VintageVino

Hartford: Vintage Wine School At Max Downtown - Fundamentals I

poppincorks@gmail.com (Brian Mitchell) — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 03:46:00 +0000

Hartford: Vintage Wine School At Max Downtown - Fundamentals I

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Hartford: Vintage Wine School At Max Downtown - Fundamentals I

poppincorks@gmail.com (Brian Mitchell) — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 03:46:00 +0000

Hartford: Vintage Wine School At Max Downtown - Fundamentals I

Posted using ShareThis

Hartford: Vintage Wine School At Max Downtown - Fundamentals I

poppincorks@gmail.com (Brian Mitchell) — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 03:45:00 +0000

Hartford: Vintage Wine School At Max Downtown - Fundamentals I

Posted using ShareThis

Strike One for the Good Guys: Small Wineries = Higher Quality, and the Public Knows IT!

poppincorks@gmail.com (Brian Mitchell) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 13:23:00 +0000

Here is an article from Adelaide that illustrates the simple fact that hard work and a focused desire to produce quality will win out against big corporate interests.

Althought his article does not really describe why there was such a drop among the largest players - I can attest from my little part of the wine world that people (both industry pro's and consumers) prefer wines made by smaller wineries. Why? Because there is quality associated with smaller wineries. Quality that translates to the taste and uniqueness of the wines they make. This concept of quality goes deeper than just simple taste assesment, though. There is also the concept of integrity that many smaller (family) wineries have that big corporate players will never have. Now, are there larger wineries that make good wine? Sure. But I find that many people are much more likely to buy wine when there is a person or a family that has a unique investment in producing a particular wine, rahter than just another made-up corparate label, which is all that Fosters, Constellation and the other "big" guys make. Read on...

Family wine companies beat corporate giants
Article from: AdelaideNow
NIGEL AUSTIN
December 08, 2009 12:01am

IN A dramatic reversal of fortunes, family wine companies have grabbed significant market share from two industry giants during one of the sector's worst downturns.
Fosters Group's market share has dropped from 28.5 per cent in 2005 to 21.2 per cent, while Constellation Wines Australia has fallen from 22 per cent to 13.5 per cent. The big winners have been popular family wine companies such as Yalumba, Angove's, Grant Burge, d'Arenberg, Taylors, Peter Lehmann, Bleasdale, McWilliam's, Brown Brothers, De Bortoli and Casella.

The major companies have also lost out to a plethora of cleanskins, many produced by the supermarket giants, and the continuing rise of New Zealand sauvignon blanc.
Barossa winemaker Grant Burge has doubled his sales to about $50 million in the past three years, belying the commonly held view of the sector as a disaster zone.

Angove's managing director John Angove said he could recall sitting around the table with the industry giants in the 1990s when they warned they would take over the industry and smaller companies would be squeezed out. Happily for him and other family wine firms, they have thrived and grabbed significant market share.
"The industry's rapid growth of the 1990s masked the reality and it appeared that wine was a money-making bonanza," Mr Angove said.

"I don't think any Australian public companies are doing well, because wine is very capital-intensive, suffers from the vagaries of agriculture and very high stock holdings are required."

Mr Burge said he is annoyed by the big companies blaming harsh economic conditions for the wine industry's problems.

"I'm grumpy because wine has traditionally been a family-based industry," he said.
"You have to have a long-term view, the wine industry is no place for public companies with fast-buck approaches, because you need to constantly reinvest."

Mr Burge said the long-term players need to sort out the problem of oversupply or it will create the wrong message around the world about Australian wines.

"It's a disgrace, really, because they've got all their numbers wrong - they've invited growers to grow grapes and now they're walking away from them," he said.

d'Arenberg Wines managing director d'Arry Osborn, 82, said his business is stronger than ever nearing its 100th anniversary in 2012. Approaching his 67th vintage, he said continuity was a great thing in the wine industry, along with a personal approach.

Mr Osborn said the recent launch of the First Families of Wine, with old, established families such as his own, Henschke's and Yalumba, had provided an opportunity to tell the world that Australia has family wineries going back a long way, with hand-made wines produced with love and care.

At Yalumba - Australia's oldest family winery - managing director Robert Hill Smith said the middle-sized, family-run wine businesses have focused hard on relationships and quality.

"We've been in the business a long time and we've stuck to our knitting - and remained true," he said.

A GOOD DROP
Top 10 wine companies

1. Foster's Group - 21.2 per cent market share
2. Constellation Wines - 13.5 per cent
3. Small manufacturers - 10 per cent
4. Pernod Ricard Aust. - 10.2 per cent
5. Supermarkets private label - 5.6 per cent
6. Yalumba - 4.6 per cent
7. De Bortoli - 4.6 per cent
8. McWilliams - 3.8 per cent
9. Brown Brothers - 3.4 per cent
10. Fine Wine Partners (Lion Nathan) - 2.9 per cent
Source: AC Nielsen

Roederer Estate Rose, nv

poppincorks@gmail.com (Brian Mitchell) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:36:00 +0000

Here is the perfect sparkler for getting your holiday celebrations
going. Also makes a great companion for food; have this with pan
roasted salmon with a soy-nectarine glaze.

Produced in smaller quantities than the Estate Brut, so not always
available - but this is definitely worth traking down.

Can you say 'Grand Cru' ?

poppincorks@gmail.com (Brian Mitchell) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:06:00 +0000

Burgundy class tomorrow night at Blue Heron Fine Wines, Glastonbury...I'm pullin' something special out of the cellar.

VintageVino Pick of the Day: Interview with Carlos Gatica, winemaker for Santa Rita Winery (Part I)

poppincorks@gmail.com (Brian Mitchell) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 12:16:00 +0000

Yesterday, I worked with Carlos Gatica and showed some of the wines from Santa Rita Winery in Chile. Carlos is mainly responsible for the winemakeing of the 120 Series from Santa Rita. This is their entry level production, and are priced for everyday... drinking (about $7) and are great values, especially when you consider he quality of the wine in the bottle. The video is about 12 minutes in total (but was split into two parts), and covers background info of the winery as well as specifics about the six wines that we cover in the interview. Santa Rita website: www.santarita.com

VintageVino Pick of the Day: Interview with Carlos Gatica, winemaker for Santa Rita (Part II)

poppincorks@gmail.com (Brian Mitchell) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 11:08:00 +0000

VintageVino Pick of the Day: PAOLOLEO LIMITONE DEI GRECI SALICE SALENTINO DOC

poppincorks@gmail.com (Brian Mitchell) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 15:10:00 +0000

Here is a classic country red form the southern reaches of Italy. Known for its dark, robust wines, the Salice Salentino growing area has produced consumer favorites for many years. Today, the wines are more refined due to modern winemaking practice, yet still retain some of the rustic edges that are so familiar to fans of Italian wines from places like Puglia. Paololeo has been making wines in this refined-rustic style from their beautiful estate vineyards for many years. This Salice Salentino is a great example of the values that can be had from this region.

80% Negroamaro, 20% Malvasia Nera

VintageVino Pink of the Day: Lorenzo Costantini Rosso Lazio IGT Massarosa, 2007

poppincorks@gmail.com (Brian Mitchell) — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 01:17:00 +0000

So I really just fell in love with this wine. Our major trade tasting was this week and we had 1,000 wines out to show, but I came back to this as my find of the show. Who would think that a simple, elegant Italian red like this could make such an impact? Well, a lot of people actually - maybe not this particular wine, but the "simple" Italian wines shine every single day - that's why they enjoy the reputation they have - just like the simple but powerfully good Italian cuisine.

Here we have a blend of Cesanese (an indiginous grape grown around the area of Rome/Lazio) 45%, Sangiovese 45%, Cabernet Sauvignon 5% and Montepulciano 5%. Wonderfully fruity, soft attack, but enough acidity to really handle a lot of foods. I might enjoy this with some seafood. To me this wine is a bit less complex than many of the Chianti available today, but in those lines (it is 45% Sangio) and a fine alternative. Fresh and just a pleasure to drink.

As an added bonus this rosso and its sibling Frascati from Lorenzo Costantini are produced from a small family estate (only 5.5ha), which is farmed according to strict organic practices with only some light copper & sulphur (which is allowed under EU organic reg's)being used as needed.

This wine should be retailing for about $10-12 - what a bargain!

VintageVino Pick of the Day: Domäne Wachau Grüner Veltliner Wachau, 2007

poppincorks@gmail.com (Brian Mitchell) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 02:24:00 +0000

Here is a sassy but serious little wine from a great Austrian producer. Domäne Wachau produces some top wines in what is essentially one of the best growing regions of Austria - the Wachau. This is an entry level wine for them, but it is as serious a wine as you will find probably under $18 or $20 (and this wine is only retailing for about $12).

Mild aromatics, but almost unmistakable Grüner Veltliner. It has that combination of lime skin and green grass, mixed with a slight waxy quality that it so typical of GV. The attack is mild but lasting. The wine penetrates slowly onto your taste buds, washes away with a dry feeling but the flavors last - like unsweetened green tea. Refreshing, but at the same time screaming for some food. Try with some white fish (I think this would almost overpower raw seafood such as oysters), or chicken or pork - this is a wine that I would love to have with some simple roasted chicken that is dripping with juicy fat or a nice pork loin - also sweet and juicy. The flavors and the texture of both would play very well off the dry acidity of this wine.

A small amount of this wine sees some older/larger wood, and it is this wood contact, or should I say air contact, that adds to the intensity and depth of the flavors. I like this wine very much and at only 12% abv, it is a great wine to drink mid-week, or at a party.

VintageVino Pick of the Day: Rare Wine Co. Historic Series Madeira Bual "Boston", nv

poppincorks@gmail.com (Brian Mitchell) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 13:42:00 +0000

The Rare Wine Co. is the leader in the Madeira category, which is of course a very small category in the greater wine world, but Madeira definitely has its place and this is a great place to start if you are uninitiated. The Historic Series was first created about 10 years ago as a way to (re)introduce Americans to what was one of the most fashionable wines/beverages in our early history.

Because of its ability to hold up over long periods of time it was a natural wine to take on long sea voyages of the 18th and 19th centuries. That combined with the fact that the Madeira Islands are situated along the trade routes of the Atlantic and was a regular refreshing station for trans-Atlantic voyages coming to the Americas made it almost a natural item for popular consumption.

The Rare Wine Company Historic Series is made to be an affordable yet authentic representation of the extraordinary wines produced on Madeira. My favorite is the Bual Boston, named for one of the traditional import cities for these wines. The Bual is composed of about 80% Bual from sources that have been aged over 20 years. The remainder is composed primarily from Negro Mole that has been aged close to 60 years. It is this combination of younger and older wines that give this wine its depth of flavor and unforgettable aromatics.

Bual Madeira is a style that is typically going to show a good degree of color concentration, especially when aged for this long. This wine is tawny brown, but it is also bright and clear. Aromatically it is distinctive. With flavors reminiscent of tawny port, nuts, cinnamon, clove and other holiday spices with a touch of citrus rind, which is perhaps concentrated by the refreshing acidity. On the palate these flavors are magnified, but it is the gentle acid balance that really sets this wine apart form anything else. At fist you think that it is going to be a bit too much on the palate because the aromas are so concentrated, but the touch of sweetness from the long aging, the concentrated wood aromas and the liveliness on the palate just make for a truly pleasurable drink.

Like I said, Madeira is not a big category, but for those who enjoy something different and are always looking for the delicious - here is a great wine.

Final note; the process for making Madeira involves heating the wines slowly over a long period of time. This process therefore makes the wine almost impervious to any of the normal maladies that can affect still wines - especially heat and oxygen. You may not be able to finish a bottle of Madeira once open (in fact I would strongly suggest you not attempt), but that is OK. This bottle can remain open indefinitely (the one I was tasting had been open for about 18 months). Because of that I find that Madeiras are some of the best values in the wine world for the casual after dinner drinker, such as myself. This bottle will cost you about $45, but because it can remain in your cellar opened for as long as it takes you to go through the bottle - you are not going to be at a loss after a week or two like normal wines that are unfinished. I also think that the quality in the bottle justifies the price - where else will get to drink 60 year old wine, in pristine condition, for about $9 a glass?

VintageVino Pick of the Day:

poppincorks@gmail.com (Brian Mitchell) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 16:15:00 +0000

Troegs Pale Ale, Harrisburg, PA
Great aromatics with the hops, mellow and not overly aggressive. On
the palate this is smooth and almost creamy without too much bittering
hops. Well balanced and quite drinkable. It's great to find something
that is not overly hopped like so many of the Pale Ales out there,
this one is true to the style. Cheers.

VintageVino Pick of the Day: Vavasour Pinot Noir Awatere Valley, NZ, 2007

poppincorks@gmail.com (Brian Mitchell) — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 23:55:00 +0000

Ok, here we go...not big on clichés but Vavasour mixes the flavors of new world Pinot Noir with the lift and freshness (read: ELEGANCE) of Burgundy. I hate pinning a wine into a category especially when it comes from such a defined area, such as this sub-ap of Marlborough. Each region should, and in many cases does, define itself through the expression of terroir. Trying to label with the expressions of another region (to me) make no sense when you get to this point, but sometimes you cannot help but make the comparisons, especially when the comparison is such a compliment.

The aromatics are right on: cherry/berry fruit with an under layer of cinnamon and forest leaves. Bouquet has just a touch of oak, but nothing heavy. On the palate the wine is crisp and smooth all at once: balanced. The finish is delicate yet intensely flavored. There is a lightness on the back of the palate from the refreshing acidity that just makes everything sing through the finish.

You have probably guessed by now that I like this wine. Yup! About $23, or so retail. Pasternak Imports.

VintageVino Pick of the Day: Steven Spurrier Video

poppincorks@gmail.com (Brian Mitchell) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 00:47:00 +0000

Here is a link to a Decanter Magazine video featuring Steven Spurrier and how to properly taste wine. Aside from the informative content of the video itself, it is always great to hear the voice of one of the world's great wine personalities.

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid23803811001?bctid=29052607001

VintageVino Pick of the Day: Four goodies from South Africa + one from Argentina

poppincorks@gmail.com (Brian Mitchell) — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 01:12:00 +0000

Today I had a quick tasting of a few new vintages from S. Africa, plus a great inexpensive wine from Argentina.
The Details:

Indaba Sauvignon Blanc Western Cape, 2009
Brand new arrival from the land below - second or third official 09 I have had. Pale as can be. Bright, clean aromatics on the nose with grassy, green pea notes typical of SA SBs. Fresh and minerally, almost chalky on the palate. Finishes dry and snappy with some good citrus and floral tones and more chalk.

Mulderbosch Cabernet Sauvignon Rose Coastal Region, 2009
Really bright cherry red color. Fresh aromatics of cherry / strawberry fruit. Dry and tangy on the palate with a medium-long finish. Very tasty wine.

Excelsior Cabernet Sauvignon Robertson, 2007
This wine is such a steal. Dark as can be. Bold, almost smoky dark fruits. Smooth and juicy across the palate with a medium-long finsh. At about a $7 retail this is one of the best buys going, period.

Rustenberg John X Meriman Stellenbosch, 2006
45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, 13% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 1% Malbec. A classic Cape Blend using the Bordeaux-five. Deep color with just a touch of fade on the edges indicating some time in wood (21 months in French, in fact). Bold aromas of plum and black fruits with some spice from the wood. Smooth on the palate with more blackberries and spice. Long-ish finish that is dry and balanced with some supple tannins.

One plus:

Trumpeter Cabernet Sauvignon Mendoza, 2007
For a $7 bottle this wine delivers. Smooth and soft across the palate, it has great dark fruits and a long-ish finish that really are usually found on much more expensive wines. Trumpeter makes very good wines across its line-up - look for them in Cab and other flavors, too.

VintageVino Pick of the Day: Dutton-Goldfield Pinot Noir Russian River Valley Dutton Ranch, 2007

poppincorks@gmail.com (Brian Mitchell) — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 19:49:00 +0000

I tasted this wine with Christopher Pappe, National Sales Manager for D-G, about a week ago and I had the chance to revisit this wine again today. The color is a bright cherry red with a clear quality. Aromatically the wine has a big bouquet, flavors just jump from the glass. I was standing about 3' from the glass at one point and had no problem smelling the fruit aromas. On the palate the wine is fairly delicate, but not wimpy. The flavors are bold, there is great acidity and the over all feel is like velvet. Berries and cinnamon with good minerality. This wine is dry, but not tart. Finished quite long, balanced and smooth. Highly recommend this one.

VintageVino Pick of the Day: Planeta Cerasuolo di Vittoria, 2006

poppincorks@gmail.com (Brian Mitchell) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 12:48:00 +0000

Alrighty then. Finally back from Italy and so last night I decided to cook some dishes based on a few of the meals that I enjoyed in Florence and Sicily. I brought back some capers and olive oil from Sicily which, combined with my other veggies and herbs from the garden, helped lend an authentic taste to my pasta. To accompany this (as well as to try and keep my memories of the trip lingering a bit longer) I picked a Sicilian red from the well regarded producer Planeta. The Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG is actually the only DOCG currently produced in Sicily, and is located in the southeast corner of Sicily around the town of Vittoria, not far from Ragousa. The DOCG requires that 40% of the wine be made from the local red grape Frappato (which is where the cerasuolo or cherry part of the name comes from) with the remaining 60% typically coming from Nero d'Avola; 10% Nerello Mascalese is allowed, too.

The Planeta Cerasuolo di Vittoria, 2006, is exactly this blend of 40%/60% Frappato and Nero d'Avola. I found that the deeper fruits of the Nero d'Avola really shine in this wine. The Frappato though is not lost. In fact, there is an immediate bright (cherry) fruit component that dominates the aromatics, but then gives way to the blacker, earthier fruits of the Nero on the palate. The wine worked very well with my pasta dish, which included the aforementioned capers as well as basil, parsley, tomatoes, peppers, onion, garlic and eggplant - all the typical things you would find in am Italian/Sicilian dish. The pasta was light and fresh so the wine did not overwhelm it, but rather combined and complimented the flavors well. There is good acidity (from the Frappato), which helped to add freshness on the palate and balance to the spicy olive oil and tangy capers. I think this wine would work well with grilled fish, as well.

The hospitality in Italy has been fabulous...

poppincorks@gmail.com (Brian Mitchell) — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 22:33:00 +0000

Montblanc

poppincorks@gmail.com (Brian Mitchell) — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 16:18:00 +0000

Here's a shot of Mont Blanc taken this morning from my window as we
were flying over.

Quick Response to Wine Trends and Cult Disasters

poppincorks@gmail.com (Brian Mitchell) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 21:53:00 +0000

Here is my comment in response to a blog post at Think Wine Marketing, which is available at this link...
http://thinkwinemarketing.wordpress.com/2009/07/09/the-wake-up-call-2/#comment-291

Well done piece. I have been saying (I work in the wine business) for the past six months to my clients (and anyone else that will listen) that however much we do not like the downturn, the lower sales, the backed up inventory, etc – that this will actually be a good thing (for wine consumption/the wine consumer and the wine industry as a whole) in the longer term. There has been a resetting of reality (your term is consumer modification) when it comes to buying wine – just as (one can hope) there has been a resetting of the unstoppable-American-consumer. You mention that savings are up, Amex charges are down – would this be a longer trend where Americans actually learn to live within their means rather than well beyond, we will all be better of. Would the American wine consumer learn to enjoy their wines, especially wines that are affordable and available on a daily basis – we would be a healthier, wealthier and friendlier nation. People are looking at new wines in new (lower) price-points and this means that the demand for wines that a few years ago would have a marginal market are now getting good attention. We are expanding our horizons beyond the ordinary, looking for the value, looking for what’s new and different because we have gotten away from the belief that price is the primary factor indicative of quality. I look at this downturn and see the effect on the wine business and culture in this country as benefiting from less “cult” wines. We all (should) know that less is more. Less wannabe cult wines means that the true cult wines (and there still are a few) will perhaps get their mojo back, and it will be more fun to find them once again. I would also point out that years ago cult did not always equate to 3 digit prices. Cult referred to rare and hard to find wines that had a legendary (or cult) following because they were Grrreat! Just because you can produce a wine that supposedly sells for $300 doesn’t mean that you should.

VintageVino Pick of the Day: Perrin Reserve Cotes du Rhone, 2007

poppincorks@gmail.com (Brian Mitchell) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 21:33:00 +0000

"I have the blood of Society dripping from my chin" (or something along those lines) is my quote of the day - taken from a Social Distortion song. I'm not sure if I have the blood of society dripping from my chin, but if I did I would hope that it would taste something like this wine. The Perrin family is one of the greatest wine families in the world. With Chateau Beaucastel they produce some of the very best CdP, period (white and red). Here they may not be making CdP, but the quality and care that goes into the top of the line is certainly felt at this level with this mouthwatering interpretation of the classic CdR. A blend of 60% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre, 20% Syrah - the flavor coming from this bottle/glass is huge. Bursting at the seams. It's almost too big for the glass. 2007 is living up to the hype - at least with this wine, which is dripping off my chin right now...excuse me.

Interesting News: Chardonnay now an official variety in Rioja

poppincorks@gmail.com (Brian Mitchell) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 02:12:00 +0000

A raft of grape varieties including Chardonnay have been given the rubber stamp in Rioja.

The Riojan government finally authorised a set of new varieties last week following approval from the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture and the Rioja Consejo Regulador.

The new white varieties are Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Verdejo, as well as the native Maturana Blanca, Tempranillo Blanco, and Turruntés (not Torrontés).

Ricardo Aguiriano San Vincente, director of marketing for Rioja's Consejo Regulador, told decanter.com: 'With these new varieties we are trying to make Viura more fruity and fresh as that is what consumers want.'

The white international varieties must not exceed 49% of a blend with a minimum of 51% Viura.

The red varieties now incorporated into the DOCa regulations are the little known Maturana Tinta, Maturana Parda, and Monastel (not Monastrell).

Major producer Baron de Ley has revealed it will now plant the newly approved red variety Maturana Tinta. Speaking at the Drinks Business Rioja forum, managing director, Victor Fuentes, said: 'Maturana is the hidden jewel and this year we will plant 22ha. We have been impressed with experimental plantings.

However San Vincente added: 'We will have to wait around five years before the new plantings come on stream and the first wines are available.

The regulations state no more than 2500ha of these new varieties will be permitted in Rioja. There are currently more than 63,000ha of vines planted in the region.

Rebecca Gibb
Decanter Magazine - June 3, 2009

VintageVino Pick of the Day: Tour de France and Mas de la Dame Rose

poppincorks@gmail.com (Brian Mitchell) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 13:51:00 +0000

The Tour de France is passing through Provence today and that makes me think of Rose. For the lovely warm weather and in celebration of the race passing through Les Baux de Provence I am drinking some Mas de la Dame Rose du Mas, 2008 - pale and fresh and perfect for a cold seafood dish or perhaps some gazpacho. About $15, certified organic. (Imported by Palm Bay International)

Merry Edwards Winery RRV - tour with Leslie Coopersmith

poppincorks@gmail.com (Brian Mitchell) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 02:40:00 +0000

On my travels through the winelands of Northern California last week, I had the opportunity to visit the winery owned and operated by Merry Edwards. You can read all about the history of Merry and her winery on the website, but the short of it is that Merry began making wines in California in the early 1970s and has made a significant impact on California wines (especially Chardonnay and particularly Pinot Noir) ever since. Her winery in Sonoma (located near Sebastopol) is not a fanciful construct to her ego, rather it is a functional, clean and well appointed machine. The focus is to make wines with technology, but technology that allows for minimal intervention, thus making wines of pure flavor and classic styling.

My tour and tasting was led by Leslie Coopersmith, Ken's daughter. The tour took all of about 10 minutes as the winery is quite small, I have seen a lot of steel tanks and wood barrels, so we proceeded directly to the tasting in private room upstairs away from the common riff-raff (that was a joke).

We started with the Pinots - there are nine (I tasted six)- then the Sauvignon Blanc. Merry also makes a chardonnay (only once every 3-4 years though) and a sparkling wine (once every seven years). (That's what I said. I guess since it takes a longer time to make, age, drink or sell she only needs to make it every seven years.)

Quick note on vintages: (by Leslie's account) 06 is a good food wine vintage (it was a longer, cool season), more acidic and tannic and with great structure; 07 best growing season in many years, more approachable and fruit forward.

I started with the Merry Edwards Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast, 2007 - this wine is a blend of eleven lots - the website says it is primarily from the Bella Sonoma Vineyard, located in the Petaluma Gap, and Leslie indicated that there was significant fruit from the Meredith Estate Vineyard, as well as several other sources in southern Sonoma. I enjoyed this wine very much, in fact I liked it immediate appeal probably the best of the bunch - this makes sense as this is the "entry" wine for the M.E. wines. Great acidity, fresh fruit, tangy and spicy. 3500 cases produced.

Next was the Merry Edwards Pinot Noir Russian River Valley, 2007 - blended from 20 lots from seven different vineyards including the San Chetti (sp?) vineyard. I found this wine to be one of my favorites; to me it had the complete package of a Russian River wine - sweet fat fruits, supple mouth feel that is smooth and broad on the palate, great acidity and length. A bit better priced than the single vineyards - I think this is the wine to buy for drinking. 3500 cases produced.

Next we switched to the 2006 single vineyard wines.

Merry Edwards Pinot Noir Flax Vineyard, 2006 - Flax is located along Westside Road in the northern part of the Russian River Valley AVA, it is a hillside vineyard planted exclusively to Pommard clones. On the website, Merry says that she only uses two French cooperages' barrels to age this wine in. I found it to be quite floral and aromatic with a softer texture, dusty tannins, good grip and overall a quite pleasant wine. One of my favorites. 450 cases produced.

Merry Edwards Pinot Noir Meredith Vineyard, 2006 - this is Merry's vineyard planted in 1996 in the southern part of the Russian River Valley AVA. The 06 is a blend of lots of primarily Pommard clones. I found the wine to be a bit more acidic and tannic than the others - it was very broad and juicy, though, with great balance and length. It has full flavors with some earthy or dusty notes as well. 1200 cases made.

Merry Edwards Pinot Noir Tobias Glenn Vineyard, 2006 - this is a very cool climate vineyard in Forestville and it is planted to Dijon clones. I found bright cherry aromas along with a core of minerality, spicy on the palate with blackberry over-tones. Good grip. Iodine, ink, minerals. 400 cases produced.

Merry Edwards Pinot Noir Olivet Lane Vineyard, 2007 - this comes from an older (1970s) vineyard planted just west of Santa Rosa, planted to Martini clone. This is one of the winery's favorites (Leslie) vineyards to work with as it is unique and stands out - actually each wine is unique and stands apart from the others. I found rhubarb and earth on the nose with juicy fruit and young wood on the palate. The finish was a bit muted probably because this wine is so young - give it 8 months to a year and it will open up quite well. 450 case produced.

Merry Edwards Sauvignon Blanc Russian River Valley, 2008 - it looks like (from the website) that this wine is blended from about five different vineyards from around the same general area (Sebastopol, Occidental and Santa Rosa), but with a definite emphasis on the Sauvignon Musque clone. The 2007 note indicate that the wine was made from an older S. Musque clone than the one typically found in younger vineyards - I'll have to follow up on that. In any event the wine was lovely. Loaded with melons and citrus with a touch of mineral and chalk, it is clean and fresh, but with some good mouth-feel, which I would attribute to the barrels ferment and lees contact (18% new, 6 mos). About 6000 cases produced in 2008.

All-in-all, I enjoyed the visit to Merry Edwards winery. It was relatively quick, but quite educational. I will be meeting Merry and Ken next week (July 8th) for lunch and will retaste a number of these wines at that point. I will also get to some of the more specific questions, hopefully. Very little of the wine is generally available, but the current releases have just arrived in CT, so help yourself.