If you want to see wine country and want a personal experience, go off the beaten path.

Off the beaten path you might run into the winemaker or winery owner in the tasting room. That just doesn’t happen in Napa Valley. Now, if you’ve never traveled Napa or Sonoma it is a must see. But if you visit California’s Paso Robles or Mendocino areas you’ll get a more personal experience.

Wine tourism certainly seems to be growing in Oregon’s Wilammette Valley, but you’ll still bump into winemakers as a friend of mine recently found out. I don’t talk much about my paying job on this blog, but I work in marketing at Wabash College. I get to know plenty of students.

Junior Drew Casey grew up in Portland and has a great palate for Pinot Noir for a 21 year old. During his spring break he visited a few Wilammette wineries. So I asked him to take a couple of photos (which I normally pay him to do at work) and write briefly about his experience.

Rainy Days and Visits to Lange Winery
A gravel road cutting through the Dundee Hills of Oregon, finally gave to Lange Estate’s sloping vineyards. Typical of a northwest day in March, sporadic down pours brought dark clouds and strong winds. Lange’s newly remodeled tasting room made for a great place to get out the weather.

Joanne Cramer-Brown, sales Czarina, graciously greeted me at the door. After quick introductions we got straight to tasting some of Lange’s elegant Pinot Noirs. It was a battle of titans right from the get go; a comparison taste test between Lange’s 08 Willamette Valley and 09 Three Hills Cuvee reserve bottles.

The 08, was a young but seemingly perfect Pinot, complete with classic gritty nose and slight oaky detection. The 09 was equally impressive, however with a slightly less sophisticated finish.

Jesse Lange, general manager for Lange Estate, even made an appearance on the tasting room floor, personally shaking my hand and questioning the integrity of his carefully crafted wines. The next pour was another comparison, this time between the 07 and 08 Estate Pinots (made from the oldest grapes on the property). Before tasting though, I received a personal tour of both warehouses, where hundreds of purple stained oak barrels sat, aging upcoming vintages.

But okay, back to the tasting, but now with a cleansed palate. There were really no fair comparisons that could be made between the 07 and 08 other than a slightly fuller body in the later vintage. Both had rich noses with remnants of deep plum and blackberry as well as wonderfully prolonged aftertastes. A relaxing atmosphere combined with down-to-earth attitudes at Lange made for an enjoyable tasting. The natural relaxation that stems from perfect wine and genuine hospitality, made this stop unforgettable. – Drew Casey

… maybe a wine writer in the making?

The best part is I’m tentatively planning a trip to Oregon for late July. Drew will be my host. I’m sure a trip up the hill to Lange will be on the itinerary.

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Wineries continue to pop up all over Indiana. As a matter of fact, a new winery opened about two weeks ago near Crawfordsville, IN.,where I live.

The state now has more than 50 wineries. Over the weekend I visited my favorite two, Huber Winery and Orchard and Turtle Run Winery.

Huber is a destination winery I’ve written about before, click here. Huber also turns up in several of my regular blog entries.

Ted Huber continues to push the boundries of what he can grow at his great location near Starlight, In., atop hills overlooking the Ohio River. He told me two years ago he had planted Petit Verdot and Malbec. He’s now using the Petit Verdot in his red wine blends and bottling the Malbec for his club members only.

His latest Cabernet was simply the best Cab I’ve tasted from an Indiana winery. There is a lengthy list of choices in Huber’s big tasting room. Make a trip in May and pick your own fresh strawberries or wait till June and pick red and black raspberries. In the fall it’s hard to find a parking spot during festival time with trees full of apples and fields of pumpkins. And just down the road is Joe Huber’s restaurant – perhaps the greatest fried chicken in the Midwest. Seriously!

I also ran over to Turtle Run winery and was able to spend a few minutes with Jim Pfeiffer. To say Jim is pusing the limits of Indiana wine isn’t any stretch of the truth.

Jim has made Indiana’s first ever Botrytis cinerea – or ‘noble rot’ wine. He calls it “Catherine’s Blend,” named for his daughter. This is for the wine geeks out there, think of Sauternes of France and the deep yellow, rich, slightly sweet wines with a full mouth feel. He also has done some really interesting things with the native Steuben grape. And of course, as I wrote recently in Grape Sense, he makes one of Indiana’s few dry Traminettes.

What I didn’t know is he makes a traditional stainless steel aged Traminette but also one he barrel ages. I’m not aware of anyone else doing that.

Turtle Run is an easy drive from Hubers. The two stops make an awesome one-day trip. And I have some video of Pfeiffer talking about his Catherine’s blend and the Traminette I hope to get up on site this week.

I think I’m going to pour both wines at a group tasting with ‘the Dudes” this week and do a little video to accompany Jim’s comments.

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Going three for three in the major leagues will get you in the Hall of Fame. Going three for three in less than a week with wine might not be HOF material, but its upped my batting average of late!

I have been lumping my wine reviews together in the last month or so and that’s proved to be an easier way for me to get them done. I’ve also added a generic word or two in way of the recommendation. I think the 100-point scale is just too much for casual, value wine drinkers. What does a five-star system get accomplished?

So from now on I’ll simply stick with Not Recommended, Recommended, or Highly Recommended.

Veramonte 2009 Pinot Noir – I have tried several Chilean Pinot Noirs and the Veramonte was the first to really turn my head and tickle the palate. I was pleasantly surprised the $13.99 Pinot had smooth Pinot flavor, not much terroir (dirt), but nice dark fruit, a hint of spice, and a silky feel.

These grapes come from the Cacablanca Valley and make a Pinot that comes in at 14 percent alcohol after spending some time in oak. In release notes from the importer, the Casablanca Valley is compared to California’s Russian River Valley.

I’ve traveled the Russian River Valley and didn’t think this wine had the similar bold Pinot flavor you find in those wines. But it’s very difficult to find a good Pinot under $15. The Veramonte hits the mark!(Veramonte 2009 Pinot Noir Reserva, SRP $13.99 Recommended)

Brassfield Estate Winery 2009 Serenity – This is one of the nicest white wine blends I’ve enjoyed in a long time. Brassfield’s Serenity is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Gewurtztraminer and Semillon.

This comes from north of Napa, the High Valley Appelation. The wine has a distinctive pineapple and apple nose and taste. I didn’t think of Honeydew melon until reading the tasting notes but agreed. I like this wine because it’s so smooth on the plate without being sweet. It does not have the acidity of many white wines.

I think this is a white wine that most people will enjoy if given the chance. (Brassfield Estate Winery 2009 Serenity, $9.99-$14.99, Highly Recommended)

In Fine 2007 Rouge – This Southern Rhone red wine just rocks for the $11.99 I paid. If you like Grenache, you’re going to love In Fine. The dark red Rhone is 80 percent Grenache and 20 percent Syrah.

It’s rich and spicy with nice subtle dark fruits. The wine has a long finish for such an inexpensive wine. It comes from the Cotes du Ventoux region. It’s very smooth on the plate, thanks to its 8 months aging in concrete tanks before its bottled.

There is even something of a rustic quality to this nice French wine. You get the feeling this is the type of red you’d get at a table in a small cafe in a little French Village along the valley.

Open this one up and chill it just a little before serving. It think this wine would work with most foods or just as a sipper. I’m not a fan of chilling most red, but it works with this one.

Impress your friends for $11.99 – you bet! (In Fine 2007 Rouge, $11.99, Recommended)

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The Grape Sense family is growing. Today I picked up the Paris Beacon-News, a small daily newspaper in Paris, Illinois.

From October of 2008, the column has been all about networking. I’m not sure I’ve confessed in writing my intent but I hope to do something in wine marketing, writing, or perhaps retail in semi-retirement. But that’s still a few years off!

That’s why I don’t charge newspapers for the column. Paris becomes the 16th newspaper publishing Grape Sense and pushes the combined homes to more than 205,000.

I picked up Paris because the new publisher there used to work nearby.

I intend to reach out to small and mid-size dailies in Ohio, Michigan, and Illinois this year to build the network. I find few blogs and so far no print columns focusing on value wine and education.

I hope to keep it growing! I’ve written 61 columns since beginning and will pen the 62nd one this week. By the way, you can read them all – and who doesn’t want to do that – on Grape Sense. I maintain that blog just as an archive for the columns.

I’ve written to this blog more than 400 entries since beginning Grape Sense.

Thanks for reading here and to those who see the columns!

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Jim Pfeiffer’s Turtle Run Winery sits south of I-64, just west of Corydon, in southern Indiana. It takes a little effort to find his nifty tasting room, but the unusual blends and his off-beat sense of humor makes the drive worth the trouble.

Pfeiffer is a self-described blend-o-holic. It should come as no surprise then he has a different take on Indiana’s Signature Grape – Traminette – than many others. He tends to ask his own questions and provide the answers.

“Traminette is one of my favorite wines,” Pfeiffer said. “I really like the spicy “gwertz” characteristics. I’ll always remember the first Traminette I tried, which was an experimental wine I tasted at the Indiana Wine Grape Growers Guild meeting in 1999. I loved the flavors, and immediately decided to plant the vines, which we did in 2000.”

That doesn’t put Pfeiffer in unique company. As reported in the last Grape Sense column, Indiana wineries are rushing to plant Traminette. As a matter of fact, the Indiana Agriculture Statistics Service at Purdue estimates Indiana has 600 acres in vineyards. The top grape remains Chambourcin but Traminette has grown from 26 acres in 2004 to 65, second highest, in the most recent statistics.

“Traminette has been planted in Indiana more than any other grape variety the past few years,” said Bruce Bordelon, Purdue Horticulture Department. “Growers like the performance in the vineyard and wineries love the wine quality. Much more is likely to be planted over the next few years as its popularity with consumers rises. It will likely be the most widely planted variety in Indiana within the next five years.”

Traminette has no bigger fan, but Pfeiffer makes his “signature Indiana wine” in a dry style instead of the more prominent sweet versions. “I tend to think this grape really delivers as a dry wine grape,” he said. “First, the balance of acids coming in from the vineyard is flat out perfect. The total acids are completely in line with the strength of the acids, or PH. When that is aligned, you can go dry, dry, dry. Additionally, and uniquely, like many red wines, this wine stays in balance and maintains its flavor with higher alcohol.

“Folks who try our Traminette are very pleasantly surprised to see a dry one on the market. I get a lot of excitement from Traminette fans who first taste ours. I see the Traminette market growing, due to Indiana pride as the state grape, and, obviously due to the flavors. Is there a limit? Certainly, its flavors are alluring to me but certainly not as much to my wife. I think it was a good decision to name this grape the Indiana state grape, since it can perform in a number of different terroirs.”

Pfeiffer lauded Purdue’s efforts to promote the grape. Most all Indiana wineries were quick to jump on the bandwagon. “There are people who are ‘Traminette-o-philes’ who specifically want to try our Traminette. This has been great. However, there are folks who simply do not like the flavors. So will Traminette take on the rage, of say, a California Cabernet Sauvignon? Definitely not. Will it have the broad, universal appeal of say Merlot or Chardonnay? Probably not either. Its distinctive flavors tend to torque people towards it or against it. Rarely do we hear, ‘eh, it’s okay.’ “

Turtle Run 2009 Traminette – I haven’t tasted Pfeiffer’s 2009 yet, but I have had the 2008 several times. It sells for $12. It’s aged only in stainless steel. His website describes the 2009 as generous lime, lemon, and a hint of grapefruit. And, keep in mind it won’t be the sweet Traminette you may have tried elsewhere. The dry Turtle Run Traminette is my favorite Indiana wine.

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Tonight, I’m catching up on some recent wines I’ve shared with friends or tasted.

The price points range from $7 to $30 and I have some whites and reds to share. And since I’m reviewing several wines here, I’m going to offer a “recommended, not recommended” type of rating for each.

S.Morris 2007 Petite Syrah – I got this wine through a Paso Robles wine club I joined. It’s hard to find many details on this small operation but they sure do know how to make interesting Petite Syrah.

Normally you expect big and bold written all over a Petite Syrah. This wine was full flavored but with outstanding balance and a velvety mouth feel and finish.

It featured dark fruit and a little spice on the finish. (S.Morris 2007 Petite Syrah, $25, Recommended)

Villa San-Juliette 2008 Sauvignon Blanc – Simply put, this was the best Sauvignon Blanc I’ve tasted in a long time! At $15, I don’t think you’ll find a better one.

Now, this is a new winery but made 30,000 cases of this vintage. The Paso Robles area tasting room is scheduled to open this year. All of that means you might not be able to find the wine in some states. But the name is going to be one to remember.

This was an elegant Sauv Blanc without in your face tart fruit and/or acidity. I tasted pear and rich grapefruit instead of the usual grapefruit tartness. This is beautiful white wine from California’s Central Coast. (Villa San-Juliette 2008 Sauvingon Blanc, $15, Highly Recommended)

flipflop 2009 Pinot Noir – Regular Pinot Noir drinkers often lament that lack of an inexpensive Pinot Noir. I often direct those folks to Mirassou, found in many markets. I’m now going to tell them Mirassou or flipflop!

I was skeptical when marketing friend Stephen Mitchell told me about this new line of wines. There is a cause behind the wine that everyone can support. flipflop wines is working with Soles4Souls to provide shoes for children. Underdog Wine Merchants, the company that does boxed wines for Octavin, is working with flipflop and Soles4Souls to provide 11 million pairs of shoes to needy children around the world.

Stephen told me I wasn’t going to believe the quality of the wine for $7 retail. I was convinced Stephen would be right – I wouldn’t believe him. Now, first off – it is a $7 wine. If you’re expecting a big California style Pinot taste you’re not going to get it. But at this price point — the wine TASTED like Pinot Noir. That’s the litmus test for me at the price. It’s light in style and very drinkable.

My local Kroger supermarket has a palate of flipflop wines. The company is offering the Pinot, Pinot Grigio, Riesling,Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Moscato – all selling for just $7 each. I tried the Pinot Grigio as well and thought it easily could have passed for a $15 bottle. (flipflop wines, SRP $7, Trade Sample, Recommended!)

Veramonte’s Cruz Andina 2008 Malbec – This was a juicy Malbec made from grape regions Mendoza, Uco, and Lujan de Cuyo in Argentina. It’s actually a blend of 85 percent Malbec, 8 percent Syrah, and 7 percent Cabernet.

I liked this SRP $19.99 wine a lot. I enjoyed the touch of raspberry and the wine’s rich, long finish. This wine has a pretty strong oak presence that doesn’t bother me at all, but will put off some wine drinkers. The alcohol is at 14.5 percent.

If you like big and full-flavored Malbecs, you’ll like this one. (2008 Andina Malbec, SRP $19.99, Trade Sample, Recommended)

Veramonte 2010 Sauvignon Blanc – This was a disappointment for me. Chilean Sauv Blanc has become one of my favorites. This wine had huge grapefruit and hints of nasty sweat sock. It was quite acidic. The alcohol was a reasonable 13.5 percent and it’s a real value at $12.

The Veramonte was medium bodied, but just too much mineral taste for my palate. This is a reputable winery, this white wine just wasn’t suited to my palate. I have a bottle of their Pinot Noir I’m anxious to try. It’s gotten a lot of accolades. (2010 Veramonte Sauvignon Blanc, $11.99, Trade Sample, Not Recommended)

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Twelve years ago Open That Bottle Night was created by Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brecher.

The concept is rather simple. Most wine drinkers have 1-2 or a few dozen “special” bottles stashed away for a special occasion. OTBN is designed to get wine drinkers to open a special bottle – essentially – for the heck of it on a night in February.

You deserve it. It’s your money. So pick a good bottle out for this special evening celebrating good wine and celebrating you!

Great concept huh?

Gaiter and Brecher will actually be participating in a live forum Saturday night on Palate Press if you’d like to join the conversation about your wine or just watch the comments. Here is more information.

Oh, I’m going to open a Tuscan wine from Corzano E Paterno I carried home from Italy just a little over a year ago. It was the one bottle in my suitcase after a two-week visit to the Florence area – but just one day in Tuscany. The 2006 is a Sangiovese, Cab, Merlot blend!

What are you opening?

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I wrote a story for Palate Press about red wine stains and your teeth which went live on the site overnight.

Most of the advice seems practical but I had never heard of a few of these tips until recent years. If you drink much wine – red or white – it’s worth checking out.

Here is direct link to the story!

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Marketers know the best way to sell a product is to have a good product to sell. Indiana winemakers have struggled to find a niche beyond “sweet wines” for years. It seems “Try on Traminette” was the marketing campaign and grape to spur new-found success.

The Indiana Wine and Grape Council and Purdue University started a marketing campaign last year to introduce consumers to Traminette – a wine that is fruity and very floral. The grape is a hybrid that will remind regular white wine drinkers of Gewurztraminer – an annual Thanksgiving favorite. Cornell University is widely believed to be the developer of the hardy grape that grows well in Hoosier soils – best known for corn and beans.

The state designation of a “signature wine” has propelled Traminette to an Indiana tasting room favorite.

“We have seen “demand” for Traminette develop ever since the radio ads that Purdue is running,” said Mark Easley, Easley Winery, Indianapolis. “It is a great aromatic white wine that just needed to be discovered. Something ‘other’ than chardonnay comes to mind.”

The demand for Traminette has been felt all across Indiana’s 54 bonded wineries. More than 30 of the wineries are offering the wine, according to the Wine and Grape Council. The growth has challenged tasting rooms and vineyards. Just two years ago, only 15 Indiana wineries were producing Traminette.

“We are growing it in two of our southern Indiana vineyards,” Easley said. “Our Posey County vineyard gets a lot more heat in the summer months than our Jennings County vineyard. That creates an interesting difference in the amount of “fruitiness” we get from the fruit at each farm. The heat brings out a little more of the Gewurztraminer flavor.”

Easley markets its Traminette as a semi-dry wine with just over three percent residual sugar. It is going to be on the sweet side for most wine drinkers, but not overpowering by any means. Most Indiana wineries are producing Traminette as a sweet or semi sweet/dry white wine. But the grape can be used to make sparkling wines, table wines, ice wines, late-harvest wines, and standard dry to sweet wines.

“We are currently doing a varietal blend of the wine that we sold out of last year,” Easley noted. “Our winemaker also uses Traminette in the wine blends for both our Reggae White wine and our Barrel White wine. We find with the fruitiness and aromatic character of grapes like Traminette, Cayuga White and Riesling, that they step out into their own with a little residual sugar.”

Easley is quick to note Indiana wine drinkers still prefer sweeter wines and most Indiana producers cater to that market.

Christian Butzke, a Purdue associate professor of enology and a former commercial winemaker, is expecting most wineries that don’t produce Traminette now will do so soon. He said the ongoing “Try on Traminette” campaign and its initial success would help those new Indiana wineries become recognized as agritourism destinations.

“Startups have the advantage of jumping into an existing campaign,” Butzke said. “They can hit the ground running as many people enjoy local artisan wines even in a challenging economy.”

That is another advantage the Indiana producers enjoy. Most of the Indiana-produced white wines, including Traminette are under $15 a bottle and low as $7 in some instances.

In the next Grape Sense, we’ll get another take on Traminette from a producer who makes a somewhat rare dry version of the floral grape.

Howard’s Pick:
Easley Traminette – This family winery is one of Indiana’s oldest, located in downtown Indianapolis. The Traminette is sweet but beautifully balanced. The wine retails at just under $15. The Easley folks suggest a bottle of Traminette with pork loin.
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