05 Wednesday Jun 2013
Posted in France
03 Monday Jun 2013
Does the wine world need another great Chardonnay region? California has the great big buttery, woodsy Chards while Chablis brings the mineral and acid. There is virtually every style in between from regions across the globe.
Oregon has made its name with Pinot Noir and the white Pinot Gris. Now there are those who think Chardonnay is the next big thing in northwest wine.
“I think Oregon is really well suited for Chardonnay,” said Bill Sweat, Winderlea Winery. “Chardonnay does better in cooler climates. You get that great acidity and brightness, floral notes, the kind of flavors White Burgundy lovers go after.”
Ironically, when the wine drinkers learned Oregon’s Pinot Noir rivaled some of the best in the world some grape growers actually pulled Chardonnay to plant more Pinot. Chardonnay acreage dropped 25 percent between 1995 and 2001 while Pinot Noir and Gris nearly doubled. The original Oregon Chardonnay problem was the wine just wasn’t very good. It was all a matter of getting the right vines.
“When I first started in Chardonnay we only hand one clone,” said Lynn Penner-Ash, who has her own winery and consults with others in winemaking. “Now we’re seeing transition to the Dijon clone with better placement and better vineyard management.
The Chardonnays coming out of Oregon now are better and better – much better than early years.” Talking Chardonnay with Oregon producers is all about getting the right vines and a lesson in terroir. Most producers agreed the move away from the original vines to the Dijon vines made a world of difference.
Sweat
“We originally started with some Chardonnay in the vineyard that didn’t do very well,” said Sweat. “But for the last 15 years we’ve been able to bring in some selections from France and they’re doing beautifully. “I’d say Oregon winemakers are making Chard that tends to skew more toward the elegant style. That has to do with the fruit itself. It’s not going to get as ripe as it would in a warmer climate.”
At a March tasting in Chicago, many vintners were promoting their Chards with enthusiasm normally reserved for Pinot Noir.
“Whether its stainless steel or wood fermenting, I think stylistically our wines have an identy of freshness of fruit where the wood balances the wine but never overtakes it,” offered Jesse Lange, Lange Family Estate. “In terms of its attention – grabbing headlines for the Willamette Valley – I think it has really taken off. I think we’re on the cusp of something big.”
Howard’s Picks: Most of the Oregon producers are making small quantities of Chardonnay but you can find a few in better wine shops. The wines compare favorably to traditionally styled Chablis. The price points are in the $20-$30 range. The best at the Chicago event, and previous tastings in Oregon, were the producers mentioned in this story. The best Chard at the pouring was Evening Land Chardonnay from the Eola-Amity Hills region of the Valley.
03 Monday Jun 2013
Posted in Gizmos & Wine Gadgets
Sooner or later, if you’re a wine drinker, and keep buying bottles you’re going to have to buy a wine rack. Don’t fret, it happens to all of us.
I picked up a 36-bottle wine rack at an Indy wine shop several years ago. I also own a couple of chilled storage systems. But as a wine writer, I get samples and buy a lot of wine and for the past few months realized I needed another rack – maybe 24-36 bottles.
Purchased today – filled tonight!
I looked at wine shops and found overly decorative, and overly expensive, metal racks that don’t really make those baby bottles feel very safe. I went into home furnishing stores and found more wine racks than I expected but way over-priced and most were more decorative or cute than they were functional.
Then, honestly it’s the old age, I remembered the column I wrote in 2010 about Gerald Radel of Peru, Indiana. Radel builds wine racks – lots of wine racks. His big contract is with Cost Plus World Market. There is a store on Indy’s northside so I scooted to Indy today and they had two different models.
Gerald Radel
Cost Plus, on 116th street in Carmel for the locals, had Radel’s 44-bottle pine rack for about $70 and a 24-bottle rack for $50. The thing I like about Gerald’s wine racks is they support the entire bottle and they’re sturdy!
So here is a plug for a nice man who makes darn fine wine racks. And here is a link to that 2010 column which tells a bit of the Radel story. There is a link to his website near the end of the post!
27 Monday May 2013
Posted in Australia/New Zealand, France, Paso Robles & Mendocino
Memorial Day just might be the official/unofficial kickoff to the outdoor grilling season. So let’s stick to that theme for three wine reviews.
Today is a day to pause in appreciation, before we get to the wine nonsense. Many of us have known soldiers who have gone and served in different military conflicts. It’s probably more fair to say all of us have known someone who gave up 2-3-4 years of their lives to assure our freedom. Fortunately, a smaller number know soldiers who never returned.
We should never lose site of the sacrifice so few have made for so many!
That message sometimes get lost in all the outdoor grilling and pool openings. But it’s always important to make note.
Now, on to the wines for any good summer day of grilling.
2011 Les Domaniers Selection Ott – This Cotes de Provence Rose’ is a nice one that isn’t hard to find. It has a light floral nose and a light and well-rounded mouth feel that will delight as you plan the BBQ.
The wine is a blend of 70 percent Grenache, 25 percent Cinsault, and 5 percent Syrah. It checks in at 13.5 percent on the alcohol.
This is a sipper you can pound with joy once chilled. It has good mineral and acidity though some folks will like a bit more. This is a great introduction to good Provence pink wine.
Simply put, it’s a wine you want to drink when the sun is shining!
2011 Les Domaniers Selection Ott, $19-mid $20, Vine & Table, Indy, Highly Recommended.
Chateau Tanunda Grand Barossa 2010 Shiraz – This Australian Shiraz doesn’t clobber the palate like a jar of jam.
The wine had chocolate, smoke and much better balance than many Shiraz wines I’ve tasted. You can taste the complement of nice blackberry to go with the chocolate and dry mouth feel.
It’s not hard to imagine this wine with any beef or even pork you pull off the grill. Any BBQ treatment of beast would go quite nicely with this somewhat understated Aussie wine!
Chateau Tanunda Grand Barossa 2010 Shiraz, $16, Trade Sample, Recommended.
Jack Creek Cellars 2008 Syrah – Paso Robles comes through with consistently great Syrah as well or better than anyone in the U.S. The wine screams steak, BBQ or even a pork chop with some seasoning.
This is rich and somewhat tannic red wine for the serious wine drinker. I loved the elegance of the ripe fruit. The tannins were balanced nicely against the front of the palate but definitely there to work with a serious steak.
It’s great red wine for those who like big California flavors.
Jack Creek Ceallars 2008 Syrah, current 2010 vintage SRP $46, Highly Recommended.
23 Thursday May 2013
Posted in France
“ABC” – Anything But Chardonnay has almost worn out its cleverness for those of us who aren’t fans.
Most people in the U.S. have tasted Chardonnay, wine drinker or not. Chardonnay is the U.S.’s default white wine. Most Chard served in such circumstances is largely California wine with oak or very heavy oak which profoundly colors the taste of this widely planted grape.
All that oak produces a vanilla, woodsy, or buttery flavor many love and some (like me) can’t stand. But for wine drinkers who like something a little lighter Chablis, and unoaked Chardonnay – from many different countries – is a very nice dinner wine with lots of different dishes.
I had a piece of fresh-frozen salmon I bought from an Alaska distributor defrosting in the fridge when I saw online activity reminding me it’s #Chardonnay Day. I’ve written about the #Day concept before which is essentially a marketing gimmick to bring attention to a particular varietal – or – a reason for wine geeks to get the ruler out!
I opened a bottle of Jean-Pierre Alexandre Ellevin Chablis that was very satisfying. Chablis is the second of four classifications from the northern Burgundy region. There is Petit Chablis, Chablis, Premier Cru, and Grand Cru. Wines at each designation are easy to find in the Midwest but “Chablis” is probably the most widely available and affordable.
The Ellevin estate is just outside the town boundries of Chablis with its 13 hectare of white wine grapes. The family estate has been in the hands of Jean-Pierre since 1975 with brother Alexander joining the business in 2004. I pulled that information directly from their website but I’ve always believed great wine has a great back story.
The wine was delightful – not as minerally characteristic as many – still had the tart and crisp acidity which has characterized Chablis for decades and beyond.
The wine was okay with the salmon, needed a bit more acid or minerality. I would think the wine would absolutely rock with most any chicken or poultry dish!
Jean-Pierre & Alexandre Ellevin 2010 Chablis, $19.95 on some online websites, Recommended.
22 Wednesday May 2013
Posted in Uncategorized
Tags
It’s all Greek to me – or so says the headline, but indeed true!
I’m a sucker for something different so imagine my surprise when Bethann at Vine & Table, Carmel, suggested I try this Rosé. She knows I love Provence and open to trying wines from other regions..
I have had some Greek wines and find them generally agreeable but this Rosé far surpassed that low benchmark. The wine is known as 14-18h by Gaia Wines. The 14-18h represents the hours the juice remains in contact with the red grape skins to get the beautiful cranberry color in the glass.
The grapes grow at a high altitude in the vineyards at Asprokambos of Neme. The juice is chilled while maintaining its brief contact with the skins for its color.
I liked this for it’s richness and full mouth feel. It reminded me of French Rhone Valley Rosé wines.
It had pronounced strawberry on the palate. The winery’s website suggested watermelon which I didn’t find at all. But this was deliciously different Rosé that really satisfies. It’s a moderate 13 percent alcohol. I enjoyed it with steelhead trout Tuesday and some shrimp tonight.
It’s a juicy wine while maintaining its dry characteristics. CellarTracker members gave the wine 89 points. That’s about right.
Oh, the wine is made of 100 percent Agiorgitiko. It’s a very heat-resistant grape, which makes sense for Greece. It’s often blended with Cabernet Sauvignon and can be lighter and delicate like this Agiorgitiko wine or much more tannic when turned into red wine.
Gaia 14-18h Rosé, $15.99, Vine & Table, Carmel, Highly Recommended.
20 Monday May 2013
Posted in France, Newspaper Column 2013
Vins de Provence graphic
The numbers are staggering. Americans are falling in love with French dry Rosé. Last year imported Rosé went up 28 percent – most of that coming from Provence, France.
“The growth is partly led by the Mediterranean diet,” said Julie Peterson of the Provence Wine Council. “Rosé from Provence is less than 3 milligrams of sugar. It’s not very sweet, but has fruit flavors. But it’s a dry wine and it’s made with red grapes. So you have that great character of a red wine that is dry with a white wine feel in the mouth.”
But the explosive growth is not new. While most of the wine market grows at single digits in the best years, Provence imports to the U.S. have grown at double-digit rates every year since 2003.
“Provence is the biggest exporter and producer of Rosé in the world and they’ve been making Rosé for 26 centuries – or as long as anyone has been making wine. The largest percent of their production is Rosé. Provence is the gold standard and Americans are discovering that.”
Peterson’s job is to help spread the word. She was in Chicago earlier this year for Provence producers’ first visit to the Windy City. More than 20 Provence winemakers poured their wines for importers, wholesalers, and the wine media.
That salmon-pink wine is not setting on shelves long either. U.S. retail sales of Rosé wines priced at or above $12 a bottle grew by 28 percent volume and 23 percent on dollars in 2012. That’s a stunning comparison to the 1.8 percent of volume and 4.8 percent in dollars for total U.S. retail table wine sales.
Rosé wine has been a fixture in France for many years. It’s often consumed at lunch, near the ocean and particularly during warm weather. But it’s also a remarkably versatile wine with food.
It’s important to understand, as Peterson noted, that the dry light pink wine is made from red wine grapes. Red wine is given extensive contact with the grape skins to create the color while Rose’ has minimal contact with the skins to get the desired pink hues and lighter flavor.
Provence Rosé is a blend made from some combination of Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, Mourvedre, Tibouren, Carignan, or Cabernet Sauvignon.
In Provence, Rosé is king with nearly 88 percent of all production devoted to Rose’ over traditional red and white wines. Provence produces 40 percent of France’s AOC Rosé. The French AOC designation is an assurance of authenticity and quality as established by government regulation.
Simply put for the average wine consumer, dry Rosé is not the pink white Zinfandel from the 1970s. Dry Rosé is a sophisticated wine of strawberry, mineral and acid that’s refreshing all alone or delicious with lighter meals. And most really great Provence is priced less than $10!
Howard’s Provence Picks: Chateau La Tour De Beraud, Chateau Revelette, and two personal favorites, Andieux & Fils and Domaine Ott.
14 Tuesday May 2013
Posted in California, Oregon, Paso Robles & Mendocino
Found this on net – bottle holder for the wine drinking, baseball guy on the couch! Oops, or lady!
There is nothing better than great wine with great friends. Wine is meant to be shared and the sharing is even more fun and exciting when wine geeks get together.
I had guests from California recently and we went through quite a line up of tasty treats. There wasn’t a strike out in the bunch, a home run or two, and a grand slam. Corny I know, but I think I’ll go with it for today.
Château d’Esclans 2012
Provence Rosé Whispering Angel
This wine led us off with a wonderful hint of strawberry and citrus. It’s a beautiful light pink/salmon that you expect from Provence. It’s dry, light, and pink – what else can you say about a great summer wine? A solid double (Highly Recommended) to get our group started. A few in the group had not had a good dry Provence before – sworn Red lovers – and came away liking it. You can find this great representation of Southern France in the $16-$23 range at better wine shops. This is pretty darn good Rose for the price point!
Lange Estate Vineyard 2008 Pinot Noir
I’ve long been a big-time Lange fan and this 2008 I carried back from Oregon didn’t disappoint. Lovely strawberry, raspberry and beautiful balance from the deft hand of Jesse Lange. It had a big beautiful nose and a wonderfully soft finish for a young wine. Lange wines often show more minerality than this bottle, but the fruit was gorgeous. The group loved it for its lighter Oregon style. At $60 SRP, it doesn’t come cheap but it’s a great representation of the upper end of Oregon Pinot Noir – a definite triple (Highly Recommended).
Jack Creek Cellars 2008 Estate Pinot Noir Reserve
Guests brought this Paso Robles Pinot and I was impressed. You couldn’t have a better contrast than go from the lighter Oregon style Pinot to a California Central Coast wine with a nice big rich mouth feel as opposed to the acid, mineral and more Burgundy-like touch of Oregon. One review called it full-bodied and juicy and I’m not sure I can top that. Cellartracker members gave this a very respectable 89 points. I think that’s about right, maybe 90. Jack Cellars, SRP $43, drives a triple into right center with this stylish and big California Pinot (Highly Recommended)
Yes, I started the baseball thing and I’m sticking with it!
Peterson 2010 Bradford Mountain Zinfandel
This wine rocked! If you like Zinfandel, you need to look for Peterson wines. The wine was bold, rich, and I got some black raspberry near the finish that was stunning. It had mild pepper and tannins on the finish and beautiful balance from start to finish. Here is an awesome wine for some dark chocolate! The average price according to Wine-Searcher is $37. CellarTracker members rated this at 89 but I’d go 90-91 on that scale. In other words, a home run! (Very Highly Recommended)
Beringer 2004 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Smooth Cabernet from California always hits the spot. The 2004 was deeply rich with dark cherry and a bit of caramel or similar flavor. I loved its smoothness. The wine was a good example of every palate being a bit different. The professional critics liked this wine more than the citizen sites. Wine Spectator awarded the wine a 90 while Wine-Searcher and Cellar Tracker were at 89-88, respectfully.
Never mind any critic – if you like it, drink it, and buy more. I liked it a lot and thought it was the winner of the night in a pretty impressive lineup of wines!
The average price for this wine, if you can find it, is about $50 but upper $40 to upper $60 range isn’t unusual according to online sites. Beringer is an old name in California wine. Their higher-end Cabernet wines are usually well worth the money. That’s what I thought on this one – I’d go 92 points and make this the grand slam of my goofy night at the plate! (Very Highly Recommended)
06 Monday May 2013
Posted in Newspaper Column 2013, Oregon
If the same old Chardonnay, Riesling, or Pinot Grigio is getting you down, try something different.
Italian Vermentino, Argentina’s Torontos, and Spain’s Macabeo are great whites with different flavor profiles. Grenache Blanc is the fourth-most planted white wine grape in France and becoming more popular each year as a single varietal wine. It’s often used in traditional Rhone and Southern France blends. It’s also a great alternative to the usual suspects.
Tablas Creek, Paso Robles, has championed Rhone whites for years. Oregon’s Joe Dobbes has become a huge fan and terrific producer more recently.
“I was making a Rhone blend for one of my Southern Oregon customers,” Dobbes explained during a Chicago marketing event. “It was Marsanne, Rousanne, Viognier and Grenache Blanc. Lo and behold, they had two tons of Grenache Blanc left over and said ‘Hey Joe, do you want it?”
That’s been a few years ago and now Dobbe’s Family Estate Grenache Blanc sells out each year. “I wanted to be first one to say let’s hang our hat on this grape. As a winemaker, I’m always trying to do something new and different, right? Oregon is known for Pinot Noir and we have some beautiful wines in Southern Oregon. But the Grenache Blanc came along and I thought ‘what’s the risk for a couple of tons of grapes?’
Joe Dobbes
“I want rich full-flavored, varietal fruit in my whites. I started in Germany in in 1985 and those white aromatics really helped formulate me. The Grenache Blanc is made “with no new barrels, no malolactic fermentation, and no filtration. The wine has great clarity and great richness in the mouth.
“The quintessential wine has great mouth feel, specifically whites, and beautiful fruit with great acidity. “I think this wine has all three.”
Dobbes looked at the landscape and saw Oregon winemakers selling Pinot Noir, most with a Pinot Gris but not many other choices. “I got tired of having to sell my Dobbes luxury label at a discount and thought we were going in the wrong direction. We decided to hang our hat a bit on Grenache Blanc, a specialty wine for a high-end retailer or restaurant. You’re not going to see this everywhere.”
The wine retails from Dobbes’ tasting room at $26.
The veteran winemaker acknowledged people are always looking for something different. “So we offer them some unique, fruity, esoteric whites. We’re also about Pinot Noir. Now Oregon winemakers are asking me where they can get Grenache Blanc, and I say … well, you can’t.”
Dobbes buys all of the Grenache Blanc available from the one producer who has six acres in Southern Oregon – the state’s entire production! Dobbes most popular label, ‘Wines by Joe,’ is widely available.
It might be easier to find Grenache Blanc from a California producer; still there are only 159 acres in the country’s biggest wine-producing state. The wine is characterized by its crisp acidity and often hints of green apple, orange, peach and minerality.
Besides Dobbes and Tablas Creek, try a Domaine Virgile Joly Grenache Blanc widely available in the Midwest and East Coast. Price points range from mid-teens to mid-$20 for these dynamic white wines.
02 Thursday May 2013
Posted in France, South America
Tags
Chateau La Tour De Bessan Margaux, Chile, Cousino-Macul Antiguas Reservas 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon, sustainable farming, sustainable vineyards and wine, wine half bottles
In a perfect world we’d all sip Rose on a seashore with fresh seafood. Or perhaps drink big Malbec or Cabernet with charred and aged steaks. And if that’s too snobbish, how about some Sauv Blanc and shrimp? Or, maybe some pizza or a hamburger with a Beaujolais Cru? In a perfect world should wine in a box be a little better? And shouldn’t consumers have a lot more of those nifty little half bottles in their wine stores? Every now and then, wine writers rant! Rant on:
Cousino-Macul Antiguas Reservas 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon – This is pretty darn great value Cab for under $20. The wine is rich with ripe fruit, that green pepper thing you get in Chilean wines, and a hint of currant and vanilla. Maipo Valley is the home to the winery. It’s big soft and so drinkable the bottle might be gone before you ever realize it. (Not that it happened that way with me, noooooo!) 
One of the great things about this wine is it comes from a producer who is joining a considerable South American movement toward sustainable farming practices.
Online, you’ll find rather dismissive reviews that it isn’t this or that. But the Cousino-Macul Cab is one most novice and intermediate wine drinkers is going to enjoy.
Cousino-Macul Antiguas Reservas 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon, Around $16, Trade Sample, Highly Recommended
Chateau La Tour De Bessan Margaux 2009 (Half Bottle) – How many saw the rant coming here? C’mon, raise your hands?
If you travel in Europe, particularly in the great wine countries, you will see lots of half bottles in wine shops but even more in outdoor and traditional markets. The half bottle is a perfect way to try something new or different not to mention great for the single person. Two glasses of wine is enough for many of us on most nights. There are arguments against the half bottle, mainly that wine will not age and last as long as the traditional 750 ml bottle. But there are statistics floating around out that that most wine in the U.S. is consumed within days or weeks of purchase.
Most of central Indiana’s better shops carry half bottles but a very limited selection. This Margaux gave me a chance to taste a Cab-Merlot blend from one of the world’s greatest wine regions without breaking the bank. Sure it’s an entry level wine from the region but that’s as far as many wine drinkers may ever get with Bordeaux’s crazy prices. The wine itself was okay. It had a beautiful balance and richness that suggested great French wine making. Blackberry was the overwhelming characteristic that came to mind as I sipped with my charred ribeye.
Chateau La Tour De Bessan Margaux 2009, $12.95 half bottle, Highly Recommended! More half bottles in wine shops – Very Highly Recommended!
Chateau Rollan de By 2011 Bordeaux Rose’ – Not a Claret but a Bordeaux Rose’ and a pretty good one. Most Rose’ fans really fall for the light, pink, and delicate Provence Rose – and I’m one of those folks. But I do like something different from time to time and the Bordeaux was a pleasant surprise.
It certainly was bigger on the palate but not sweet as some might fear from the candy-red color. It’s a bigger wine because it is made from Cabernet and Merlot from the Medoc region. It’s different – I like different. There is strawberry and cherry but it’s all kept in check by a nice roundness and mouth feel. It’s worth checking out.
Chateau Rollan de By 2011 Bordeaux Rose’, $13.50, Recommended.
Howard W. Hewitt 