The New Terroirist

Idiocy and and the Fall of Common sense

noreply@blogger.com (wineterroirist) — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 01:16:00 +0000

As my wife often reminds me as I'm shaking my head at a startling example of government fiscal (in)competence or interesting interpretations of driving rules of the road, "Common sense isn't that common".

Another startling example of synaptic failure is the raid by 60 activisits on a French research centre in Alsace destroying 7 years of internationally recognized work toward a solution to Grapevine Fanleaf virus(GFLV). The report published by Decanter magazine also goes on to explain that these mental deficients are unlikely to get more than token punishment.

While I am not a supporter of GMO(genetically modified organisms) in our food supply. I do think that research with appropriate safeguards is necessary especially in this case given the destructiveness of the GFLV virus.

In the words of comedian Bill Engvall "Here's you sign".

The Next Big Thing?

noreply@blogger.com (wineterroirist) — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 09:07:00 +0000

Under the heading of the next big thing I found an article in Wine Access touting natural wine bars as the next big thing. These establishments provide wine that has been produced using as little intervention as possible starting with hand-harvested, organically produced grapes moving through vinification without the aid of additives like tannin or enzymes and spurning modern techniques such as micro-oxygenation and reverse-osmosis. All calculated to showcase the quality of the vines and the soil. Sounds like a terroirist's dream doesn't it. The vanguard of these establishments are now the rage in San Francisco, can the pacific northwest and BC be far behind. With bated breath and empty glass I wait for a like-minded adventurer to try this in my neck of the woods. Cheers

The Terroir of Steak

noreply@blogger.com (wineterroirist) — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 09:08:00 +0000

Yes you heard me right. Steak. Big protein. Sliced cow. I have a clip from Wine Spectator that details different feed regimens and how they affect the flavours of the wine and by extension, what wine pairings work best.

The beef here

and the wine....

Here

Enjoy!!

Just for fun!!

noreply@blogger.com (wineterroirist) — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:52:00 +0000

I came across this video and couldn't stop laughing. Wine drinkers are certainly inventive!!

How to open a bottle of wine?

Now there's a switch

noreply@blogger.com (wineterroirist) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 09:29:00 +0000

I, like many of my peers, am turning to organic food to escape pesticide and hormone-laced, tastless @#$@$ that once was the staple of many supermarket shelves. Food retailers have picked up on the fact that we are ready to pay a premium for "organic", "free-range" and "pesticide-free". The opposite appears true for wine. As Mark Lacter reports, " a new UCLA study finds that consumers get turned off by wines that are identified as organic, even though they often rate higher than non-organic". Mr. Lacter proposes several possible explanations, including snobbery, for this finding.

My thought is that to be labeled organic, there must be significantly less sulphite added in the wine-making process. I have encountered wines that oxidized well before their time because of it. I prefer wines not labeled organic for this reason. Food for thought.

Terroiriffic BC Rieslings

noreply@blogger.com (wineterroirist) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 09:10:00 +0000

Riesling is one of those grapes that, under the right conditions, can show stunning expressions of the land on which it is grown. Unforgettable examples have come from Germany and the Alsace region of France for decades. The new world is only lately exploiting Riesling's ability to show the best of the land on which it is grown.

I have a couple favorites from my neck of the woods (Okanagen Valley, British Columbia, Canada). The first is Tantalus Old Vines Riesling 2007. For me the main feature is the well structured acidity and purity of fruit flavours. The intensity of flavours from the 30+ year old vines is stunning. I just love this wine!! I look forward to this wine after several years aging because I think the best is yet to come from this gem.

If you are a fan of old world riesling, you might feel the Tantalus suggests the austere wines of Alsace, the next wine is pure Mosel-Saar-Ruwer. Lang Vineyards Riesling Farm Reserve is a multiple award winning wine, including Best White at the All Canadian Wine Championships, this wine seduces with crisp acidity, fresh peach, pear fruit flavours and a hint of minerality. Another favorite for summer sipping or spicy asian food.

Coming soon .....

noreply@blogger.com (wineterroirist) — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 05:55:00 +0000

What wine blog site would be complete without a few tasting notes to tantalize the tastebuds and send people in the direction of Terroiriffic wines. Watch this space.

Not so sour now

noreply@blogger.com (wineterroirist) — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 19:40:00 +0000

I received a very nice apology from Derek, the winemaker at Lailey this morning along with an offer to a tasting at the winery next time I was in the area. We cleared any misunderstandings. I await with bated breath the release of the 07 Canadian Oak Pinot. If it is as good a the whites from '07 it should be something quite special.

Sour grapes @ Lailey Vineyards

noreply@blogger.com (wineterroirist) — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 15:42:00 +0000

I had the pleasure of meeting Donna and David Lailey in Owen Sound at a tasting at the local LCBO. As a trained sommelier and an amateur winemaker, I found them both to be knowledgeable and accomodating. In parting they encouraged me to visit the winery to taste some of the "Canadian Oak Pinot Noir" that they were very proud of. I just happened to be going in that direction a couple of days later. This is where my experience sours. I presented myself at the tasting room, mentioning the encounter with the Laileys and requesting a sample of the aforementioned Pinot Noir. Without checking with anyone, the person waiting on me said it was not available. Now I would have understood if she had checked with someone and found out that indeed it was not. Or I would have understood if Donna or David had made a mistake and it wasn't ready. No explanation was given, no apology, nothing. I am not a well-known critic or wine columnist. I don't expect recognition wherever I go. I am a simple winelover and I am quite disappointed with Lailey vineyards. I normally buy at least a half dozen of your better offerings, this year I bought none. I will also be telling my wine-loving friends about my experience.

Wine Connoiseurs - Cons?

noreply@blogger.com (wineterroirist) — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 21:41:00 +0000

I recently ran across this article from the globe and mail by Beppi Crosariol.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080723.LDECANTER23/TPStory/Entertainment

I agree that some who call themselves experts can flub a blind tasting. Even on the best days, the best tasters can make mistakes. I would not use that as evidence that "terroir" does not exist. I would suggest that the wines presented from the new world indeed may have had terroir of their own. Perhaps there was a method to Mr. Spurrier's picks for the taste off.

Aside from that, making the correct guess in a parlor game is not what terroir is about. It is about the sense of place one can get from a wine. Terroir in this case is merely a component of the complexity of a fine bottle, complexity which can fool even the best tasters.

Top wines of the(Old) world

noreply@blogger.com (wineterroirist) — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 08:57:00 +0000

http://www.forbestraveler.com/food-drink/top-wines-of-the-world-story.html

This Forbes world traveler article interviewed for top American sommeliers and developed a list of 8 of the top wines in the world. I find it interesting that they all chose examples from the old world, Spain(1), Italy(1), France(3) and Germany(1). Two surprises, for me anyway, a wine from Greece and a Madeira rounded out the list. These are not my everyday fare. If you've tasted the wine in the article let me know. Cheers.

Soil, Weather, Terroir and wine

noreply@blogger.com (wineterroirist) — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 07:19:00 +0000

If you are at all technically minded, this is the interview for you.

-- from the graperadio site: "Ted Burns interviews David Schildknecht, Robert White and Greg Jones about the influences of soil and weather on wine grapes. David Schildknecht is a well-respected wine critic and writer for the Wine Advocate and has a special interest in the topic of terroir. Robert White is author of the book, Soils for Fine Wine. Greg Jones is a climatologist and vineyard site selection consultant."

Here's the link to the interview http://graperadi o.com/podcast/GR-ENG-USA-2008-04-07.mp3

Irrigation practices, chemical makeup of the soil and the influences of weather are all fair game. All the interviewees are notably new world experts and it may have added more balance to the discussion to include European experts in the mixed. I was particularly interested in the comments regarding using irrigation practices to mimic vine stress that occurs in Bordeaux, or the Loire naturally.

Labeling Wars

noreply@blogger.com (wineterroirist) — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 18:50:00 +0000

What's in a name? A recent article: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2008/04/07/MN8IV76JA.DTL
detailed the efforts of Chateau Montelana to label their wine with a specific AVA. The question is, is this purely a marketing exercise or is there really something special about the area.

A sense of place is at the heart of terroir. I applaud wine label reform when it can be backed up in the glass. Would you agree that Chateau Montelena exemplifies the "Calistoga" terroir? Is there a Calistoga terroir that is identifiable in the glass? While Chateau Montelana is undeniably great wine, even their own promotional material focuses on varietal character rather than the expression of the place it is grown.

Robin Garr vs Robert Parker

noreply@blogger.com (wineterroirist) — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 10:19:00 +0000

I found an article that did my heart good. Robin Garr took Mr. Parker to task for his comments on California's Edmund St. John winery offerings. These wines are in Robin's opinion, terroir-driven and at their best with food (I haven't yet found them in BC-- but I'm looking. If you've seen them here, please let me know).

Robin not so much tried to convince Mr. Parker of the attractions of terroir but more chastised for the mean spirited manner in which Mr. Parker ridiculed the wines. Bravo! I'm sure you agree that at the end of the day there is room for both points of view.

Here's the article, you can decide for yourself.

http://www.wineloverspage.com/wineadvisor2/tswa20071207.php

What is Terroir?

noreply@blogger.com (wineterroirist) — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 09:23:00 +0000

You can find dozens of definitions of terroir but here's one I like:

Having a taste of the earth or soil. Gout de terroir describes the characteristic aromas and flavors of wine from grapes grown in a particular vineyard or region, incorporating the contributions of both soil and climate to the wine's unique style.
www.st-kathryn-cellars.com/glossary.htm

Like a slap to the head...

noreply@blogger.com (wineterroirist) — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 23:24:00 +0000

More like a shovelful of gravel.

I first understood terroir while on vacation in where else .. France, Chablis to be precise. It was at a cooperative, La Chablisiene. I tasted through about a dozen wines and it hit me, this was terroir--Les Clos, Blanchot and Montée de Tonnerre. Not only the region but the individual vineyards were clear to me. Just like when learning varietals Gewürztraminer was my "beginner" wine, Chablis was where I first understood the meaning of terroir. It's unmistakable wet stone, gravel character was something I could finally put my head around.

I've never looked back. I'm still a unrepentant "terroirist". Cheers.