Blog entries for oenochick

What's in a name? That which we call Morillon by any other name would smell like Chardonnay!

oenochick — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 18:33:52 GMT

Cencibel, Ulle de Llebre, Aragonez, Valepenas, Tinto de Toro, Tinto Pais and Tinto Roriz. What do all of these things have in common? Well they are all names for the same grape and with the exception of three of them, these are names for the same grape in the same country. And by no means are these the only names for this grape. I have in my notes about thirty synonyms for this wonderful grape of Spain most commonly called Tempranillo.

There is this geeky thing on the web called the Geilweilerhof database that has every conceivable synonym for every conceivable grape on the planet that I visited it often when I was studying for the test I took in August,

I remember one of the questions on the test was " What is Mataro called in France?" Whatever!

Well if I had not studied this weird quirky subject that the Court insists that you know, I would have gotten that wrong. (Actually I think I guessed at that one.)

In Austria common grapes have all sorts of silly names. Chardonnay is called Morillon and Feinburgunder but in France the aliases include Aubaine, Auvernat, Beaunois, Epinette Blanche, Petite Sainte-Marie and Weisser Clevner!

Also in Austria Pinot Blanc is called Weissburgunder and Klevner, Blaufrankish is known as Lemberger in Washinton State but it is also called Kekfracos in Hungary! And some of the other grape names, although they might not have synonyms in other countries are equally silly, Zierfandler, Rotgipfler and Blauer Wildbacher just to name a few.

If you travel to Pourtugal some of the grapes of Spain have totally different names. Tempranillo is Aragonez in the south and Tinto Roriz in the area where Port is made. Mencia the grape of Bierzo is called Jaen. Garnacha (called Grenache in France and Cannonau on the Island of Sardinia) is called Alicante, but that’s not to be confused with Alicante Bouschet which is a cross between Grenache and Petite Bouschet.

Malbec is a classic grape of France that has about 34 different names including Pressac, Auxerrois, Cot and Grifforin. But as the black grape, Malbec is called Auxerrois in Cahors in Southern France. But Auxerrois in Alsace and Chablis is a white grape while in other parts of France Malbec is called Cahors!

Nebbiolo is called Spanna in Gattinara and Ghemme, Picutener and Pugnet in the Carema DOC of N.W. Piedmont and Chiavennasca in Lombardy. At least these grape aliases are confined to the same area of Italy!

Welschriesling in Austria is not to be confused with the Riesling of Germany, which is called Riesling Renano in Italy. But there is a Riesling in Austria that should not be confused with the true German Johannisburg Riesling, which is known by the name Rheinriesling, aka Olasz in Hungary.
Ugni Blanc or St. Emilion (not the AOC in Bordeaux) in Cognac and Armagnac is called Trebbiano in Italy with the exception of in Tuscany and Umbria where it can be called Procanico. But don’t call Trebbiano d’Abruzzo Trebbiano because in actuality it is the grape Bombino of the Abruzzo.

Every now and again people comment about how much fun it would be to study the subject of wine implying that studying about wine includes the constant consumption of wine. All I can do is think about explaining what really goes into studying about wine (see above) and then I decide against it and say, "You got that right!" with a conspiratorial wink.

Oh and a quick hint about Greek grape names, if the name of the grape has a lot of X’s or multiple K’s of the word tiko or mavro imbedded somewhere in the name, it is a grape grown in Greece.

OY!

"Oh bliss! Bliss and heaven! Oh, it was gorgeousness and gorgeousity made flesh. It was like a bird of rarest-spun heaven metal or like silvery wine flowing in a spaceship, gravity all nonsense now. As I slooshied, I knew such lovely pictures!"

Alex in A Clockwork Orange (1971)

Santé

Cheers to Spanish Wine for the New Year

oenochick — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 16:00:06 GMT

Happy New Year!!!!! Oh wait………it’s like January 13th. Hhhmmmm….. darn it! But it IS a Happy New Year for the Johnson’s of Mukwonago. The mommy (me) has given up being a restaurant lifer and has gone to the other side. Which is the side that the majority of the world works in. Cam and Reece now have me home at night and on the weekends and I just realized I would never have to work on Mothers Day again!

I now work selling wine in a different venue and in this short period of time, I have really learned lots. Some of the things I have learned are things I had really just lost sight of dealing with only French wine for the past five years.

In looking through some of the portfolios that I now read on a regular basis, I have rediscovered a Spanish wine dynasty. I remember selling these wines years ago when I was in retail and finding them again has been a pleasure.

In 1972 Alejandro Fernandez licensed their bodega in the town of Pesquera in Ribera del Duero, and after years of growing grapes and making wine for his own consumption, he and his wife Esperanza realized their dream. The estate now has over 500 acres of mature vineyards, situated on a variety of different soils. Vinification includes total destemming and whole berry maceration for up to twenty days and maturation in small oak barriques.

Wines produced by Alejandro are made exclusively from the difficult Tempranillo, a red grape indigenous to Spain and in Portugal it is one of the main grapes of Port. There it is called Tinto Roriz, among other things. Tempranillo probably has more "other names" than any grape I have heard of!

Tinto Pesquera is aged a minimum of 18 months in oak, one year longer than required by law for a Crianza. The Reservas and Grand Reservas remain in barrel for 24 months or longer. By law Reservas are required to stay in cask for 12 months and Grand Reservas 18 months. So it is apparent that Mr. Fernandez has, from the beginning, made wines that are made with meticulous attention to quality, not quantity. All over Europe, wine laws govern all sorts of things from grape varieties allowed to vinification practices and to how the vines are grown. In Spain, barrel and bottle aging are very strictly controlled and Crianza, Reserva and Grand Reserva wines are examples of those requirements.

There is a quantity of 2004 Tinto Pesquera available in the market. It will probably retail in the $30.00 range. Here is a review:

This chewy red adds dark, rich flavors of coffee and licorice to a core of plum and blackberry fruit. The tannins are a bit aggressive, but good acidity keeps it lively. Best from 2008 through 2015. 60,000 cases made. –TM Score: 89. That’s from a Wine Spectator guy.

There is also 2000 Tinto Pequera Reserva in the market. This vintage certainly wasn’t as good as 2001 or the recent 2004 and 2005, but it wasn’t a bad vintage and with the superb wine making practices of the Fernandez team, it is one of the best of the vintage. This one will probably retail in the $70.00 range.

There are also quantities of some of the other wines of his dynasty that are extremely well made and not as well known. In 1986 Alejandro, after three years of stubborn negotiation, took ownership of 100 acres and planted prime Tempranillo vines on a southern facing mountain slope to the bank of the Duero river. One the opposite side of the river is the historic hilltop village of Haza and Condado de Haza was born.

Condado de Haza is made with the same extended barrel aging in American oak as its older sibling. In great vintages a late harvest from the ripest portion of the vineyard is made called Alenza, from ALEjandro and EsperaNZA.

There is some 2003 Condado de Haza and 2000 Condado de Haza Reserva in the market but I have not seen Alenza here. Both are worth seeking out and will be in the $25.00 range.

From one of Spain’s earliest recognized wine regions, Zamora, comes another Alejandro Fernandez creation called Dehesa la Granja. Old clone Tempranillo vines were planted on 325 acres there. Here is what Robert Parker said of the available 2000 vintage:

Soft, elegant and more restrained, the deep ruby/purple colored 2000 possesses a spicy leathery finish. Excellent value - 87 points. This should be in the $20.00 range.

And lastly from La Mancha, the large central plateau in Spain that grows more grapes than any other single region is El Vinculo. Completely old vine Tempranillo again made meticulously and aged in barrel longer than required

2001 El Vinculo Reserva is in the market and was given 92 points from Tanzer. (Who? You know, another one of those guys.)

Spain is a great place to look for wines of immense quality at prices that are generally not exorbitant. This producer is one of the greats and buying any one of the above would be an excellent addition to your cellar and to many meals with friends.

To treat a poor wretch with a bottle of Burgundy, and fill his snuffbox, is like giving a pair of laced ruffles to a man that has never a shirt on his back.

Thomas [Tom] Brown 1663 – 1704

Santé

i vini di Piedmonte: il resto della storia

oenochick — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 21:48:08 GMT

So I was sitting in my car outside of a locally owned wine shop where I was going to meet a few of my contemporaries and taste through wines from Northern Italy. It was the start of what is going to be a "tasting group" organized by a local wine instructor. We were all going to bring wines in brown paper bags and taste them and talk about their attributes while throwing the appropriate adjectives around, not including freshly quarried alabaster (that was for you Pete). Tasting them blind is a good way to assess the wine with out having a preconceived notion about what the quality level is.

So it is 9:30 and then 9:45. Hhhmmm, no one is here and I have a bottle of Enzo Boglietti Barbera d'Alba that I really wanted to taste AND this tasting will give me all sorts of fodder for my next blog!!! And then my phone rings; the tasting had been canceled, and will be rescheduled for a later date. DRAT!

Fast forward to Thanksgiving where we crack it open, which I might add, made a perfect addition to the meal, and I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of body and balance it had. This wine has a vibrant red hue with a delightful nose, with polished oak overlaid with black cherries and other black fruits.

The driving force behind this estate is Enzo Boglietti, a new producer on the Barolo scene, only establishing a presence in the early 1990s and he is not afraid to embrace new techniques, including the use of high-toast small barrique.

I then went to find some of his other wines. There is also a wonderful Dolcetto d'Alba "Tiglineri" with dense cherry and raspberry fruit, as well as a touch of liquorice. This wine, produced from 60-year-old vines, is a serious, classy example of Dolcetto.

Another producer I have always loved is La Spinetta. The Monferrato Rosso ‘Pin’ has a gorgeous nose; black cherry and blueberry jam, with black peppercorns. La Spinetta's most significant wine is Pin, a blend of 50% Nebbiolo with 25% each of Barbera and Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine is produced under the Monferrato Rosso DOC, a catch-all classification designed to bring the many blends made by the local producers under one umbrella.

Aldo Conterno makes a lovely Langhe Dolcetto "Masante". It is a lovely vibrant red, with a purple tinge, dense black cherry fruit on the nose and some meaty, gamy notes.

There is also the wonderful Aldo Conterno Barbera d’Alba "Conca Tre Pile" whose main vines are grown on a hilly area in Bussia Soprana’s, where some of the Conterno famed Barolo’s are from.

There are of course other significant red wines. There is the light crisp Grignolino. I have been advised that there is one to be found at the Sam’s in Highland Park from a producer called Luca Ferraris along with a Ruché that generally makes a light ruby colored wine with an aromatic twist. Both are recommended.

And then for dessert - Marenco’s Brachetto d’Acqui "Pineto" has red bold fruit that explodes with flavor: raspberry, grapes, sweet and sour cherries, and a hint of strawberry and has wonderful richness and layers of flavor, with an off-dry finish. It is a wonderful frizzante (semi-sparkling) or fully sparkling wine made from grapes of the same name.

Whites are also well represented in Piedmont:

Pio Cesare’s Gavi is fresh, with lime fruit and stony minerals on the nose with crisp acidity. Pio Cesare is among the top producers in Piedmont.
Broglia Gavi di Gavi "La Meirana" is a pale yellow with green highlights with some hints of anise and flowers. It is elegant with a great finish. Gavi di Gavi is wine that is made from the Cortese grape in the commune of Gavi.
Alasia Il Cascinone Arneis Roero"Sorilaria" is a wine I think is wonderful. The Arneis, the name of the grape, comes from the Sorilaria Vineyard in the commune of Monticello d'Alba. This wine shows a combination of fine mineral characters with floral notes and rich white peach and pear fruit. The DOCG for Arneis is Arneis di Roero, but it can be grown anywhere in Piedmont under the DOC of Langhe.
Marenco’s Moscato d’Asti "Scrapona" is a slightly sparkling wine that is straw and gold in color, with an aromatic and fragrant nose. Marenco Moscato d'Asti is sweet and peachy that lends an exotic edge to the fruit.

One of the most significant things about enjoying these wines is that they can mostly be purchased for under $20.00. While you may not find them readily, ask in any specialty wine store and they can be ordered for you. There are plenty of other reds and whites in Piedmont, but since Wisconsin is on the lower end of the global allocation totem pole, there are so many we don’t see, but all of the wines I have discussed are available in this market.

November 2007 has really been a month for thanks. I don’t mean in the come over to my house where I am going to cook a huge meal while you watch a football game kind of thanks. I mean the kind where you get a phone call from your Mom to tell you your Dad just had a major stoke, but now he is doing miraculously better kind of thanks. I, of course, flew to Portland the day after I found out and sat by him and told him jokes until he kicked me out because he was tired. But life marches on and I had to come back and be a Mom and go to work and all of that stuff. Writing about wine paled in comparison to calling him everyday to make sure he is getting better. Thanks to Scott, Amy, Natalie, Jennifer W. and all the others that ask all the time how he is doing.

A Saluté il mio Padre

i vini di Italia

oenochick — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 19:05:40 GMT

Umanità. . . Possiede due benedizioni supreme. Primo di questi è il Demeter di dea, o la Terra qualunque nome che lei sceglie chiamarla da. Era lei che ha dato all'uomo il suo nutrimento di grano. Ma dopo che è venuta lí il figlio di Semele, che ha uguagliato il suo presente inventando il vino liquido come il suo regalo all'uomo. Per ha riempito di quel regalo buono, soffrendo l'umanità dimentica il suo dolore; da esso viene il sonno; con esso l'oblio delle difficoltà del giorno. C'è nessuno altro medicina per la miseria.

L'Euripides c. 485 - 406 A.C.

The history of Italy is filled with mythical gods, wars, volcanoes, emperors, popes, and ruling families (that contributed to many of those popes) that spans thousands of years. The lore of the Roman, Grecian and Etruscan gods can be found in carvings and paintings in much of the artifacts found from all over the country. Some of the most powerful gods were the gods that governed sunlight, medicine, war, hunting, love and of course wine.

There are archeological digs that have discovered artifacts that include amorphas and goblets with carvings of Bacchus, the Roman god of wine. There is evidence in those paintings and carvings and in writings of a cult called the Bacchanalia. The cult was banned in 186 BC by the State because it’s nature-worshipping themes were not in tune with the Roman Republic. Julius Caesar lifted it, some 100 years later, in response to popular pressure as Bacchus became a favorite among the rich and powerful most notably Mark Antony who saw himself as a new Dionysus. The common denominator in this cult was the worship of the creation of wine and included lots of wild dancing and dressing up as mythical creatures, or possibly undressing, probably while consuming…. well…wine.

I certainly would love to have been there, but something I find very interesting is in some of the archeological digs that we (I) were talking about before we (I) got side tracked, was that there have been grape pips or seeds that can be carbon dated to 4000 – 6000 BC. Archeological scientists can also tell if a seed is cultivated or not cultivated and these are seeds that have been cultivated meaning they have been manipulated by man to produce a superior result.

Science proves that the production of wine precedes all of the mythology and lore of the gods of Greece, Rome and the Etruscans (whose god of wine was called Fufluns) and was possibly made by the future family of the Tautavel man. And since Tautavel is in the heart of the Cote de Roussillon Villages in the south of France, I would think that would make sense.

That also means that wine has been made on the boot shaped peninsula for that amount of time also, and the wine produced today is evidence of that. One of my favorite places in Italy to discuss is Piedmont. Some of the best wines in the world come from there. Most notably, the mighty Barolo and Barbaresco made from Nebbiolo. Grapes for Barolo are grown in the vineyards in and around the hill top town of Alba, and the neighboring communes of Castiglione-Falleto, Monforte d'Alba, Serralunga d'Alba, Barolo, and La Morra.

Generally speaking, the Barolo sourced from vineyards near the first three communes are the biggest wines made, while the Barolo from the latter two communes are more refined and a bit more graceful. The Nebbiolo for Barbaresco is grown in and around the villages of Barbaresco, Neive, and Treiso, which are adjacent, to the North East of Alba.

There are differing schools of thought in the production of Barolo and Barbaresco. Wines produced in a traditional style will use extended maceration, not attempting to smooth out the grape tannins in any way and produce a wine that probably needs upwards of 10 years in bottle.

Traditionalists include: Bartolo Mascarello, G. Conterno, G. Mascarello, Pio Cesare, Bruno Giacosa, Produttori del Barbaresco and perhaps, to some extent, Aldo Conterno.

Barolo and Barbaresco produced in a newer style uses new oak in the form of smaller barriques. Vanilla, spices and creaminess may all be evident in this style of winemaking. Tannins are managed better and the producers tend to strive for an approachable style of wine that is more fruit forward.

Non-traditionalists include : Domenico Clerico, Aldo Conterno, Prunotto, Marchesi di Gresy, Ceretto, Gancia, Conterno-Fantino and Angelo Gaja.

There was also a movement in the mid nineties where several prominent producers introduced legislation requesting the they be allowed the add no more than 10% of another grape, most likely Dolcetto or Cabernet to make their wines more accessible in great vintages or fuller bodied in weaker vintages. The opponents to this cited heritage and tradition. The decision was made by the consortium to stick to tradition and allow only Nebbiolo. Many wine makers now use the Langhe DOC on their wines forsaking the DOCG Barolo or Barbaresco to make the style of wine they prefer.

No matter what the style, the wines produced here are fabulous and can be found in all priced ranges. There are also plenty of other wonderful wines from Piedmont. Other reds like Barbera and Dolcetto that are made for more immediate consumption. Softly sparkling wines made from Moscato from the village of Asti. Crisp interesting whites made from the Cortese grape in the village of Gavi and Arneis from Roero. And of course Angelo Gaja makes a world class Chardonnay from vineyards named after his daughter Gaia and his grandmother, Clotilde Rey appropriately called Gaia & Rey.

And of those are materials for many ramblings to come.

Mankind . . . possesses two supreme blessings. First of these is the goddess Demeter, or Earth whichever name you choose to call her by. It was she who gave to man his nourishment of grain. But after her there came the son of Semele, who matched her present by inventing liquid wine as his gift to man. For filled with that good gift, suffering mankind forgets its grief; from it comes sleep; with it oblivion of the troubles of the day. There is no other medicine for misery.

Euripides c. 485 - 406 B.C.

Santé

The wines of Autumn

oenochick — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 16:27:55 GMT

My youngest son just entered kindergarten and in the first week he had show and tell. The theme of show and tell that week was "Signs of fall". My first inclination, although I am not a crafty type of mom at all, was to go out and finds some leaves that were starting to turn. Press them in between sheets of wax paper and do whatever a crafty type of mom would do with them, but in the end I put a kooshball football in his backpack. Now that’s a sign of fall!

Fall also means a new type of wine to enjoy. Wines with more body and complexity. Fall menus feature lentils, garlic, tomatoes and all of the various squashes that are in gardens now, and the wines that can pair with those ingredients can have fuller flavors and textures than the wines that are on menus featuring the lighter foods of summer.

One of the wines I recently tasted was a red gem from the Touraine region in the Loire Valley called Domaine Frédéric Malibeau St. Nicolas de Bourgueil. It is by law 90% Cabernet Franc and can have 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. It had a velvety texture with plums and ripe boysenberries on the palate without the usual green bell pepper flavors associated with that grape. It would be a perfect compliment to any fall menu.

I also tasted Rémy Pannier Chinon also made from Cabernet Franc. This is in the same region as St. Nicolas de Bourgueil just to the south and on the other side of the Loire River. It has the same lovely texture and plumy flavors as the Domaine Frédéric Malibeau but is a bit more feminine.

I also revisited some of the wines I tasted earlier in the year. Both of these are also from the Loire Valley in France and are made with Sauvignon Blanc. But on the banks of the Loire River that cuts through some of the most diverse and complex soil structures of any wine region in the world, this grape can produce widely differing flavor profiles. The acid structure of these wines also makes them perfect food wines as they can stand up to many of the tastes and textures in fall dishes.

La Tour St. Martin Menetou-Salon Blanc is my favorite. On the nose it was a glass filled with tangerines and grapefruit peel but on the pallet the zinging acidity and angular limestone minerality balances perfectly with the tropical fruit flavors.
Domaine des Huards Cheverny Blanc is mostly Sauvignon Blanc and while there are flavors of granny smith apples and mandarin oranges, the chalky tuffeau minerality rounds it out to make it complex with out being complicated.

If you can’t find these wines in your favorite wine store, ask for them to be special ordered. They would splendidly compliment your favorite fall meal.

Italian wines are also what springs to mind when the evening air chills. There was a tasting recently with the some of the wines of Poderi Aldo Conterno. These are wines made in the Piedmont region of Italy from the Nebbiolo grape and it’s many clones.

The wine that stood out was the Poderi Aldo Conterno Barolo "Bussia". Bussia Soprana is a famed slope in the village of Monforte d’Alba in Barolo with three "crus" or vineyards - Romirasco, Cicala and Colonnello. This Bussia is a blend of other vineyards and is considered an entry level Barolo, but to us this translates to affordable as "cru" Barolo can cost into the $200.00 range. That being said, this was bold, rich and powerful with great aging potential. On the nose were candied orange skin and leathery spice and a very structured style on the palate, demonstrating firm tannins and good acidity. I would imagine it would cost under $100.00 retail.

There is so much to say about Italian wines, that I will have to address them at a later date, I would imagine in another article on the wines of fall.

As an e-mail I recently received stated "Drink more Barbera!"

Wino Forever

Johnny Depp

(The tattoo once read 'Winona Forever'!)

Santé

Vintages Change

oenochick — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 18:29:44 GMT

Ok so I wasn’t going to gripe in this blog. EVER. Things that can’t effect the way the world goes around don’t normally bother me. My opinion is that in the big picture of life, all of the little stuff doesn’t matter. Picky guests, guests that want to split a glass of wine, guests that change tables two or three times, guests that want their Filet Mignon well done (it is their filet!), even 10% tips, that doesn’t even get to me. But there is something, and it really rarely happens, that just fries my…….um….tilapia!

So this is how it works, The importer or domestic distributor orders several pallets of wine from any given winery or large firm that sells for multiple wineries. In the case of an importer, those pallets are in a "container" on a big boat that is sailing slowly across the Atlantic. It is either new wine for the importer / distributor or, more probably, wine they already carry. Now, the ship docks or the pallets arrive in a huge OTR rig and there is a guy that is waiting there with a hand held scanner to receive it.

Lets talk about that guy. This is a guy that answered an ad for a warehouse worker / receiver. His job requirements are that he can lift and carry 50 lb. on an ongoing basis, that he has experience as a receiver in a warehouse, and that he can operate a forklift. A requirement of his job is most likely not to analyze the writing on the boxes he receives or to know anything about the vast intricacies of wine. He has an invoice with a quantity of items on it, he checks to make sure the quantity is correct as well as the general description of said items. He does know in advance what wine is expected to arrive so he won’t inadvertently receive boxes of Belgian ale when boxes of Maison Louis Jadot are expected. So the boxes say Maison Louis Jadot Pommard 2005. Did he know that this vintage was a new vintage? Did he even know that the 2005 on the box had anything to do with what was inside the box? Most importantly, does he know that in all of the restaurants in the city that carry Maison Louis Jadot Pommard, the current vintage is 2004? The answer to all three is probably no. So the 2005 on the box probably won’t even register in his mind as being relevant and he most likely will not inform anyone that a new vintage came in.

So then there is the regional sales manager that gets the e-mail that the expected shipment of Maison Louis Jadot Pommard is in the warehouse. That person probably goes out to the warehouse to see the pile of boxes and verifies that the quantity is correct. He then e-mails the people that update the inventory and since he wasn’t informed a new vintage came in, they will enter it as the same vintage. OR, what probably happens today is that when that receiver guy checks the wine in from the container, that hand held scanner that we discussed earlier immediately enters it into to the electronic inventory so the sales people know right when it is physically there.

And believe you me, that hand held scanner really doesn’t have a clue that 2005 is a new vintage.

So it is Tuesday and I am waiting for the various sales people to arrive so I can place my order, and darn it, I am out of Maison Louis Jadot Pommard 2004. So I order a case of Maison Louis Jadot Pommard 2004. The sales person looks at the inventory and sees that the pallet is in the warehouse, but doesn’t see the necessity of telling me that it is a new pallet because why would I care. He just wants to make sure I get the wine. It arrives on my day off and a bartender that isn’t paid to be cognizant of the vintages on a wine list that has over 300 French selections, stocks it.

I come in to work the next day and I see that there is Maison Louis Jadot Pommard in the bin and I am happy. I sell it to my guest, bring the bottle over and …..thud…..the bottle says 2005. (ok,ok, I should have looked at it before I took it to the table, but I was REALLY busy!)

Now 99% of the time, this is not the end of the world. Guests usually understand that these things change, but then there is that one person who "knows" all about vintages and gets upset. "Why don’t you have the 2004? Why is this 2005 the same price as the superior 2004? (wrongo Mr. smarty pants!) Shouldn’t the price reflect the vintage? (wrongo again, the price reflects the Euro.) As I try to gently explain that 2005 is far superior to 2004, and that they are getting it at the 2004 price, such a deal!!, with that one person that explanation never flies.

Because the guy with the scanner didn’t know to tell the regional manager, who didn’t know to tell the data entry person, who didn’t know to put the new vintage in the electronic inventory, that didn’t tell the sales person that it came in as a new vintage, who didn’t know to tell me that it would come in as a new vintage, wine lists can often have vintages wrong on their lists.

But it will be alright. 2005 was a superiour vintage in Pommard than 2004 and if I didn't check closely enough, you ARE geting such a deal!

He who loves not wine, women and song remains a fool his whole life long.

Martin Luther, 1777

Santé

A Passion for Pinot (deux)

oenochick — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 13:32:31 GMT

Oh the red wines of Burgundy. I am fortunate in that I buy wine for a restaurant that has a French wine list. Every night is a welcome challenge to explore with our guests strange new wines, to seek out new wines from new civilizations, to boldly go where…ok, ok I’ll stop.

My favorite area to navigate with our guests on our list is the two pages devoted to Pinot Noir. Granted there are plenty of wines that have dizzyingly steep prices on those pages. Like all winemaking areas of the world, certain wines and winemakers command exorbitant prices. Sometimes I get criticized for having some of these wines on the list. But I often say, (mostly to myself) "If you are going to have a French wine list, there are things that must be on it." And those things are usually the most expensive. But there are some wonderful selections in Burgundy that are under $100.00 and some that are just a touch over that are well worth seeking out in a retail outlet. (*wink wink* the key word here is...retail.)

Most of the wines I am going to mention are on the list at the restaurant I buy for, mainly because I know that they are available in Wisconsin and, most importantly, that they are spelled correctly. But if you take those examples and apply them to wines you may find in wine shops or on other wine lists, like the villages, vineyards and producers, you can find well made and reasonably priced wines.

There are three main quality levels in Burgundy: Village, Premier Cru and Grand Cru in ascending levels of pricyness. The village level wines are the ones that just list the name of the commune without a vineyard name. Now knowing what those are is the rub but if you take:

Maison Bouchard Père et Fils Meursault at $30.00

Domaine Bouchard Père et Fils Meursault Premier Cru "Les Genevrières" at $130.00
Domaine Bouchard Père et Fils "Corton-Charlemagne" at $230.00

Then the first is the village, the second is Premier Cru (or 1er) that lists the village and the vineyard, and the Grand Crus will be the ones that don’t list the village at all, just the vineyard, and command nosebleed prices. Note that the wines called "Maison" are the more inexpensive wines of the producer than the "Domaine" wines. Maison usually refers to wines made from grapes, juice or made wine that is purchased and bottled under the producer’s name. Domaine wines are made from grapes from vineyards the producer owns and bottles on their property, and are therefore more expensive.

In Burgundy Caveat Emptoror "let the buyer beware" is key. The commune of Vosne Romanee (pronounced vohn raw-ma-NAY) has some of the most expensive real estate in France with the Grand Crus of La Tâche and Romanée Conti commanding thousands of dollars – really. But a village level wine from there would not be worth the price of admittance. There are plenty of producers that make village level wines that ride on the coat tails of the Grand Crus that are in their commune. This commune is the most glaring example.

I have had success buying red burgundy at the village level from these villages:

Gevery-Chambertin

Chambolle-Musigny

Nuits-St.-Georges

Volnay &

Pommard.

Especially the wines from Volnay. The wine makers there have a reputation for making wine with tons of integrity. Low yields and biodynamic (kinda like organic with a lunar aspect) farming principles are common place here. And there are wines of splendid quality from all classifications. Producers to look for are Bouchard Père et Fils, Domaine de la Pousse d’ Or, Maison Louis Jadot and Olivier Leflaive.

Premier Cru wines that I think are splendid:

Chambolle-Musigny "La Combe D’Orveau" from Domaine Anne Gros. Her family has been making wine in Burgundy since 1951.

Nuits-St.-George "Les Cailles" from Bouchard Père et Fils.There are no Grand Crus in Nuits- St.- Georges and some of the top Premier Crus are totally worth seeking out like Les Cailles, Les Damodes, Clos de la Maréchale and Aux Champs Pedrix.

Volnay "Clos de la Bousse d’Or", Santenay "Clos Tavannes" and Pommard "Les Jarollières" all from Domaine de la Pousse d’Or are all beautiful wines.

These wines are going to be more expensive than the village level wines but I don’t think any are going to be over $75.00 retail.

One more wine I NEED to mention. You can go out of Burgundy and find Pinot Noir in other AOC’s. One of note is Sancerre in the Loire Valley. I poured a Sancerre Rouge from Eric Louis "Les Celliers de la Pauline" at our recent Paris Chefs dinner. It was a huge hit AND it will probably cost less than $30.00. It is a fruitier style but has plenty of structure. Seek it out!

In Burgundy you will find the gamut in price and quality, more so than in most regions in France. But finding the best, which certainly doesn’t mean the most expensive, can be very rewarding.

There's nothing serious in mortality.

All is but toys; renown and grace is dead,

The wine of life is drawn, and the mere lees

Is left this vault to brag of.

William Shakespeare (1564-1616)

Macbeth, II. iii. (100)

Santé

When I was in Burgundy I took some photographs of some of the most famous vineyards there. Click on the link below to see them.

I passed the Court of Master Sommeliers advanced certification ~ or Now I have the big green pin.

oenochick — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 21:07:22 GMT

Since August of 2004, I have had a bug. That is when I took the introductory course for the Court of Master Sommeliers and passed it. And I passed it only missing two of the 80ish questions. OMG did I know about wine or what! I thought I knew it all. I only missed two questions!!!

Subsequently, I have applied to take the advanced certification three times. There now exists a certification level that is a requirement to pass and then wait a year before you can even apply for the advanced certification, but I took the first before that was implemented.

The first time I applied for the advanced I was turned down because I hadn't waited the pre-requisite year, but even knowing that I was crushed. I only missed TWO of the questions! Didn't they know that?

The second time I applied, I was accepted and I promptly set up shop to study, study, study. And to my credit I really did study. I wrote note cards, filled notebooks with my illegible handwriting with all of the things I though were necessary to study to pass THIS test, only missing two questions. I got to San Francisco in October of 2006 and after the first day of lectures and tastings, I knew I was in big trouble.

First of all to pass this you have to pass theory... this is where you hear the DUH DUH DUH DUH music that indicates that this is by far the hardest part of it. Then there is the service test. This test involves going to three different stations to perform some aspect of service while being grilled about vintages and food pairing and such. There is a decanting station where you get grilled about Bordeaux or Burgundy vintages, a champagne opening station where you get asked about up coming champagne vintages and answer questions about aperitifs and then a station where you perform banquet style putting down of glasses (correct ones that is) while you get grilled about food pairings. Whew!

You also have to blind taste six wines in front of three Master Sommeliers and deductively (yea sure) guess exactly what they are and where they are from to the pinpointed appellation.

I knew I was sunk. But I valiantly carried on trying to memorize in the few hours between the end of the lecture and the next day, all of the things I barley touched on in all of my studying thinking my knowledge (remember I only missed TWO questions) would be enough. WRONG!

"But now I see our lances are but straws; our strength as weak, our weakness pass compare...that seeming to be most, which we indeed least are...." as the beautiful Kate tells her maidens in the final soliloquy of The Taming of the Shrew. She was of course talking about men and sex but I heard those words loud and clear when I sat down to take the theory, looked at the questions and realized I would probably be leaving allot of questions blank. My lance was so a straw!

OK so the times comes to the individual evaluations after all three sections and then the giving out of the big green pins to those who did indeed study all of the right things. I was told I passed blind tasting and service but obviously I did not study the right things and so subsequently I did not get the big green pin.

The reality is the Court of Master Sommeliers is their club and if you want to be a member you have to follow their rules, and their rules are you must know EVERYTHING, they certainly do. Some of the Masters that taught the classes I found out tried five or six times to pass the Masters level. One of them jokingly said that If you pass the Masters on your first try, you get a special designation called the Krug cup. She said after the six times she tried to pass, her designation was called the Schlitz cup. But now she is one so who am I to be bitter.

Fast forward to August 6th - 10th of 2007. I took it again in Chicago, and passed. This time I knew what I had to know, I had some confidence in the blind tasting because I had passed it before and service, well I am all about service! If I strive to move on, even getting the Schlitz cup will be great with me.

"Then vail your stomachs, for it is no boot, and place you hands below you husbands foot. In token of which duty, if he please, my hand is ready, may it do him ease" Then Petruchio spouts "Why there's a wench - Come on and kiss me Kate!" Ah Shakespeare, she definetly got the cutest guy by doing what she had to do despite her pride. And me, well I got the big green pin.

Santé!

A Passion for Pinot (un)

oenochick — Sun, 05 Aug 2007 18:30:03 GMT

My love affair with Pinot Noir began in the late eighties when I was a retail wine buyer for a group of wine stores in Portland Oregon. (Pronounced OAR-eh-gn, not Oar–eh-GOHNE.). Of course the Willamette Valley has become to be known as a mecca for domestic Pinot along with the Russian River AVA in Sonoma County and the Santa Ynez Valley AVA in Santa Barbara County, California. Even though the world may not have known how fabulous they were back then, all of us Oregonians knew it.

One of the events at the time that did catapult Oregon into the world limelight was when Robert Drouhin of Masion Joseph Drouhin in Burgundy and his daughter Véronique bought property in Dundee Oregon and started producing Domaine Drouhin with it’s first vintage in 1988.

The company I worked for had a group of us that were buyers for individual stores. We were, (thank goodness), driven to Dundee to taste the first vintage of Domaine Drouhin. Véronique, who has hand-crafted every drop of wine at Domaine Drouhin Oregon since its first vintage, tasted it with us against the portfolio of Drouhin wines including the famous Domaine Joseph Drouhin Beaune "Clos des Mouches". Of course we weren’t under the influence or anything after all of that *a-hem* "tasting" but all of us super-duper enthusiastically agreed that this was the best thing that could have happened to the Oregon Pinot industry because the world would finally take notice. One of the most respected Burgundian families came here to make wine.

The two men who started the wine industry in Oregon were David Lett of the Eyrie Vineyards founded in 1966, or Papa Pinot as he is affectionately referred to, and David Adelsheim of the eponymous Adelsheim Vineyard that was founded in 1971. Their wines today are still standard bearers for Oregon Pinot and have given way to scores of wonderful wines including:

Archery Summit "Premier Cuvée"

Domaine Serene "Yamhill Cuvée"

St. Innocent "Seven Springs Vineyard"

Ken Wright Cellars "Shea Vineyard"

Beaux Freres Pinot Noir "Beaux Freres Vineyard"

Bethel Heights Pinot Noir "Flat Block Reserve"

Chehalem Pinot Noir Corral Creek

Cristom Pinot Noir " Marjorie Vineyard"

Well known Californians have even pulled up their bootstraps and headed north including Tony Soter, one of Napa's most successful winemaking consultants and onetime owner and winemaker of Etude. His Soter Pinot Noir North Valley is classic.

The flavors of Pinot Noir range from bright red bing cherries to the French black raspberries that make Chambord liqueur with touches of mint and lavender flower petals. Terroir is pronounced in Pinot Noir because it is such a delicate grape. The aroma of the Oregon Dundee Red Hills in the nose is distinguishable from the unctuous sassafras bouquet of Russian River Pinot Noir and the limestone and red clay that permeates the wines of the Cote de Nuits. And the texture can be like velvet in a glass.

Unfortunately Oregon Pinot Noir is not cheap being in the $35.00 to $75.00 retail range but entirely worth it. This is a finicky grape that doesn’t like it to cold or to hot or to wet or to dry and definitely does not like being rough housed. In Oregon it is also grown in very low yields to ensure quality. But the good news is that it is in no way as expensive as top tier red Burgundies and, when exceptionally made, can be every bit as satisfying.

That being said, I must really profess my undying love for red Burgundy. This is wine that makes my head swoon and my heart soar. The sheer beauty of this part of the world, and the wines that are made here make me want to run away and become a vineyard worker there until I am very old. I can envision myself sitting in a rocking chair on a porch at the end of the day looking out over the golden slope…… and probably falling asleep after a little to much Pinot Noir.

When I was in Burgundy, I took some pictures of some of the most famous vineyards in the world. If you want, click on the link to see them.

Up next: A Passion for Pinot (deux)

This bread I break was once the oat,

This wine upon a foreign tree

Plunged in its fruit;

Man in the day or wind at night

Laid the crops low, broke the grape's joy.

Dylan Thomas (1914-1953)

Santé

It's hip to drink pink ~or~ Don't dis my rose

oenochick — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 14:04:24 GMT

If you work in the restaurant business, you have probably heard this disdainful sentiment many times, "Oh my God, table 53 ordered a whole bottle of that pink c**p! Or this sentiment that’s only uttered amongst us elitist restaurant workers, "If I owned my own restaurant I wouldn’t have ANY pink wine on the list!" *Sniff*". Well I am here to tell you, as is the web-site aptly named drink-pink.com and respected wine writer Jancis Robinson, rosé wines are probably one of the most versatile of food wines and a great choice for quaffing on a hot summer day.

Rosé wine is made all over the world from Sicily, Spain, South Africa, Australia and California. Respected wine makers in many areas, or appellations, in France also make them. But there are relatively few to be found in our local wine shops and upscale grocery stores. There are the usual suspects, a dry Tavel rosé and a Guigal Cote-du Rhone rosé both from the Southern Rhone in France and possibly a Bandol rosé from Domaine Tempier of Provence.

So why is there such a lack of representation here? I am sure it’s due to the misunderstanding we have of this type of wine, most are largely unaware of how many producers from all over the world make lovely dry and off dry versions of rosé. To quote Jancis Robinson, "Rosés come in several different styles… One of my favorite styles I’d call Red Wine for a Heatwave, a serious, well-made rosé which can offer much fruit, structure and satisfaction as a red, except it happens to be pink and chillable."

In the United States we think of pink wine as being white zinfandel, the sweet version that is cheaply made in huge quantities in California’s Central Valley. Mon Dieu!. In contrast the Spanish embrace their rosados and are made from the Grenache grape that is grown all over that country. In Provence, on the Mediterranean coast of France, rosés are the most produced wine from that region. These wines are made in a dry delicate style and really do match well with the garlic and oil-based cuisine of the Mediterranean. In Italy, one of the countries oldest wine making families, Antinori, makes a delicious rosé called Tenuta al Tasso Scalabrone from the esteemed Bolgheri region of Tuscany that produces some of Italy’s finest red wines.

Rosé wines are very commonly made in the sunny hot south of France. Producers in the Languedoc have been putting an increasing amount of effort into their pink wines, for which Cinsault and Grenache grapes are used. Further north and east in the appellations of Tavel and Lirac, located in the southern Rhone, the well-known rosés there are Grenache dominated and also made in a bone dry style. In the Loire valley talented wine makers produce lovely refreshing dry Anjou rosés from the red grapes Grolleau and Cabernet France.

Spain is covered with the red grape Granacha and the red grape Bobal. These grapes are used to produce a particularly fruity style of rosado. Don’t just think Mateus when you think of rosé from Portugal. The wine makers there are putting much effort into shaping food-friendly styles of rosé.

New world wine makers are showing signs of real creativity in their examples of this wine category. Rosé of Virginia from the Barossa Valley in South Australia and Vin Gris de Cigare from Bonny Doon in California have blazed a trail that has created wines like Slink Pink Malbec rosé from Argentina and Flagstone Semaphore rosé from South Africa.

Along with the wide array of pleasing pink shades available in rosés, these wines have many other attributes in both the still and sparkling versions. Both capture the red fruit and berry notes that are derived primarily from the grape skins. In still rosés you get a range of red fruit flavors. Strawberry, red cherries and raspberry with fresh herb aromas, but not the weight or tannins of a red wine. In sparkling wines, the aromatics of the wine are heightened. It is the simple structure of most rosés that make them easily quaffable.

The best versions of rosés offer refreshing acidity that balances a slight fruit sweetness. Most rosé aficionados would agree that these wines should be drunk while they are young, as they do not age. So buy them, chill them and drink them. As the sun heats up, there is nothing better than a perfectly balanced dry version of rosé from just about anywhere in the world.

Wine is one of the most civilized things in the world and one of the most natural things of the world that has been brought to the greatest perfection, and it offers a greater range for enjoyment and appreciation than, possibly, any other purely sensory thing.

Ernest Hemingway

Santé!

For great summer wines at barbecue prices, look to the Loire

oenochick — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 15:21:28 GMT

The Loire is special. Wine has been made in that region for over two thousand years. Julius Caesar's Rome invaded Gaul in 58 BC and brought viticulture with them. As they made their way north from Marseilles, vineyards were planted in some of the most famous vineyards of modern France. Superior soils were recognized, among them the soils of the Loire Valley. I recently had a chance to taste some fantastic wines from an importer called Jon-David Headrick Selections that represents small production artisinal wine from France, principally from the Loire. Starting at the Atlantic Ocean, at mouth of the Loire River is an area called Pays Nantes that makes the wines of Muscadet.

His Domaine de la Fruitiere from the superior appellation of Muscadet Sevre et Maine, is dry and crisp but with enough ripe fruit to make this wine one you will want to drink by itself. But please pair it with mussels and clams steamed simply with an herb and white wine broth and plenty of crusty baguette.

Also from the same area is a small VDQS, which in French law is one quality level below the top AOC quality level, called Feif Vendeens. I featured the Domaine Saint Nicolas "Les Clous" from his portfolio at our recent Paris Chefs dinner at Bartolotta's Lake Park Bistro with two of the courses. It was by far the most popular wine of the four that were poured. It is a blend of 60% Chardonnay and 40% Chenin Blanc, with flavors of red apples and peaches and is also dry. This wine is lovely and is also very reasonably priced.

Three other whites from him that are complete standouts are:

Domaine Laureau Savennieres, 100% Chenin Blanc that is vinted dry and grown on soils of schist and quartz with notes of white flowers and orange peel.

Domaine des Huards Cheverny Blanc, mostly Sauvignon Blanc with a touch of chardonnay has flavors of honeydew and tart apples.

La Tour St. Martin Menetou-Salon Blanc, 100% Sauvignon Blanc with piercing aromas of grapefruit skin and minerals, is by far my favorite of these three.

These wines probably will not be in your local wine store but you can ask for them to be special ordered. They are so wonderful to drink and pair so perfectly with all of the foods we love to eat in the summer. You will be pleasantly surprised by the quality of these wines and how happy your wallet will be.