WineWine | Wine

Chianti Classico Lunch with Chef Jake Klein at Morrell’s

marisa d'vari — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:06:20 +0000

"Fabulous lunch today at Morrells!" said a fellow guest, where chef Jake Klein paired several courses with different vintages and styles of Chianti Classico.

Speaking about Chianti Classico as a region was wine educator Tracy Kamens DWS, who was joined by Giuuseppe Libertore of the Consorzio Vino Chianti ?Classico and Marco Pallanti of Castello Di Ama.

Chef Klein paired four different Chianti Classico wine with dishes that included herb smoked buffalo mozzarela, Chestnut puree, roasted Lola duck breast with tart cherries, and house roasted organic Grenadine hot chocolate.

All the Chianti pairings were spot on, yet my favorite was the Fontodi Chianti Classico 2008 paired with the duck breast with cherries ... this wine was fantastic on its down, yet the cherry-focused pairing made it fantastic!

ProWein 2012 International Trade Fair Wines & Spirits March 4 – 6, 2012

marisa d'vari — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:37:05 +0000

Very excited to visit ProWein 2012, the International Trade Fair Wines and Spirits, for the first time! I hear that it is beginning to become more popular than the London Wine Fair, which was informative but difficult to access because it is 45 minutes from London.

The fair will be held from March 4 - 6, 2012 at the fairgrounds in Düsseldorf, Germany.

With over 3,700 expected exhibitors, ProWein 2012 will once again present a unique, wide-ranging overview of the international wine and spirits market. Suppliers from some 50 nations, including “exotic” wine nations, will present current wine and spirits ranges to about 40,000 trade visitors from around the world.

These exhibits together with the comprehensive ancillary program, the central tasting zone and the successful “Wine’s best friends” special delicatessen show, will make ProWein 2012 again an international business platform for the specialist trade, the food retail and catering/restaurant industry.

For further information , contact Messe Düsseldorf North America, Telephone: (312) 781-5180; Fax: (312) 781-5188; E-mail: info@mdna.com; www.prowein.com

Pairs of Great Wines, No. 1: Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe

Fredric Koeppel — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:20:23 +0000

Purely by coincidence, wines sometimes come to my door in pairs, like animals entering the Ark, or I encounter a pair of wines at a tasting event that naturally fall together. Such was the case with the duos of wines that I will be writing about over the next few weeks, each from the same winery or estate. You could say that such a categorization is artificial, but so is the allocation of wine into cases of 12 bottles or, for that matter, the divisions of time into seconds, minutes, hours, days, months and years. Don’t forget that September is not the seventh month, nor is October the eighth month; how arbitrary is that? What I’m saying is that reviewing pairs of wines together may be whimsical, but it’s fun and convenient and educational, and besides, this is my blog.

The first pair is from Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe in Chateaunef-du-Pape. The estate is named for a late 18th Century communications tower that stood on a nearby hilltop and aided in the transmission of semaphore signals from Marseilles to Paris. The property was established in 1898 by Hippolyte Brunian; since 1988, his great-grandsons Daniel and Frédérick have run the estate, which is somewhat larger than it was more than a 100 years ago. Of the property’s 173 acres, 65 are devoted to red grapes and 5 to white.

Imported by Kermit Lynch, Berkeley, California. Tasted at a wholesaler trade event. Image from wineblog.goedhuis.com.
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“Télégramme” is the second label for Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe and is typically made from vines that are 25 years old or less, primarily being between 20 and 25 years. Télégramme tends to consist mainly of grenache grapes with up to 10 percent mourvèdre, but for 2009 it’s 100 percent grenache. The wine ages 10 months in concrete cuves and 6 months in foudres, that is large oak barrels of varying size; the point is that the wine does not age in small barriques and sees no new oak. The color is dark ruby-purple with a hint of violet-magenta at the rim. The bouquet is extraordinary, ravishing, beguiling, a finely-knit amalgam of crushed violets, potpourri, smoke, cloves and sandalwood, with a wild, unfettered strain of ripe and roasted black currants, blackberries and plums; give this a few minutes in the glass and notes of mulberry, blueberry and fruitcake emerge; a few more minutes and you sense a vast undertow of dusty tannins and graphite-like minerality, a profound character that anchors the wine to your palate from start to finish, because these tannins are gigantic, formidable, dense, chewy, leaning toward austerity but always keeping a foothold in the wine’s deep, spicy, fathomless fruity nature. 14.5 percent alcohol. Great stuff for drinking 2013 or ’14 through 2019 to ’24 with roasts, braised meats or, um, pork belly tacos. Excellent. About $35.
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So, could the Vieux Télégraphe “La Crau” 2009, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, be better than Télégramme ’09? “Better” is not precisely the word; how about even more profound, denser, darker, deeper, more intense and concentrated, even more tannic, more powerfully permeated by sleek and finely-sifted mineral qualities? Yet, despite the air of Stygian depth and vast dimension, the wine is hypnotically beautiful because every element is precisely focused and exquisitely balanced; the bouquet is practically deliriously seductive. The blend is 65 percent grenache, 15 percent each mourvèdre and syrah and 5 percent cinsault, clairette and other permitted grapes; it aged 10 months in cuves and 12 months in foudres. The plateau of La Crau is where Hippolyte Brunian planted vines 114 years ago; the designation “La Crau” on the label does not indicate a special cuvée or grande marque, since all the grapes for this wine and Télégramme derive from the vineyard, some parts of which now go back 65 years. Rather, Télégramme exists to draw away the younger grapes from the primary wine, while certainly, as far as I’m concerned, asserting its own pronounced and complex character. It will take a decade for the brooding, austere Vieux Télégraphe “La Crau” 2009 to unfurl its more beneficent nature and company manners; try from 2016 to ’18 through 2024 to ’30. Alcohol content is 14.5 percent. Excellent. About $85.
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If This Is a Thing, I Am So In

allan — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:47:00 +0000

The Dynamic Duo of Virginia Wine at Swirl, Sip, Snark have a post up about their new wine rack. The rack was handcrafted by Grape Envy Guy and, I must say, is pretty impressive.

This feels like it should be a thing: All Virginia Wine Bloggers should post images of their wine storage for the world to see.

To kick it off, here is my non-basement wine storage. The taller rack is one I wrote about back in 2005 and it is still limping along, though just barely.

The second rack is made by Doug Fabbioli at Fabbioli Cellars. It is handmade from old barrels, including the shelf at the top.

I use the smaller rack for anything that is meant to be drunk in the next 2-3 years, anything I am storing for long term stays in the cooling unit. Unopened cases I keep in the basement because there are no good wine storage facilities in the Northern Virginia area.

Mindful Eating: A Teacher Responds to Readers

By THE NEW YORK TIMES — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:01:52 +0000

Dr. Jan Chozen Bays, a pediatrician who writes about eating thoughtfully, fields reader comments and questions.

T’Jara Vineyards Joins Long Island Merlot Alliance

Lenn Thompson — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:34:52 +0000

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

Yesterday, the Long Island Merlot Alliance (LIMA) announced that T’Jara Vineyards label has joined the merlot promotion group.

That means that two barrels of 2010 T’Jara merlot will be included in the 2010 Merliance, LIMA’s cooperative merlot blend.

T’Jara is a brand created by winemaker Russell Hearn and business partner Jed Beitler, who together own T’Jara Vineyards -- an established vineyard in in Mattituck, NY. T'Jara released two 2007 vintage wines, a Merlot and Merlot-based blend, in late 2011.

According to the press release, “T’Jara is the phonetic spelling of an aboriginal word that, roughly translated, means ‘where I’m from.’ We wanted our wines to convey a definite sense of place—Long Island’s East End.”

It's no surprise that T'Jara has joined LIMA -- Russell is also the winemaker at Pellegrini Vineyards, one of LIMA's founding members.

Beyond the blending and making of Merliance every year, LIMA has largely been an event-focused organization, organizing tasting events that pit member merlots against merlots from other regions.

With the addition of T’Jara Vineyards, the Long Island Merlot Alliance has six members, including Clovis Point, McCall Wines, Raphael, Sherwood House Vineyards and Wölffer Estate Vineyard.

New EU Rules for ‘Organic Wine’ Agreed

Organic Wine Journal — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:43:03 +0000

Press release from the European Union:

New EU rules for “organic wine” have been agreed in the Standing Committee on Organic Farming (SCOF), and will be published in the Official Journal in the coming weeks. With the new regulation, which will apply from the 2012 harvest, organic wine growers will be allowed to use the term “organic wine” on their labels. The labels must also show the EU-organic-logo and the code number of their certifier, and must respect other wine labelling rules. Although there are already rules for “wine made from organic grapes”, these do not cover wine-making practices, i.e. the whole process from grape to wine. Wine is the one remaining sector not fully covered by the EU rules on organic farming standards under Regulation 834/2007.

After the vote in the SCOF, EU Commissioner for Agriculture & Rural development Dacian Ciolos stated: “I am delighted that we have finally reached agreement on this dossier, as it was important to establish harmonized rules guaranteeing a clear offer to consumers who are more and more interested in organic products. I am pleased that we emerge with rules which make a clear difference between conventional and organic wine – as is the case with other organic products. As a result, consumers can be sure that any “organic wine” will have been produced using stricter production rules.”

The new rules have the advantage of improved transparency and better consumer recognition. They will not only help to facilitate the internal market, but also to strengthen the position of EU organic wines at international level, since many other wine producing countries (USA, Chile, Australia, South Africa) have already established standards for organic wines. With this piece of legislation, the EU organic farming is now complete and covers all agricultural products.

The new regulation establishes a subset of oenological (wine-making) practices and substances for organic wines defined in the Wine Common Market Organisation (CMO) regulation 606/2009. For example, sorbic acid and desulfurication will not be allowed and the level of sulphites in organic wine must be at least 30-50 mg per litre lower than their conventional equivalent (depending on the residual sugar content). Other than this subset of specifications, the general wine-making rules defined in the Wine CMO regulation will also apply. As well as these wine-making practices, “organic wine” must of course also be produced using organic grapes – as defined under Regulation 834/2007.

Background

There are no EU rules or definition of “Organic wine”. Only grapes can be certified organic and only the mention “wine made from organic grapes” is currently allowed.

In the 2004 Organic Action Plan, the Commission pledged to establish specific organic rules for all agricultural production, including wine-making. In this context, the “OrWine” research project was financed under the 6th Framework Programme. Based on its findings, legal proposals for defining organic wine were first tabled in Standing Committee for Organic Farming (SCOF) in June 2009, but remained deadlocked and were withdrawn in June 2010. Work resumed in 2011 and the draft received a favourable opinion from the SCOF on 8 February 2012.

Key parts of the proposals

The new rules on organic wine-making rules introduces a technical definition of organic wine which is consistent with the organic objective and principles as laid down in Council Regulation (EC 834/2007) Organic production. The regulation identifies oenological techniques and substances to be authorized for organic wine.

These include: maximum sulphite content set at 100 mg per litre for red wine (150 mg/l for conventional) and 150mg/l for white/rosé (200 mg/l for conventional), with a 30mg/l differential where the residual sugar content is more than 2g per litre.

Bourbon All the Way at Lowcountry

By ROBERT SIMONSON — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:39:35 +0000

Lowcountry's Southern menus takes a focus on bourbon to extremes.

China Wine Import Stats for 2011: France Crushes the Competition (Again)

Grape Wall of China — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:26:22 +0000

By Jim Boyce New year, old story in the China wine scene as France again lengthened its lead in terms of both volume and value when it comes to bottled imports. Overall, the market soared to 241 million liters in 2011, up 65 percent over 2010, according to Customs data. (Note: the following numbers were [...]

Meet Playboy.com’s New Dot Com Wine Dude

1WineDude — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Yep. Really.

I’m crazy excited to tell you that I will soon be authoring a freelance wine column on Playboy.com.

So now you have some legitimacy behind the “I’m just going there for the articles, honey!” excuse (you’re welcome!).

The folks behind Playboy.com reached out to me many moons ago, and the whole thing has been even many more moons in the making, so I’m thrilled to be able to get started – and humbled and honored by the opportunity to work with such an amazing brand. I don’t know how long this gig will last, and the column doesn’t have an official name yet (please shout out your ideas in the comments – I’ve got a feeling those will be very entertaining!), but we have some great ideas for content, which naturally will be exploring the more sensual sides of wine.

Now, I’ve never featured beautiful nude women on 1WineDude.com (though I’ve come close!), but I suppose you could say that there’s a bit of “spiritual alignment” in my writing style and the serious-but-accessible-and-slightly-irreverent take on the subject of wine that Playboy.com was looking for. To me, it’s a bit like Forbes.com bringing on Jeff Lefevre’s smart, analytical writing style, or how the populist, grounded voice of Vinography’s Alder Yarrow fits in so well with JancisRobinson.com. So you can add one more name to the list of home-grown wine bloggers being tapped by long-standing on-line brands.

There are a few things you probably should know about this Playboy.com gig…

1) This is a freelance gig, with freelance gig pay, and I’m not an employee of Playboy. But that’s okay by me, because Playboy.com reaches several million eyeballs per month; of course, most of those eyeballs aren’t visiting to get wine recommendations, but that kind of audience volume is substantial, even if most of them are going there more for boobs than booze (I don’t know where puts me on the list of U.S. wine peeps in terms of potential reach… presumably pretty high, but I’ll let the PR people run those numbers and tell us, since they’re supposed to be doing that kind of stuff anyway :-).

2) I don’t yet know when the content will start running (and in fact, I’ve yet to create all of the content; so trust me, you will know when I know).

3) I have not met Hef (yet!). And I have not partied at The Mansion with Robert Downey, Jr. (…yet! Hey, a guy can hope, right?).

4) We’re talking Playboy.com here, and NOT Playboy the printed mag. And NO, I cannot get you free subscriptions to Playboy in either form (so you can stop typing that e-mail to me right now); though some of you in the biz may now be able to claim the subscription as a business expense (again, you’re welcome)…

5) Finally, and most importantly, I want to say… THANK YOU to YOU.

Yes, you.

I’m humbled, honored, and thrilled to have you along this crazy journey with me, and the ride is more rewarding and more fun for having you involved! I fully appreciate that many of you have been getting sick of hearing me say “big things are coming” and then delaying the announcements – all the more reason why I should be thanking you.

I don’t know if this adventure is going to end in sustainable income pooling, luxury yachts and diamond cufflinks for me, but I can promise you it is going to be quite an adventure. So please share the news as you deem fit!

And I’m looking forward to seeing many of you over at Playboy.com in the near future (for the articles of course!).

Cheers!

In Photos – A Tasting at Mustilli Winery

Andrew Barrow — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:45:16 +0000

In Photos – A Tasting at Mustilli Winery

I’ve been in Italy, vineyard hopping, snow permitting, from Umbria down to Campania and Naples. Not just me, I should add, but a party of fabulous people gathered in Italy for the International Wine Tourism Conference and various trips out after, if we behaved ourselves!

The Mustilli Winery was just one such stop, quite quick, in the little town of Sant’ Agata dei Goti. An old, established local family with vineyards reinvigorated since the 1960’s. They appear to own several buildings in the town – a 400 year old cellar, an Agriturismo that “serves authentic regional cuisine” and the family home itself that also houses a wine bar the “Le Cantine di Mustilli” with live music, plus a guest house. Not entirely sure where we went after delving into the cellars but assume it’s the restaurant.

It is local grapes all the way with the Mustilli’s – Falanghina and Agliancio perhaps more well-known than the Fiano, the Piedirosso and the Grifo di Rocca. All these wines shine brighter with food; and even expert palates struggle to appreciate this when faced with nothing more than a bread stick. Actually we didn’t even have those.

We were offered some local apples after, the Annurca variety that only reveals its delicate red hue once picked and stored and turned regularly, we were told.
Three wines were offered. The sparkling Mustilli Spumante is made from Falanghina, its applely, dry in an aperitif style and, as was suggested, would be good with various fish dishes, just as a still Falanghina would.

“a lemon and mandarin thing going on here… a mineral apple thing” – Julie Pegg

The Mustilli Falanghina Sant Agata Dei Goti 2010 [Adegga / Snooth] demonstrated this; the acidity is quite marked. Flavours of those Annurca apples abound.

“a decent nose -a little touch of honey… a little peel… citrus” – Bill Eyer
“Very fresh, citrus, and floral tasting. Would taste great with seafood” – Mary Cressler
“There’s a definite aroma of perfumed talc… old lady’s perfumed talc” – David Lowe

The red variety, the Aglianico, really is a beast of a wine (in general) with the Mustilli version really crying out for food. The Mustilli Cesco di Nece Aglianico 2007 [Adegga / Snooth]. is the house ‘cru’ wine, named after the hills on which it is grown.

“really impressed with the nose, fruit forward, rich, jammy fruit lots of raspberries. Very approachable. Medium to full bodied, a little dryness on the after taste. Tannins as expected. Really nice.” – Melba Allen

The tasting was preceded by an exploratory wander through the estates ancient cellar – mould covered walls, racked vintages snuggly aging, and oak barrels maturing the latest vintages. Well worth a visit.
Mustelli lies just a little inland from Naples and is open to visitors and staying guests. The historic cellars, wine bar and room for wine sales are on Via dei Fiori 20.

Spittoon.biz - A UK Wine Blog - We Spit... So You Can Swallow

White wines….

Christopher — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 09:40:22 +0000

White Wine Grapes

As I promised, here is a list of many of the grapes used for making white wines… as you can see there is no shortage of vinifera in the world for you to explore…. And these lists are not even complete! So, let’s grab a bottle, pop a cork and try some wine!

White grapes

Aidani / Aidini / Aedani
Airén
Alarije / Alarijen
Albalonga
Albana
Albarello
Albariño / Alvarinho / Cainho Branco
Albarola
Albillo
Alcañón
Aligoté
Altesse / Roussette
Amigne
Ansonica / Inzolia
Antao Vaz
Aragnan Blanc
Arbois
Arinto
Arneis
Arnsburger
Arrufiac / Arrufiat / Ruffiac
Arvine
Asprinio Bianco
Assario branco
Assyrtiko / Assyrtico
Athiri
Aubin
Auxerrois Blanc
Avesso
Azal
Barcelo
Bacchus
Baco Blanc
Baiyu / Rkatsiteli
Banat Riesling / Banat Rizling
Baroque
Belina
Benedino
Biancame / Bianchello
Bianchetta Trevigiana
Bianchetti Genovese
Bianco d’Alessano
Biancolella
Biancone
Bical
Blanc de Morgex
Boais
Bogdanuša
Bombino Bianco
Borba Blanca
Borrado das Moscas
Bosco
Bourboulenc
Bouvier
Breidecker
Bual
Budai Zöld
Bukettraube
Buonamico
Burger / Monbadon
Camaralet
Carica l’Asino
Carignan blanc
Catarratto
Cayetana / Calagraño
Cerceal
Cereza
Chardonnay
Chasan
Chasselas / Fendant / Gutedel
Chenel
Chenin Blanc / Pineau de la Loire / Steen
Clairette
Claret de Gers / Claret de Gascogne
Claverie
Cococciola
Cocur
Coda di Volpe
Codega / Roupeiro
Colombard
Completer
Cortese
Crato / Crato Bianco
Courbu / Xuri Zerratua / Bordelesa Zuri
Criolla Grande
Crouchen / Clare Riesling / Cape Riesling
Cygne blanc
Cserszegi Fűszeres
Dattier
Debina
Diagalves
Dimiat
Dinka
Dona blanca
Doradillo
Drupeggio
Durella
Ehrenfelser
Elbling
Emerald Riesling
Emir Karasi
Encruzado
Erbaluce
Esgana Cão / Esagna / Sercial
Esquitxagos
Ezerjó
Faber / Faberrebe
Favorita
Falanghina
False Pedro / Pedro Luis / Cañocazo
Favorita
Fernao Pires / Fernão Pires
Ferral
Fetească Albă / Fetiaska / Leànyka
Fetească Regală
Fiano
Fié / Fiét / Fié gris
Findling
Flora
Fologosão
Folle Blanche / Gros Plant / Piquepoult
Francavida
Francusa
Freisamer / Freiburger
Friulano / Tocai Friulano
Fromenteau

Frontignan
Furmint / Mosler / Sipon
Galego Dourado
Garganega
Garnacha blanca / Grenache Blanc
Garrido
Gellewza
Gewürztraminer / Tramini
Gloria
Godello
Goldburger
Goldriesling
Gouais blanc
Gouveio
Graisse / Plant de Graisse
Grasă de Cotnari
Grecanico
Grechetto
Greco
Greco Bianco
Green Hungarian
Grenache Blanc / Garnacha blanca
Grenache Gris
Grignolino
Grillo
Grasa
Grk Bijeli
Grolleau gris
Gros Manseng / Izkiriota Handi
Grüner Veltliner
Guardavalle
Guarnaccia Bianca
Gutenborner
Hárslevelű
Hondarrabi Zuri
Humagne
Huxelrebe / Weisser Gutedel / Courtillier Musqué
Incrocio Manzoni
Inzolia / Ansonica
Irsai Oliver / Irsay Oliver / Irsai Olivér
Italia
Izsáki Sarfehér / Izsáki
Jacquère
Jaén blanca
Jampal
Juhfark
Juwel
Kanzler
Keknyelu / Kéknyelű
Kerner
Knipperle / Klein Rauschling
Kövérszőlő
Karija l’Osü
Krstač
Kujundžuša
Ladikino
Lado
Lagorthi
Lauzet
Len de l’El / Len de l’Elh
Loureira
Lumassina
Macabeo / Macabeu / Alcañón / Viura
Maceratino
Madeleine Angevine
Majarcă Albă
Malagousia / Malagoussia
Malvar
Malvasia, includes several sub-varieties
Malvoisie
Mantonico Bianco
Petit Manseng / Izkiriota Ttipi
Manteudo
Maria Gomes = Fernão Pires
Marsanne
Mauzac
Melon de Bourgogne / Muscadet
Merseguera / Escanyavella
Meslier St-François
Mezesfehér
Miousap
Misket
Molette
Moll
Montu
Morio-Muskat
Moscatel de Austria
Moscatel Rosada
Moschofilero / Moscophilero
Mtsvane
Müller-Thurgau / Rivaner
Muscadelle (Tokay in Australia)
Muscadet / Melon de Bourgogne
Muscat / Moscato
Muscat of Alexandria / Moscatell / Moscatel de Málaga, de Setúbal
Muscat Blanc / Muscat Frontignan / Muskateller / Moscatel Branco
Muscat Ottonel
Nasco
Neherleschol
Neuburger
Nobling
Nosiola
Nuragus
Ondenc
Optima
Orion
Ortega
Ortrugo
Oz
Pagedebit
Palomino / Listan / Perrum
Pampanuto / Pampanino
Parč
Pardillo / Pardina
Parellada
Pascal Blanc
Passerina
Pecorello
Pecorino
Pedro Giménez
Pedro Ximénez/ PX / Alamís

Perle
Petit Courbu
Petit Meslier
Petite Arvine
Picardin
Picolit / Piccolit / Piccolito
Picpoul
Pigato
Pignerol
Pignooletto
Pinella
Pinot Blanc / Pinot Bianco / Klevner / Weissburgunder
Pinot Grigio / Pinot Gris / Grauburgunder
Pinot Jaune / Szürkebarát
Planta Fina
Planta Nova
Plavai
Pošip
Prosecco
Prunesta
Rabigato
Rabo de Ovelha
Raisin Blanc
Rauschling / Rāuschling
Regner
Reichensteiner
Rèze
Rhoditis / Roditis
Ribolla / Robola
Riesling / Johannisberg Riesling / Rheinriesling / Klingelberger
Rieslaner
Rkatsiteli
Robola
Roditis / Rhoditis
Rolle
Rollo
Romorantin
Roter Veltliner
Rotgipfler
Roupeiro / Codega
Roussanne
Sabro
Sacy
Ste Marie
St-Pierre Doré
Sarfeher / Sárfehér
Sauvignon Blanc / Sauvignon Gris
Sauvignon Vert / Sauvignonasse
Savagnin / Savagnin Blanc
Savatiano
Scheurebe
Schönburger
Sémillon
Septiner
Sercial / Cerceal / Esgana Cao
Sereksia
Sideritis
Siegerrebe
Silvaner / Sylvaner / Österreicher
Smederevka
Spagnol
Spätrot / Zierfandler
Steen / Chenin Blanc
Sultana
Symphony
Tamarêz / Tamares / Crato Branco
Tamîioasa / Tămîioasă Românească / Tamianka
Taminga
Téoulier
Terrantez
Terret gris
Timorasso
Torrontés / Torontel
Tourbat / Torbato
Traminer / Tramini / Traminac
Trbljan
Trebbiano / Ugni Blanc
Treixadura / Trajadura
Tresallier
Trousseau Gris / Grey Riesling
Tsaoussi
Tsolikauri
Ugni blanc / Trebbiano
Verdea
Verdeca
Verdejo
Verdelho / Gouveio / Godello
Verdello
Verdesse
Verdicchio
Verdil / Verdosilla
Verdiso / Verdia
Verdoncho
Verduzzo
Verduzzo Trevigiano
Vermentino / Rolle
Vernaccia
Veroga
Vespaiola
Vilana
Vinhao
Viognier
Viosinho
Vital (grape)
Vitovska
Viura / Macabeo / Macabeu /Alcañón
Vugava
Weldra
Welschriesling / Riesling Italico / Olaszrizling / Lazki Rizling / Graševina
Würzer
Xarel·lo / Xarello
Xynisteri
Zala Gyöngye
Zalema
Zefir
Zenit
Zéta / Orémus
Zeusz
Zierfandler
Žilavka
Žlahtina

Unbelievable, this soil! (Domaine Montcalmes, Languedoc)

Per and Britt, BKWine — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:55:00 +0000

Today's wine picture is no longer here!

This blog has moved.

You can now find it here:
BKWine Photography Blog

Please update your RSS feed, book marks, subscriptions etc!

Amorosa Bella 2010 Russian River Valley Sparking Brut

Wine Spies: Today's Deal — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:00:00 +0000

Regular Retail Price: $30.00
The Wine Spies One Day Price: $23.99
Varietal: Pinot Noir - Chardonnay
Region: California: Russian River Valley (Sonoma)
Volume: 750 ml
Alcohol %: 12.5

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Mission Codename: True Vintage Love

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Return to Amorosa Bella and procure their vintage Brut, a sparkling delight from the Russian River Valley, birthplace of some of the component varietals of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir that make up the composition this wine.

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Amorosa Bella

Wine Subject: 2010 Brut – Russian River Valley

Winemaker: Kenneth Juhasz

Backgrounder: The Russian River Valley, in Sonoma County, produces Chardonnay (as well as Pinot Noir and Old Vine Zinfandel) of remarkable distinction. The cooler maritime conditions of the region make the RRV ideal for growing Burgundian varietals. This AVA was officially designated in 1983, but many of the wines in the region used the designation as early as the 1970s (early in California’s wine history) with the many of the vines having been first planted in the early 1900s. The Russian River Valley is ideally suited to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay – which make up today’s sparkling wine.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Bright and lively, with just a hint of copper color, when held up to the light. A steady rush of bubbles wind their way up the glass in a continuous frenzy of energy.

Smell – Crisp and fresh with fresh white peach, pear, yellow grapefruit, pineapple and yeasty vanilla. As the wine warms slightly, it reveals subtler aromas of white flowers, soft toasted oak and a hint of roasted chestnut.

Feel – The soft mousse expands as it enters the mouth. After a moment, it softens, leaving a soft dryness after it leaves the palate.

Taste – White peach and pear mix with pink grapefruit, toasted oak and vanilla. Lemon curd, flint, pineapple, white spice and flint round out the flavors as the wine warms slightly.

Finish – Flavors go on for a long time, enhanced by the texture of the mousse. At the end, the wine remains bright and crisp, with hints of citrus, flint and subtlest white spice that give the finish a slight kick.

Conclusion – Amorosa Bella has nailed it with their lovely 2010 Vintage Brut from the Russian River Valley. This sparkler is pretty, showing off subtle copper hues and an unending rush of fine bubbles. Deliciously crisp and loaded with a bevvy of flavors, this bubbly is also a joy to sample for its complexity on the palate. Enjoy with any occasion that calls for the sort of luxe that a truly great sparkling wine lends!

Mission Report:

WINEMAKER INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER

Mother’s LOVE sparkling wine!

Dr. Charlyn Belluzzo, internationally recognized health and wellness expert, author, and owner of Amorosa Bella Winery is back with one of her award winning sparkling wines.

Mother’s Day is closely approaching, Sunday, May 8th. It is the perfect time to reignite all of your senses with Dr. Belluzzo’s light and luscious sparkling wine!

In Italian, “Amorosa Bella” means beautiful lover. The love affair is with life!

Literally speaking, Amorosa Bella beautiful bottled sparkling wine is the essence of experiencing the full spectrum of “sensuality” using all six of your sense: sight, smell, sound, taste, touch, and intuition.

SUBJECT: Dr. Charlyn Belluzzo

WINE EDUCATION: Though classically trained in an academic sense, Dr. Belluzzo has made it her mission to expand our path on the road to wellness by living a sensual life. Dr. Belluzzo and talented winemaker, Penelope Gadd-Coster, handcraft uniquely sensual wines exclusively for Amorosa Bella.

WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY: “Wine is relationship!” True to Amorosa Bella’s Italian family heritage, wine is blended to bring greater pleasure to everyday living. Through a luscious alchemy of elements, wines awaken your senses create intimate personal moments and enliven all gatherings.

WINEMAKER QUOTE: “Living with passion requires igniting the spark. Our sparkling wines flicker, then burst into flame!”

FIRST COMMERCIAL WINE RELEASE: 23 October 2009

WINEMAKER INTERVIEW

AGENT RED: Greetings, Charlyn. We are thrilled to be showing your 2010 Sparkling Brut today. Thanks so much for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.

CHARLYN BELLUZZO: It’s great to be back with you, Agent Red!

RED: Was there a specific experience in your life that inspired your love of wine?

CHARLYN: As a scientist and a medical researcher, I am fascinated by the science of our senses. Our senses are primal and have been essential to our survival dating back to the dawn of humankind. As we refined our intellect, we lost touch with our ability to “feel”. Rediscovering your senses is exciting! Wine, particularly sparkling wine, triggers all of your senses.

RED: Who do you make wine for?

CHARLYN: The characteristics of Amorosa Bella wines please some of the most sophisticated wine aficionado, yet the romantic sensual nature of our wines and the enjoyable lifestyle we purvey attracts a new class of young wine enthusiasts.

RED: Please tell me a little bit about the wine we are featuring today.

CHARLYN: This sparkler hails from the Russian River, a cool climate area. This area I feel, creates some stunning sparklers. With the cooler climate we can get the grapes to maturity at a lower level of sugar. That translates into some beautiful fruit flavors that you wouldn’t get with a shorter hang time. This is done with a Brut dosage level (1.1%) and ya’ just can’t stop drinking it!

RED: What is your favorite pairing with today’s wine?

CHARLYN: OMG- I love lime crème fraiche on potato chips with Tobiko – I am getting hungry thinking about it!

Chill down Amorosa Bella Sparkling Brut wine as a refreshing drink alone or a perfect match for many dishes from salads to spicy outdoor barbeque dishes! Try sparkling wine with salty foods like potato chips or popcorn.

A bowl of fresh fruit or berries, drizzled with sparkling wine becomes a light appetizer or desert. Place your Sparkling Brut fruit bowls in the freezer and create a fruity wine slush—perfect for an outdoor appetizer on a warm summer evening.

RED: In your opinion, what makes the Russian River Valley so special?

CHARLYN: Amorosa Bella wines are conceived in the heart of Sonoma County, California, nestled along the famed Russian River, where the beauty of lush hillsides laced with delicate rows of grapevines and alluring aromas fill your senses. Temperate weather; warm sunny days and nights cooled by the ocean fog as it rolls in most summer evenings infuses the grapes and the people living in the region with a unique sweetness that is intoxicating making easy conversation with friends and lovers.

RED: What is occupying your time at the winery these days?

CHARLYN: Making more bubbles- yeast cultures, blending, then into bottles for the long rest!

As you all know, the process for producing Amorosa Bella sparkling wines is much different from our still wine portfolio. Wine created from our 2010 harvest is destined to become sparkling wine was just placed in the bottle for the first time!

We will now let these bottles “rest” with their very first corks for six months, waiting their first disgorging. Our sparkling wine is made in the traditional riddle method, periodically hand turning each bottle, disgorging three separate times before the final cork is placed, eighteen to twenty-four months after harvest.

RED: How would you recommend people approach your wines and wine in general?

CHARLYN: Get to know yourself and explore your own tastes and style as you experience wine. Discover your wine preferences using all of your senses. Consider which wines you would select for yourself to enjoy when no one else is watching. There are no wrong wine choices if your senses are pleased.

RED: Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

CHARLYN: Ask your mother, friends, and even yourself what would the best wine be for celebrating this season. We invite you to pop a cork on Amorosa Bella Sparkling Brut and raise a glass to toast your love affair with life!

EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT: Hermann J. Wiemer Wine Dinner at Aurora Inn on February 25

Lenn Thompson — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 07:26:00 +0000

The Aurora Inn will present the eighth in its series of Epicurean Events on February 25th, with the Hermann J. Wiemer Wine Dinner. The meal will include five paired courses, in addition to a reception wine. The evening’s wines feature the Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard of Dundee, New York.

Hermann J. Wiemer was a pioneer of Finger Lakes wine, bringing with him skills and traditions of his native Germany. Some fifty years later, the Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard is one of the premier producers of Riesling in the United States. Our epicurean dinner will feature an array of Wiemer wines, including their famous Rieslings as well as a few newer stars. Executive Chef Patrick Higgins will emphasize some of the wine’s distinctive flavors with playful pairings from Latin cuisine. Winemaker & Vineyard Manager / Co-Owner Fred Merwarth will also talk a bit about the wines as they are served, adding a touch of unintimidating education to the evening’s festivities.

“Our Epicurean Events are always a fun, easy way to learn more about certain wines, their histories, and food pairing,” adds Meryl Davis, Director of Training and Services. “The Wiemer Dinner will be no exception, and an added benefit is having the Co-Owner of the winery himself present to explain the nuances of the wines.”

The reception begins at 6:30, and the meal will begin at 7:00 pm. The event is $60++ per person. Vegetarian pairings are available; advanced notice is appreciated. A full menu follows. To make reservations for the dinner, please call (315) 364-8888.

Hermann J. Wiemer Wine Dinner Menu February 25, 2012
Reception at 6:30, Dinner at 7:00

Reception
Cuvee Brut 2006

Camembert en Croute
house-made grape relish, ver jus
Chardonnay 2010

Monkfish and Lobster Crepinette
curried cauliflower puree, candied orange zest
Gerwurztraminer 2010

Intermezzo
Lemon and Basil Granita

Pork Rillette
parsnip chips, micro greens, sour cherry emulsion
Pinot Noir 2008

Pan Roasted Quail
braised fennel, currant jus
Cabernet Franc 2008

Trina’s Specialty
Late Harvest Riesling 2010

The Aurora Inn is located at 391 Main Street, Aurora, N.Y. More information on the epicurean series can be found at http://innsofaurora.com/food-wine/epicurean-events/.

The Essence of Wine: Wet Stones

Vinography: A Wine Blog — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:58:10 +0000

Perhaps you have lingered in a mountain stream, climbed alpine ridge-tops or descended crevasses. Perhaps you have tasted rain on your tongue, or drunk deeply from a stone cistern, echoing with time. Even if you simply revel in petrichor, the smell of pavement just after a cloudburst, or remember washing chalkboards in school, you understand the smell and the taste of wet stone. Some say deep questing roots that probe and fracture rock can transmute the minerals themselves into wine. Science has no easy answers for the relationship between bedrock and berry, but what may elude chemistry is not lost in wine. Pundits argue the meaning of minerality, but what escapes definition may still be tasted. A sip that speaks of deep granitic coolness, or the bright calcified bones of ancient fossils tells a better story than letters and numbers.

Pascal Cotat "Les Monts Damns" Sancerre, Chavignol, France
Franois Raveneau Chablis Grand Cru "Les Clos," Burgundy, France
Joh. Jos. Prm "Wehlener Sonnenuhr" Riesling Spatlese, Mosel, Germany
Dom Perignon, Champagne, France
Chateau de Campuget "Tradition de Campuget" Ros, Costieres de Nimes, France
Domaine Alain Gras Rouge, Saint Romain, Burgundy, France
Thierry Allemand "Cuvee Reynard" Cornas, France
Achaval-Ferrer "Finca Mirador" Malbec, Medrano, Mendoza, Argentina

This is part of an ongoing series of original images and prose called The Essence of Wine

Swedish trip with our agent and Andreas Larsson

Jean-Luc Thunevin — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:15:00 +0000

Departure for Stockholm on February 2 via Paris. I traveled the Bordeaux –Paris portion with Ronan Laborde from Château Clinet.
The purpose of the trip to Stocholm was to attend an event organized by our agent at the beautiful restaurant Operakällaren located in the center of the city. The place and service were of the level of a 2 star Michelin; all that with a staff of 150 full time personnel, 100 seasonal, a fine dining restaurant, a bistro and even a night club.

In addition, they had a nice wine list with a few gems sold at a good price.

120 bottles were served for 60 people. Here, they don’t joke around, it’s rock solid work. I entertained the guest with my story, who savored my wines, all translated with the help of Andreas Larsson.

12 bottles of each wine were opened between 6:30 pm and 11:30 pm, then we finished with Fine Bordeaux from Valandraud and champagne…. We tasted:
2009 Blanc de Valandraud N° 2 as aperitif and with the meal
2006 and 2008 Blanc de Valandraud N° 1
2004 and 2008 3 de Valandraud, followed by 2005 Virginie de Valandraud (magnum) and 2007 (delicious) and to finish Valandraud 1998, 2006 and 2002.

For lunch and in the same restaurant, for 12 people, a very good meal with journalists, Andreas Larsson and our agents : 3 de Valandraud 2009, Bad Boy 2009, Valandraud 2008 and 2009, Thunevin-Calvet Les Dentelles 2007, Blanc de Valandraud 2009. In the morning, before lunch, we tasted with Béatrice and our great client of Constance 2008, Dentelles 2007, Bad Boy 2008, Clos Badon 2008, Valandraud 2009

Marius Gentaz Côte-Rôtie – a Dinner for the Ages.

Brooklynguy — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 04:19:00 +0000

The other night I did something that I have never done before, and most likely will never do again. I drank a Marius Gentaz Côte-Rôtie. Gentaz is the revered traditionalist farmer and wine maker whose Côte-Rôties are considered by many Rhône cognoscenti as the greatest of all the Northern Rhône wines, the greatest Syrah in existence. Gentaz never made large quantities of wine, and he stopped making wine after the 1993 vintage - he retired and his nephew René Rostaing took over the vines. From what I hear, Rostaing immediately ripped them up and started over, which is a tragedy of epic proportions.

There simply isn't a lot of Gentaz Côte-Rôtie out there, and whoever has the wine is jealously guarding it. I've never seen a bottle on any of the auction sites or on restaurant lists - I've never seen a bottle, period. And for the past few years, I've been keeping my eyes open. Honestly, fugedaboudit, it's not going to happen. The wines have skyrocketed in price and become more rare every year as people drink what they have. I remember a few years ago a friend told me that he was going to have dinner at some place in Manhattan where Gentaz was on the list at the bargain price of $800. Sounds like a lot, right? What would a bottle of 1993 DRC Echezeaux cost at a restaurant? That is a bottle that you will never have a problem finding, if you want it - there is nothing rare about DRC. But Gentaz Côte-Rôtie, an incredibly rare and superlative wine? Maybe $800 is not such a terrible price. Get 8 people together and you each get a glass each for 100, a glass of something that will never again exist on the planet, something truly glorious.

I've wanted to drink Gentaz for years, ever since hearing my friend Peter talk about the wine in hushed and awed terms that he uses only for only a few wines. Well, the other night I was incredibly privileged to drink Gentaz. Ten bottles actually - an embarrassment of riches. This is what happens when a few generous collectors decide to hold a Gentaz tasting and dinner. Why did I get to go to this dinner, you might be wondering. Because I discarded any sense of decorum and I begged, pleaded, and begged some more, that's why.

Wow, what a night. The wines and the food were absolutely amazing, and that's an understatement. We drank 10 vintages of Gentaz, but we were many people and we drank the wines slowly over several courses of food. I took notes but they don't come close to the experience of drinking the wines. I'll try to share some notes and experiences, but maybe before you read on, take a look at this lovely article by Eric Asimov from this week's Dining section - he writes about Gentaz and offers more context for the wines.

The first wine we drank was the last Gentaz vintage, the 1993. May I tell you that I was rather excited as the wine was poured into my glass? My first sniff of a Gentaz wine, and it was thrilling. It reminded me of a wonderful wine I drank a little over a year ago at a ridiculous lunch at Neal Rosenthal's house, the 1985 Ferraton Hermitage. The '93 Gentaz was pale in the glass, but it offered such intense and crystal clear aromas, it was such a vivid and electric wine. My notes say "black peppercorns, very spicy, rose petals, iodine, broth, flowers, so complex and lovely." All of that is true, and more. The wine was the epitome of grace and detail on the palate and its incredible harmoniousness made it seem less potent at times than it actually is. I loved this wine, as much as I loved any of the wines we drank. Some of that has to be because it was my first, but I also think it was legitimately a great wine.

The 1992 was corked, alas. The 1990 was not. It was more dense, with musky notes mingling with the flowers, pungent and gorgeous. The wine was very different from the 1993 in character, but they shared the same incredible grace and harmony, something that apparently is the hallmark of Gentaz. The wines are seamless, so much so that it can be shocking.

The 1977 I thought was absurd in its harmony and grace, its perfect mingling of spices and rocks and flowers, and hints of bloody meat. My notes say "there is no way to improve this wine." The 1987 was delicious and very drinkable, but not as memorable to me as many of the other wines. The 1989 seems like it will be as memorable as many, but it was still hard and tannic on this night, a wine that probably needs another 10 years of relaxation.

And then there was the 1988. Utterly gorgeous. Wide open, seamless, complex, as delicious as anything I can remember drinking. I felt like a 15 year old at the high school dance with this wine in my glass, hard to know what to do with myself, awkward, in love but not understanding the object of my desire, mystified and elated, covered with pimples and just a total mess.

And after that the 1985! Just as good! Spicier, more meaty and of the bacon, and still perfectly harmonious. How did this guy do it? These wines are perfect. Some people loved the 1983, others thought there was something off, not TCA, but some sort of cork taint. I appreciated the wine but definitely sensed the taint. That's okay, because then we drank the 1978, the most exalted of Gentaz vintages, from what I am told. The wine was mature and perfect, gamy and pungent, finely grained, meaty, fresh as a daisy, just ridiculous. Wine for a time capsule.

Then we did an interesting thing. We drank the 1991 Gentaz Côte-Rôtie with two other 1991's, also made by great producers, you know, just to compare. The 1991 Noel Verset Cornas was not showing so well, there was volatile acidity. The 1991 Chave Hermitage, though, was truly excellent, and taught me something very important. The Chave had such an effortless power and it was so very refined on the nose. I cannot say that it was better than the Gentaz wines, but it was most certainly playing at that level. It was different, in the end. More of some things, like power and richness, and firmness of structure. I remember thinking about how the Chave wine seemed to effortlessly do what the Gentaz wines had to struggle to do, if that makes any sense. There is plenty of beauty in the struggle, it's just a different kind of beauty, one that it a bit more raw. Peter said it was the grandiosity of the Hermitage terroir shining through. That, to me, is something to ponder.

This was an incredible experience, once that would be near impossible to repeat. I am so grateful to have had the chance to experience these wines, this bit of history.

Wat Phra Singh, Chiang Mai, Thailand

Richard — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 02:40:41 +0000

I’ve lost count of the number of temples that we have visited during the last 7 months. We are now in Chiang Mai and I promised myself only a single visit to a Buddhist temple during our stay and the temple I picked was Wat Phra Singh.

Photos of Wat Phra Singh, Chiang Mai, Thailand

Video Wat Phra Singh, Chiang Mai, Thailand

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Justice Comes To Wine As The Fat Man Goes Down

Tom Wark — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 01:37:58 +0000

I like Justice.

Real justice, the kind that provides an appropriate response to a dastardly act, feels good. And it makes you believe that civilization is a good thing, despite its occasional tendencies to roll off the rail.

Today, it appears, some justice was meted out. And I'm feeling good.

Back in 2005 a fire destroyed a wine warehouse in Vallejo, California. More than $100 Million in wine was destroyed. At the time one of my clients was the great Saintsbury Vineyards, a California Pinot Noir pioneer and producer of outstanding wines. They lost their entire library of back vintages in the fire. Everything. And they were not alone. Numerous wineries lost not only their library wines but also their current and their about-to-be-released vintages.

It turns out that fire was set by a fat, unattractive man named Mark C. Anderson.

At what must have been the sentencing hearing for Anderson, Ted Hall of Long Meadow Ranch in Napa, who lost two vintages and his library of wines had this to say:

"This was a crime against families: those that owned the businesses and many everyday working men and women who helped us produce these irreplaceable wines. It has taken us years to recover from the fire... We nearly lost a lifetime of work… May his sentence reflect the havoc he wreaked and may it be long to reflect the lasting damage to our lives.”

The fat, pony-tailed Mr. Anderson started the fire in the Vallejo warehouse where he was storing his clients' wines. He began a wine storage business in Sausalito, but eventually moved the wines to the Vallejo warehouse. The tale is quite sordid.

The rotund Mr. Anderson has been in a Sacramento jail since 2009 when he could not pay the $500,000 bail that had been set. It looks like he'll be staying there or in some other accommodation with bars.

The Court sentenced him to 27 years and ordered him to pay $70 million in damages. While it's unlikely that the $70 Million will ever get paid, we can at least rest happy with the knowledge that he will likely spend the remainder of his life behind bars with only a bed, a toilet and a pretty cellmate to keep him company.