through the main wine growing regions of Barolo or Barbaresco, the race skirts the city of Turin and provides stunning vistas as it winds through Alps just to the west, where fresh snowfall has actually caused some concern for the route. The route on Wednesday climbs the Sestrieres, home of several Olympic events when they were held in Turin. Thursday promises to be an epic and decisive stage as the route climbs up some of the legendary steeps of the tour on Thursday, with three HC climbs up the Col Angel, the Col d'Izoard and a finish atop the Galibier Serre-Chevalier, and Friday with the mighty Alp d'Huez.

Piedmont: Located in the Northwest of Italy, the Piedmont region is the home of two of the most renowned red wines in the world, Barolo and Barbaresco. Sought after by connoisseurs and collectors, these magnificent wines are fairly expensive and can need years of bottle age before they are ready to drink. Yet what really puts Piedmont on the map for the majority of wine lovers is that it also produces a wide range of wines that are affordable, ready to drink, food friendly, and perfect for everyday enjoyment.

Like all great wine regions, the style and quality of Piedmontese wines is the result of millions of years of geologic evolution combined with the influences of climate (Mediterranean meets Alps), the grape varieties grown, and the traditions and wine making methods used to craft them. Piedmont, which means "foothills" in Italian, lies at the intersection of two great geological forces where the African and European continents collide. This massive force not only created the Alps, which are visible on a clear day from much of the region, but also pushed up an ancient seafloor to the surface creating a jumbled series of steep hills with a mix of different soils, slopes, altitudes and exposures that are perfect for growing grapes.

The subtle differences between vineyard sites favor grapes with different ripening requirements, and a host of grape varieties are planted in the region depending on the specific microclimate where they are planted. While Piedmont is best known for its reds, there are also delicious white, rosè, sparkling, and sweet wines too.

Piedmontese whites are typically crisp, clean and on the light, refreshing side. Some of the best known are made from local varieties such as Arneis, Cortese (the grape in Gavi), and a few lesser known indigenous grapes including Erbaluce and Favorita. There are some international varieties including Riesling, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc too. Moscato is widely planted and is mainly used in the production of sparkling sweet wine called Moscato d'Asti. Red grapes include Grignolino, Brachetto, Grachetto, Friesa, Croatina, and Vespolina to name a few obscure local varieties, plus Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot and Pinot Noir as the international representatives. But the bulk of red wine is made from Barbera, Dolcetto and Nebbiolo.

Both Dolcetto and Barbera are fairly early ripeners, making lovely fresh, lively wines that have the dual benefit that wine makers can sell them a year or so after harvest (and get paid sooner) and that wine lovers can drink them pretty much when they are released. Since they ripen earlier, they can be grown in vineyards in cooler sites and are a little less demanding than Nebbiolo. Dolcetto has a dark, edgy cherry character with moderate tannins and modest acidity. It can be made in a slightly rustic style with more structure, or in a more modern style that is juicier and more fruit driven. Either way it can be drunk young and fresh within a few years of the vintage. Barbera is typically a bit higher in acid and slightly lower in tannins than Dolcetto. Most Barbera is pretty simple and straight forward yet deliciously juicy wine with bright red fruits and cherry notes. When it is planted in top vineyard sites it can morph into a wine with much more stature, depth and power. Barbera can be vinified in a more traditional style in large neutral barrels or concrete, or in a modern style and aged in barrique, and the best can age and improve for 8-10 years.

Nebbiolo, the sole grape in Barolo and Barbaresco, is a late ripening varietal. It is widely believed that it took its name from the mist and fog (Nebbia in Italian) that is typical in the late fall when the grape finally ripens. While Dolcetto and Barbera can thrive in cooler sites, Nebbiolo destined Barolo and Barbaresco needs the best of the warm, sunny, south facing vineyards to capture the heat and fully mature. It produces wines that can range in style from fresh and lively and ready to drink (Langhe Nebbiolo for example), to solid, tensely structured and firmly tannic wines that need a decade or two to reach their peak when planted in the Barberesco and Barolo DOCGs. The main determining factors in the quality and style of Nebbiolo are vintage conditions, vine age, vinification method, and perhaps most importantly, vineyard location.

When made in the lighter style it undergoes shorter fermentation and maceration in order to keep its red fruit and freshness. Nebbiolo destined for Barolo and Barbaresco undergo much longer fermentation and maturation, with several years of barrel and bottle aging required by law before they can be sold, and only the best Nebbiolo grapes are used.

Most of the wine made in Piedmont is in the vineyards around the towns of Asti, Alba and Alessandria, but there are five main regions: Canavese (including Carema and Caluso), Colline Novarese, Coste della Sesia in the north, Langhe - including the hill country around the city of Alba and the Roero, and Monferrato which includes the areas around Asti and Alessandria. The region has 45 Denominazione di origine controllata (DOC) and 12 Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG). The DOCG wines are: Asti, Barbaresco, Barbera d'Asti, Barbera del Monferrato Superiore, Barolo, Acqui, Dogliani, Ovada, Gattinara, Gavi, Ghemme and Roero.

The Barolo DOCG has several sub zones - Castiglione Falletto, La Morra, Monforte d'Alba and Serralunga d'Alba - and each has its own unique terrior and style. Barbaresco also has several sub zones - Barbaresco, Treiso, and Neive - again with subtle influences on the style of wines produced. In both Barolo and Barbaresco, producer is important as styles can range from very traditional, austere and almost rustic to much more extracted, riper and more modern styles. The grape, with its firm tannins, good acidity and relatively low color component makes wines that are rarely inky dark purple, rather they have a little more garnet and lighter hues, almost brick hints at the edges. Barolo and Barbaresco are often described as "big wines" but to me, while definitely intense, they are more nervy, racy and highly strung, less generous and more reserved and tight especially when young, and with more dried fruits, earth and leather notes than sheer power and opulence. In this sense they can be a bit stand-offish at first for lovers of riper, oakier, more fruit oriented wines.

The wines of Piedmont are fantastic partners at the table. From light fresh whites that are perfect as an aperitif, with fish, appetizers, risotto or pasta with seafood, to medium bodied reds like Barbera or Dolcetto which are great with light meats, pasta with red sauce or pizza, and Barolo and Barbaresco with griiled lamb, veal chops or beef, they are well worth getting to know. For after dinner there are sweetly sparkling Moscato d'Asti with its peachy pear notes, or Brachetto d'Aqui, a sweet sparkling red that us like liquid raspberries. A series of great vintages has made a wealth of wine available for affordable everyday drinking as well as for the collector looking to stock the cellar with age worthy gems making this a great time to explore this excellent wine region. For a listing of our wines from Piedmont click the links below.

Barbera

To Italy and the Alps

chris.cree@56degreewine.com (Chris Cree M.W.) — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 10:43:23 PDT

Today the Tour begins its alpine swing traveling from Gap in the Hautes Alpes to Pinerolo on the Italian side with a few category 2 & 3 climbs and a category 1 over the Sestrieres at 2035 meters. Over the next several days the Tour will be decided in the Alps, with Alberto Contador flexing some muscle and giving the Schleck brothers, Claudel Evans and the other GC contenders something to worry about before a time trial in Grenoble and the final day in Paris on the Champs Elysee on Sunday.

The route runs a little south of the Alpine growing areas of the Savoie and Jura, but close enough to include a perfect tour sipper Cerdon de Bougey. Located in the foothills of the Alps about halfway between Lyon and Geneva, the vineyards are a patchwork of parcels facing southeast or southwest, interspersed with fields, pastures, grazing cattle and patches of forest. The wines of Bugey were produced as VDQS since 1958 and received full Appellation status in 2009.

Father and son team Alain and Elie Renardat-Fachet employ a technique called "ancestral method" for this incredible pink sparkler. Harvest is by hand, then the grapes are pressed and fermented in cold vats until the alcohol reaches about 6 degrees. The wine is lightly filtered with most of the active yeast left in the unfinished wine, it is then bottled and ferments in the bottle to about 7.5 or 8 degrees of alcohol, and a good amount of its original sugar. Fresh, fruity and sparkling, loaded with raspberry and strawberry notes, it is sweet but not cloying so. Perfect aperitif or after dinner, its natural low alcohol means you can have another glass on a warm summer day!

Cerdon de Bugey, Renardat-Fache - Click to purchase at 56 Degree Wine

Region: Bugey, France
Grapes: Gamay, Poulsard
Drink: Now and within first year of release
Cuisine: Apertif or Desserts with berries or chocolate

Tour de France - Le Sudouest de France

chris.cree@56degreewine.com (Chris Cree M.W.) — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 08:01:40 PDT

On Tuesday and Wednesday Stages 10 and 11 take a relatively gentle route with just a few small category 3 and 4 climbs as the riders travel through the heart of southwest France before the first real test in the mountains on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The route passes near Marcillac on Tuesday and includes a sprint through the village of Gaillac on Wednesday - villages that are home to two of my favorite country French red wines. Well off the beaten track and definately off the radar of most wine drinkers, I absolutely love the wines from this region for their unabashed individualistic character. Located along the river Tarn (a tributary of the Garonne, the river that eventually winds its way through the Graves and Sauternes and combines with the Dordogne at the Gironde estuary in Bordeaux), they are both some of the oldest wine regions in France.

Marcillac is located about an hour drive north and east of Gaillac along the Tarn River. It is made mainly from Mansois, the local name for Fers Servadou, and the grape accounts for about 90% of all plantings. My favorites here are Domaine Laurens, whose red and lovely crisp rose we have stocked, and Domaine du Cros, a beautiful, juicy if slightly rustic red with crushed red fruits and hints of game and earth. This small grower had only one hectare in 1982 and made a mere 4,000 bottles per year. Today they have expanded by buying and renting vineyards with 22 hectares in production out of a total of 25ha.

Gaillac claims to be the oldest wine region in France, with origins dating to the first century and records of Romans shipping wine down the Tarn to Bordeaux and northern Europe. The white wines are made from Mauzac, Sauvignon Blanc, Loin de L'Oeil, Muscadet and Ondenc, and are crisp, light and refreshing with floral notes. The reds are made from local grapes Duras and Fers Servadou, but can also have Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Domaine Sarrabella is a producer seeking out both for their delicious, floral and fresh white and their deliciously rustic red.

The reds from both of these regions are the perfect "Bistro Wines" in my opinion - mid weight, slightly old world and earthy, with moderate grip and sour cherry fruit tones. They are perfect with light meat - pork, roasted chicken, duck breast "magret de canard" or classic steak and frites. Tomorrow and over the next three days the Tour heads to the mountains of the Pyrenees and some of the toughest climbs in the world - don't miss it!

Tour de France - Through the Loire!

chris.cree@56degreewine.com (Chris Cree M.W.) — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 14:10:19 PDT

Today the Tour winds its way down from Normandy and the coast and passes very near the heart of the Loire Valley. This noble river winds its way over a thousand kilometers from its beginnings in the Ardeche at about 4430 feet near Mont Gerbier de Jonc. It flows to the north and then makes a hard turn towards the west near Orleans and finally to the Bay of Biscay at Saint Nazaire. It spans such a wide range of climates and soils that the types of grapes grown vary as you travel along its course, and the wine style also vary dramatically response to local conditions or "terroir". It is really best to think of the Loire as four major regions, the eastern Loire, followed as you head downstream to the west by the Touraine, Anjou-Saumur, and the Region Ouest, each of which is comprised of multiple small AOC's.

Along the route it passes though some of my favorite wine regions, the first and easternmost of the better known wine regions are Sancerre and Pouilly Fume. These are located are well inland, just north of Nevers and are known for crisp, racy, mineral Sauvignon Blanc and a tiny amount of red and rose from Pinot Noir that can be quite enjoyable, all grown in the semi continental climate and flinty limestone soils of the Kimmeridgean belt. Reuilly, Menetou Salon and Quincy are nearby and offer similar wines at at lower price than the more famous Sancerre and Pouilly Fume.

Just after it passes these famous villages, the Loire bends to the west, sweeping in an arc through Orleans and into the Touraine. Inexpensive Sauvignon from the Touraine can be found here, good summery and inexpensive. But the best known wines are the superb dry and sweet white wines made from the Chenin Blanc grape grown on chalky soils in vineyards surrounding the villages of Vouvray and Mont Louis, and terrific reds from Cabernet Franc in Chinon, Bourgueil, and Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil. Olga Raffualt is one of my favorite reds, delicious and fresh when young and able age for years in the best vintages.

Anjou - Saumur is next, with Cabernet Franc from Saumur Champigny and Saumur the top reds, and a dozen small AOC's making dry and/or sweet styles of Chenin that are among the best in the world with Quarts de Chaume, Coteaux de Layon, Savennieres and Bonnezueax among the tops.

Finally in the east is Muscadet, just to the north and east of the start of this years Tour in the Vendee. Its crisp, racy high acid whites perfect with the seafood and shellfish of this region by the sea.

So grab a glass of wine from the Loire, turn on the Versus network and drink in the beautiful scenery of this spectacular region of France. For a list of wines from the Loire available at 56 Degree Wine - click here and type "Loire" in the search box. See the list below for a couple of favorites. For a truly in depth explaination of the Loire, visit the Wine Doctor website - Cheers!

Claude Lafonde Reuilly 2009

2008 Domaine Damien Lorieux Bourgueil Cucee Graviers

Gasnier Chinon Rose 2010

2009 Domaine Huet Vouvray Clos du Bourg Sec

2009 Domaine de la Potine Sauvignon Blanc Touraine

2009 Domaine Serge Laporte Sancerre Chavignol

Le Tour de France Begins - A Love letter from the French Countryside

chris.cree@56degreewine.com (Chris Cree M.W.) — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 15:13:04 PDT

Stage One: Passage du Gois to Mont des Alouettes - 191.5 kilometers

Let the race begin! July 2nd marks the beginning of the 2011 Tour de France, one of the greatest sporting specatcles of the year, and a visual love letter from the Versus network to the French countryside. For the next three weeks the Peleton will wind its way through the villages, vineyards and incredible mountain passes that make up this years route, with the riders covering a total of 3430.5 kilometers over 21 stages. Whether a cycling fan or not, the race is worth tuning into from time to time purely for the sheer beauty of the scenery. With cameras filming from practically every angle including helicopters, cars, planes and motorcyles, the perspective ranges from placid and almost hypnotic as the field snakes through a pastoral setting, to vertigo-inducing shots on the descents of the Alps and Pyranees. The race takes me back to the many hours each year I spend driving to visit and taste with winemakers, and offers a view of the unique character of each region of France it passes through. It is also perhaps one of the best covered sporting events, with the Versus network practically become the "Tour Network" for the month of July, providing hours of coverage beginning live in the mornings and repeated several times each day. They also have some of the best qualified commentators in the biz.

To make the viewing a little more enjoyable, for the next three weeks I'll choose a wine or two from a region along the route with a little commentary, beginning with tomorrows wild start on the Passage du Gois in the Vendee. The unofficial start is with a parade lap of the Isle de Noirmoutier, with the official start taking the riders from Noirmoutier to the mainland over the Passage du Gois, a 4.5 kilometer stretch of road that is fully submersed twice a day at high tide. The riders finish 191.5km later at the town of Mont des Alouettes.

This region on the west coast of France is known for oysters and seafood of all sorts, is a hot spot of competitive sailing, a huge sport in France. It is the starting place of the around the world single handed non-stop Vendee Globe, one of a handful of sporting events that makes the Tour look tame. For a taste of the action scroll down to the video below!

On the wine front, the Muscadet region is just to the north and east of the route for the first couple of days, and it is here that the Melon de Bourgogne grape creates incredible, mineral, crisp and intense wines with racy acidity and brillant focus. The region is not without its problems, namely expansion and over production, but there has been a renaissance of small artisan growers who are changing regions image with superb wines based on the unique terroir. For an excellent explanation of the Muscadet region click here to go to The Wine Doctor website.

One of my favorite producers is Marc Olivier of Domaine de La Pepier , who makes a range of fantastic wines from his classic "Sur Lie" to the old vines "Clos Briords" and the lovely Cuvee Eden. His wines are made traditionally, starting with hand harvesting (one of the very few in the region), fermenting with wild yeasts that allow the wine to slowly complete fermentation naturally (instead of innoculating with starter yeasts that are used to rush fermentation to get the wine sold sooner), and bottles with only a very light filtration. Pepier is also one of the few wineries with vineyards entirely of original stock with no clonal selections. The Cuvee Eden 2005 - we have only magnums in stock so buy one and have it Saturday, Sunday and Monday as you watch the race - is racy, loaded with minerals, and has a slightly floral nose with hints of seashell, stoney/briny minerality. Perfect with clams, mussels, cockles or oysters, or mild fish such as dover sole, fluke or flounder. Chill it down, crack it open and enjoy the race! To purchase the Pepiere Muscadet Cuvee Eden Magnum, click here.

The Tour wanders around the Vendee though day three, then out of wine region to Britanny and into the heart of the Loire in Stage 7 on Friday July 8th from Le Mans to Chateauroux. Check back mid week for wine suggestions as the route passes near Vouvray, Montlouis, and Chinon and more!

Vendee Globe 2008 2009 teaser by VendeeGlobe

Domaine Terrebrune

chris.cree@56degreewine.com (Chris Cree M.W.) — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 07:18:47 PDT

Domaine Terrebrun is located near the village of Ollioules in the region of Bandol (Provence) in the sunny, beautiful south of France, not far from the sparkling Mediterranean. The estate had mainly olive trees when it was purchased by Georges Delille, a Paris trained Sommelier. On the advice of Lucien Peyraud, owner of the famed Domaine Tempier who told Georges that there was "gold under the ground at Terrebrune", he began the hard work of clearing, building terraces, and planting vines in the brownish clay and pebbly limestone soils over blue limestone subsoils. The vineyards are mainly south facing on gently terraced slopes, influenced by the winds that funnel in off the sea. The combination of the soils, climate and Reynauds philosophy of natural, organic practices create uniquely expressive wines of beautiful detail and a freshness underpinned by lovely minerality.Today the estate has 30 hectares of vines producing white, red and rose wines.

The estate is certified organic, with no herbicides, pesticides or chemical fertilizers. The soils are worked by plow and hand hoe, and vines are tended and harvested by hand, with selection happening in the vineyard rather than at sorting tables. Grapes are de-stemmed, gently pressed and fermented only with indigenous yeasts in cool, underground cellars in gravity fed cuves, and are bottled unfiltered and unfined.

The reds is a blend of 85% Mourvedre, the lynch pin of the reds of this regions, with 10% Grenache and 5% Cinsault. Deep and dark, it nevertheless has a fine structure and elegant balance of firm structure and dark, earthy fruit that varies slightly from vintage to vintage. The 1997 is just passed its more vibrant youthful phase and showing hints of leather and dried fruits of beneficial bottle age.

The white is a blend of Clairette, Ugni Blanc and Bourboulenc, and is fresh and crisp, with white flowers, a good middle core and hints of yellow fruits.

The Rose, perennially one of my favorites, is fresh, perfumed, and mineral with lovely acidity in 2010. It is versatile and food friendly - perfect for summer dining. Salad nicoise with grilled rare tuna, salumi, olive tapenade, grilled vegetables, ratatouille and grilled fish of all types come to mind as the perfect partners. I can't get enough! And as good as this wine is in its youth, it ages amazingly (something I never really think of with rose) and I have had some very old vintages, with the wine taking on a creamy, complex richness that I am not sure where I would place if I had it blindfolded. AT a recent visit, after tasting through several vintages of the reds, Reynaud disappeared into the deepest part of the cellar and came back with a bottle of the 1994 Rose - lemon creme, supple and viscous on the palate, still quite fresh - a unique and delicious experience!

And if the outstanding quality of the wine were not enough, there is an excellent restaurant on site called Le Table du Vigneron, where we had a fantastic lunch along with a wide assortment of wines and vintages from the Domaine. Reynaud is a quite, thoughtful person and his nature is reflected in his approach to the estate and its wines. These are not "blockbuster" wines, they are pensive, balanced and exquisitely crafted expressions of the land and region where they are grown. Reynaud has been here with us as well for a wine dinner and I hope he'll come back again! To purchase the wines visit us at 56 Degree Wine online.

Some images from our visit and excellent lunch:

Bordeaux 2010

chris.cree@56degreewine.com (Chris Cree M.W.) — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 09:43:06 PDT

A Classic Claret Vintage

I traveled to Bordeaux in April of 2010 in anticipation of another superb year for the region - rumors abounded, there were rumblings in the press, and all of the factors of weather and growing conditions seemed aligned and pointed in the right direction. After a week of extensive tasting I can report back that indeed it is another great vintage, creating wines with incredible power and concentration, but in a very different style than the excellent 2009's with which it will invariably be compared for decades to come.

Both vintages have no shortage of concentration, depth, tannin and ripeness, yet they are structured very differently. The 2009's are more opulent, perhaps with a touch more alcohol, with chewy, riper and slightly softer feeling tannins. The 2010s are substantially more tightly wound, with higher acidity, firmer tannins and a more compact, linear framework wrapped around their intense core of solid fruit. Both are superb candidates for the cellar, with most of the opinion that perhaps the 2009s with their riper plusher character will shine a little earlier than the more classically structured 2010's. Vintage comparisons abound, with Bordeaux expert Bill Blatch noting the similarities with other softer/firmer historical pairings such as 95-96, 85-86, 29-28 and even 1900-1899, but these are approximations at best. While I can't say I have much experience with the older pairings, I can say that I think 2010 and 2009 are better than either of the more recent examples. Of recent great vintages I would liken the 2010 closest to 2005, but with more tannin and acidity - and yes, even better perhaps. Only time will tell.

Buying Strategy

As good as the vintage is, as with all vintages there is variation in quality and some wines clearly stood out from the rest. As is the norm with nearly every wine we stock, we at 56 Degree Wine prefer to taste for ourselves, make our selections, and offer a specialized culling of what we think is the best on offer rather than the shot gun "whatever-got-90-points-or-higher" approach. During the week I spent in Bordeaux back in April tasting the promising but tough young wines, I made my selections on the wines we plan to offer. The only missing piece of the puzzle is price, and as of today mainly the smaller Chateaux (with a few exceptions) have released prices. Regardless, both at the very top of the price range, and perhaps more importantly in the value category, we are committed to putting our money where our mouth is and selecting and offering only those wines we feel are the best examples of this superb vintage.

The following is a list of wines we have purchased to date. We will be sending offers as we receive pricing and confirmation from now through about the middle of July so keep an eye out as wines are often offered only in limited quantities, and prices can frequently, but don't always, escalate from day to day. Please feel free to contact me personally either at the shop, by phone (908.310.6127 cell) or by email at chris.cree@56degreewine.com if there is a specific wine you are interested in or to discuss strategy for putting a selection of wines from this excellent vintage in your cellar.

For the our complete offer of Bordeaux 2010 futures click here.

Cheers!

Chris Cree MW
56 Degree Wine

Tips for BYO's - Some Thoughts on Making the Best of a BYO Restaurant

chris.cree@56degreewine.com (Chris Cree M.W.) — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 10:13:17 PST

The ability to drink what you like is one of the best advantages of going to a BYO. You can always have your old fav and not pay restaurant prices! I know people who love big Cali Cabernets with everything from sushi to steak, and while I wouldn't do it, who am I to judge? I say have at it! Personally I like much more variety and diversity and make an effort to anticipate the flavors, weight and elements of the food at each restaurant. The ability to choose wines to match from my cellar or favorite wine shop is another BYO advantage. The beauty of BYO is that while many licensed restaurants carry "safe" wines - popular brands and grape varieties they know will sell - BYO gives me the freedom to explore and push the boundaries with a wide range of lesser known grapes and regions and way more opportunity to match the food - again without paying wine list mark-ups!

When trying to decide what wine to bring, first do a little research on the restaurant. If it's Italian, chances are that Italian wine is your best option, if it's a French Bistro, bring some country French wines, if seafood is the specialty you may bring a few extra whites, and hedge with a few extra reds if it's a steak house. Asian or or ethnic specialty restaurants will also factor in to wine choices. Best to call and ask about specials or go online and look at the menu and then plan the wine.

Always bring a little more than you need. "Corked" or "off" bottles can leave you high and dry, or an irresistible menu special might lead your wine pairing down a different path than you had initially planned for. Don't mind the stares, we always bring an overstuffed wine bag - if we don't use it all we just take'em home!

Bring a range of styles that are versatile and will cover a big range of foods. A nice light crisp white is a great way to start. Muscadet, Sancerre, Pouilly Fume from the Loire Valley of France, Vernaccia di Sangimignano, Arnies or Verdicchio from Italy, Albarino or Godello from Spain, and Gruner Veltliner from Austria are great food friendly options that will cover a number of salad, seafood and light appetizers. A fuller style of white to cover lobster, scallops and richer seafood dishes, as well as some poultry and other mid-weight dishes is a must. California Chardonnay of all sorts work for those who like more fruit, oak and power, white Burgundy for those who like a little more restraint, elegance. For reds, a medium bodied wine such as Pinot Noir or Rioja will cover medium weight cuisine such as pork, veal, duck. For fuller meat dishes such as short ribs, steaks and lamb, break out the full throttle reds. Bordeaux varietals (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Malbec) from all over the world work great here, as will wines made from Rhone varietals such as Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre. These are the safe versions, but don't forget there is a wide world of wine out there! BYO's give you the opportunity to bring a bunch of wines to try. Again, if you open one and it doesn't work out just cork it up, take it home and have it tomorrow. Push the envelop and explore!

Glassware and service: Even some licensed restaurants have sub-standard stemware, and while I have seen many BYOs improving wine service, there are still a few who don't get it. It's geeky, but there is nothing wrong with bringing your own if the house version isn't up to snuff. If you bring an old and rare wine be sure to pay attention to service. It can vary in any restaurant, BYO or not, but at unlicensed locations there is typically less wine training. Difficult corks and sediments found in older wines can case problems for untrained servers so it is often best to take over opening and decanting in this case, or at least (nicely!) oversee the operation. Decanters at BYO's often don't get much use, so even though they may have been put on the shelf clean, over time they will gather fine dust or aromas that can ruin a wine. Be sure to have any decanter rinsed and cleaned prior to pouring the fine old bottle you have been saving.

Dreaming of Wine in America - Repost!

chris.cree@56degreewine.com (Chris Cree M.W.) — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 09:40:37 PST

This post originally ran back in March of 2009 but as we just got in the new vintage of the El Llano I thought it was worth a revisit. Wines have been updated to reflect current price and availability at the time of the post. Cheers!

Mi Sueno, which means “my dream” in Spanish, is the realization of the dream and vision of Rolando Herrera. In what is a great American story, Rolando was born in a small village in Mexico, and looking for a better life, moved to California in 1975. His life in the wine trade began humbly enough as a dishwasher at Auberge du Soliel, then on to line Cook at Mustards’ Grill where he began to appreciate the magic of great food and wine. At the age of 17 he took a summer job working as a laborer building a stone wall for Warren Winiarski of Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, and was then offered a job working the harvest with the provision that he attend school in the afternoons. It was the beginning of a career that included 10 years at Stag’s Leap (the last seven as Cellar Master), assistant wine maker at Chateau Potelle, Winemaker at Vine Cliff and Director of Winemaking at Paul Hobbs. At each step along the way he absorbed his experiences, learning different aspects of winemaking, grape growing and marketing, developing his own vision which evolved into Mi Sueno.

“Each stop played a significant role in refining my style of winemaking. Stag’s Leap was the foundation. It was here that I learned to appreciate the smell of the grape must and the feeling of being surrounded by barrels of fermenting wine. In addition, Warren taught me the value of attention to detail as well as to respect and enjoy the product we were making. At Chateau Potelle I was introduced to French winemaking techniques, including all-natural fermentation. I also learned that while anyone can make wine, to craft a truly unique and special wine, winemaking becomes more of an art form. My tenure at Vine Cliff provided me, for the first time in my career, a chance to be in complete control of the final product.”

Eventually Rolando’s brother Ricardo joined him, having spent 10 years developing his talents as Cellar Master at Dominus and Assistant Winemaker at Screaming Eagle. Today they have a vineyard management company, and farm 40 acres of their own vines as well with terrific vineyard sites in Napa, Carneros and the Russian River Valley.

The wines are sold to us by Juan Prieto, owner of Vinifrance Imports, and Juan’s story is just as good as the Herrera’s. His family, solid middle class Cubans, lost everything when Castro and the communists came to power, nationalized private property and took their family business. After many hardships, they were finally able to leave Cuba and made their way to America with little more than the clothes they left with. Through hard work and drive, Juan and his family got him through school with a degree in Psychology which today is where he mainly makes his living. But his love of wine and food drew him to the wine business, and he began to travel, ask questions and learn everything he could. Eventually this led him to winemaker Michael Havens, a great long time friend of mine and Napa Winemaker, who subsequently led him to me about 20 or so years ago to ask advice about getting into the wine business. After giving Juan as many reasons as I could think of for not leaving his bread and butter job to open a wine distribution company, he went ahead and did it anyway. Today he has a great portfolio of artisan growers whose style and approach to winemaking we heartily endorse, making wines we love for their purity, expression, and natural approach, and of course, for their sheer brilliant quality. But he still has his day job!

We both work with on the French supply side with importer Olivier Daubresse, who aside from introducing us to some of our favorite French producers (Pascal Maillard, Guillon, Grivot and many more) has by far the most precise palate I have ever tasted with. With what I would call total recall and utter sensitivity, he is able to discern subtle changes that often the winemakers themselves don’t pick up in their wines. Travelling with Olivier is part and parcel to what I love about this business. I have spent long days the cold cellars in France together working on blends and selecting wines to import where you can see the relationship of respect and open communication between Olivier and his growers (Olivier pulls no punches!). This trust and understanding is based on a pursuit of excellence and results in our ability to source truly great wines (and share them with our clients!). Long, grueling days in cold cellars (I know, tough job!) are rewarded with lingering lunches and dinners, often with the winemakers digging deep in their cellars for magnificent wines in a spirit of sharing, mostly tasted blind, that challenges your senses and truly makes you think about what you are tasting. Vintage, soils, grapes, terroir, winemaking; how did these flavors and nuances arrive at the place and time we are drinking them? Every great wine tells a story of the year and conditions they were grown, the grapes and the soils and climate of the vineyards where they were grown, and the winemaking and care of the winemaker.

Olivier’s personal story begins in the north of France, in a region best known for industry and far from wine country. As he tells it, the French social structure is a somewhat stratified system where upward mobility is difficult in terms of education, employment and career advancement, with layers of tradition and bureaucracy often creating impediments. So like many, Olivier went into the service industry, in his case the wine trade as a Sommelier, where he worked his way up to Wine Director of one of the best restaurants in France. He, like Rolando, found that his spirit was yearning for a better life in a place where his entrepreneurial ambition could be more easily realized, and eventually made his way to America. With stints at Bouley and Daniel in New York, he eventually left to follow his own dream of creating a business to import the small family owned estates he loved. These stories remind me, in a time when there seems to be so much negativity and doubt, of what a great place our country really is, with possibilities that exist here and nowhere else in the world.

So what does all this have to do with wine? Not much, really, but it does reflect a little on my approach to it in a business sense. While the quality absolutely has to be there, wine is about more than just what's in the bottle, and definitely more than reading the press, checking the scores and ratings and stocking what is popular. It's about choosing to work with people who believe in what they do, who have a passion so strong they are willing to take risks and walk a sometimes difficult path to accomplish their goals. When you surround yourself with people with these characteristics and philosophy, quality usually follows - but on to the wines!

What I love about these wines is that they are a summation of all the experience and talent from the Herrera's years learning their art, and yet they sell for a fraction of the price of the wines from the places where they learned it. In addition, while they have California exuberance, they are also restrained and elegant, balanced, plush and deliciously drinkable. All are extremely limited production and worth getting to know.

Mi Sueno Chardonnay Carneros 2007 – The grapes for this wine are grown in the cool Carneros region, and the resulting wine is balanced, with good ripeness and lively tropical fruit, creamy vanilla and a clean finish. About 35-40% new oak keeps it in check and allows the delicious fruit to shine through. Incredible value! $39/bottle

Mi Sueno Chardonnay “Ulysses Vineyard” 2006 - The Ulysses vineyard is known for fantastic Chardonnay fruit that ends up in wine from top producers Paul Hobbs and Aubert. Here, Rolando Herrera brings his own interpretation based on his experience with the site from his time as Director of Winemaking at Paul Hobbs. Rich and full, but with restraint and only moderate oak, hints of apple, nutmeg and vanilla. Tiny production – excellent quality! $45/bottle

Mi Sueno Carneros Pinot Noir 2007 - This wine was first made by Mi Sueno in 2002 with purchased fruit, but discontinued it until their own vineyards were mature enough to provide the fruit. Planted on white soils with lots of lime it has lovely aromatic of red and dark cherry, lively fresh and mouth filling on the palate - California fruit (but in check), with fresh acidity underneath and a silky, smooth middle and finish. Lovely! Tiny production. $39/bottle

Mi Sueno El Llano 2007 - This is a blend of between 20-35% Syrah with the balance Cabernet Sauvignon, depending on the vintage, from vineyards near Caldwell's in the Coombsville area of Napa. Deep and dark, with cedar components and focused dark fruits both on the nose and palate. Long, solid and balanced, with just enough oak to compliment but not dominate. $45/bottle

Port - The Perfect Winter Warmer

chris.cree@56degreewine.com (Chris Cree M.W.) — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 07:18:34 PST

When port comes to mind, most people think of the great Vintage Ports from the top houses such as Graham’s, Warre’s, Fonseca and Taylors. These superb wines are certainly some of the finest produced especially in great years. But Vintage Port is not inexpensive, it takes decades to evolve and reach its prime and represents only a small fraction of Port made. The good news is that there are a number of more affordable, ready to drink styles that can offer as much or more pleasure than drinking a great Vintage when it is far too young.

Wine has been made in the Douro Valley for nearly two millennia, but it was the arrival of the English in the 1700’s, smarting from their troubles on the Continent with the French that resulted in a lack of access to their preferred wines such as Bordeaux, that had a major impact on the Port trade. The treaty of Methuen in 1703 created a favorable trading relationship and low import duties between England and Portugal, setting the stage for the expansion of wine exports. In order to improve the fierce wines they found and to increase its stability for shipping, the practice of adding alcohol to the wines began, and Port as we know it today was born. Today the British still largely own the Port trade with Taylor Fladgate, Cockburns, Croft, Dow, Graham, Gould, Osborne, Taylor and Warre’s all English owned.

Port takes its name form the seaport city of Oporto, which lies at the mouth of the Douro River where it meets the Atlantic. Port is a fortified wine, made by stopping the fermentation process with an addition of a neutral grape spirit (called aguardente) before the yeasts have converted all of the sugars to alcohol. This has the dual effect of retaining sweetness in the wine and bringing the alcohol level up to about 21% by volume. All Port is made virtually the same way up to this point: grapes harvested and crushed, still by foot in some cases, in large trough like vats called Lagars, and then the spirits added to stop fermentation part way through. The variations that create the different styles of Port occur mainly during the maturation process.

While many countries produce fortified wines called Port, the real deal can only come from Portugal, made from grapes grown in the Douro River Valley. It is the third oldest protected wine appellation in the world, having been legally established in 1756 in effect to regulate and improve the quality and reputation of its product. The region begins about 40 miles upriver from the city of Porto on the Atlantic and extends east almost to the Spanish Border. The Serra do Marao mountains form a barrier than protects the region from maritime climate along the coast. There are several sub-regions as one travels upstream towards Spain, with the climate cooler and wetter in the west and becoming drier and warmer as one gets further east. The climate plays a role in the quality of grapes and the style of wines they produce. Grapes grown the western most (cooler, wetter) are mainly used for cheaper Ruby and Tawny Ports. The Cima Corgo which is higher, drier, and warmer produces Vintage and the higher quality Ports. While dozens of grapes can be used by law, the main varieties used are Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, Touriga Francesa, Tinta Cão, and Touriga Nacional for reds. White Port is made from mainly Esgana-Cão, Folgasão, Donzelinho Branco, Gouveio, Rabigato, Malvasia Fina, and Viosinho, but is also a fortified wine.

All Port begins essentially with the same process of fermentation. It is in their maturation where many of the differences in style have their origins and there are basically two large families of Port styles. The first are the cask-matured wines. These wines are aged in large barrels until they are ready for consumption and include Tawny, Colheita, and the rarely seen Garrafiera. Ports in this category can range from ordinary Tawny, generally inexpensive without a long period of age, to wines that are aged 10, 20, 30 and even 40 years in cask. The aging process in large barrels allows oxygen to interact with the wine, and they take their name from the color they achieve as the oxygen and aging process slowly changes their hue from deep ruby/purple to their namesake amber brown. They are typically a blend of multiple vintages, and are off dry to sweet in style, with a caramel, nutty elegance to them. Colheitas are similar to Tawny Ports but are from a single vintage and also aged in cask for many years. Cask matured Ports, since they have done their maturation in an oxidative environment, sometimes for years, have thrown most of their sediments in cask before bottling, or have been filtered before bottling and thus do not need decanting. They don’t improve with bottle age, are corked with a stopper cork that can be removed without a corkscrew, and once opened can last for weeks and longer. While many seem to focus on Vintage and Ruby styles, I personally love old Tawny – and would prefer them to drinking a great vintage Port too young. Best value/quality seems to be the 20 or 30 years olds as they have the character of age, but are not as expensive as 40 year.

The second group are the bottle matured Ports which are often referred to as Ruby Ports. They are only mature a short time in casks, with the best spending years maturing in bottle instead. This group includes Vintage, Reserve, Late Bottled and Crusted Port. Simple Ruby Ports are inexpensive, fermented in stainless steel to keep them from oxidizing like Tawny Port, and are known for deep color and juicy sweet, sometimes candied fruit. Vintage Ports are often seen as the premier category of Port and are made from the best grapes grown in the best vineyards and are from a single year. Vintages are declared only when the Port Houses feel the conditions are right, and it is up to the individual shipper to decide whether to declare, with the decision made in the spring of the second year after harvest. Vintage Ports are only aged about two years in cask and then complete their maturation in the bottle over many years. They are deeper, darker and concentrated, black purple when young. They have the ability to age and improve for decades and often only truly come into their own after 20 years or more. When young, they can be fierce and sometimes peppery, tannic and spirity, albeit still sweet, evolving towards ruby and garnet in color as they reach maturity, softening and becoming fine, elegant and complex with time. Vintage Port has true cork, requiring a cork screw to remove. As they have aged primarily in the bottle, they can have quite a heavy deposit of sediment and need decanting. While they stay fresh a bit longer than most unfortified wines, they should be consumed within several days of opening. Single Quinta Ports are Vintage Ports from one single property or estate, whereas a Vintage Port may be a blend of many Quintas. They are often made when a Vintage is not declared, and while they have the same characteristics of Vintage, they sometimes are earlier maturing. They are usually a little less expensive than Vintage, and these include Graham’s Quinta do Malvedos for example, and have the name of the Shipper and the Quinta on the label.

Late Bottled Vintage are Ruby Ports that have been in cask longer than Vintage and shorter than most Tawny, between two and four years. Somewhat of a hybrid, they come in two styles, filtered and unfiltered. They fill a need for Ports with the characteristics of a Vintage Port but without the need for many years of aging in bottle. The filtered LBV’s are similar to Tawny as they are ready to drink on release, have stopper corks and do not throw sediment. The unfiltered LBV’s, called “Traditional Late Bottled” until the laws changed in 2002 are now referred to as “Bottle Matured” or “Unfiltered” to distinguish them. This style is closer to Vintage in style, throws sediment, will age in bottle, needs a corkscrew to open and should be drunk within several days of opening. These are often the best value in Ruby style and can be very similar to a good, mature Vintage at a fraction of the price.

Crusted Ports, not often seen in the US and are more common in Great Britain, are akin to a Late Bottled Unfiltered but are from several vintages. They have true cork closure, throw sediment and do age in the bottle, and need decanting like Vintage Port, however the shipper often holds them until they’re ready to drink.

Cask aged Ports are pretty much ready to drink on release and since they have a stopper do not need to be stored on their side. Bottle aged Ports and Vintage Ports are stored like any other wine, on their side to keep the cork moist, cool, dark and no vibration or temperature fluctuations. Port is typically served after dinner with a selection of cheeses, Stilton or similar blue one of the best options, some crusty French bread, fresh pears and apples, dried fruits and an assortment of nuts are perfect matches. Chocolate is a great match too, and of course Port is perfect post dessert with a great cigar.

Tradition has it that Port is always passed to the left, with the host first serving the guest on the right and then passing to his left (his port-side in nautical jargon), with the process continuing in turn until everyone has been served, without the Port being set down on the way around. In one version if the Port stops, it is seen as impolite to ask for it, rather one asks the person closest to the decanter if he knows the Bishop of Canterbury (any town in England will do). This is obviously not done to get an answer, but as a gentle reminder to pass the Port. If the reply is “no”, then the next comment is “well the Bishop is certainly a very good fellow, but he never passes the Port” which in turn prods the person who is holding thing up to realize they have hogged the Port.

To View our selection of Port visit us online at 56 Degree Wine - Cheers