Sopexa JoLynn Howe (right)

... so I will be in Bordeaux in a few weeks to attend En Primeur ... and so appreciated the snapshot of some of the 2009s showcased by Sopexa's Le Cercle Rive Droite today for journalists and members of the trade. The 2009s were showing remarkably well! At the same time, Sopexa showed "Today's Bordeaux 2010"  which is a selection of 100 Classic, Contemporary, Affordable wines. The wines were all under $30 and some delicious wines as low as $13.

Jeremy Benson of Benson Marketing Group

When I was in Bordeaux a few years ago, speaking to producers and the BIVB, the message they wanted to get out was that Bordeaux isn't some "fancy wine for special occassions" - it is to drink with dinner on Tuesday nights. And it really is true that when someone mentions "Bordeaux" the perception is that of the Grand Cru wines that could cost more than ten thousand dollars a case.

Daniel Marsteller

Luckily the wine store near me carries a lot of under-$20 Bordeaux by small quality producers, so I am a bit more familiar with this taste profile than the Grand Cru. The wines showcased today, mostly 2005s, were very well balanced and delicious, with many of the producers speaking with pride about their new sorting equipment or other machinery. If you are used to California cabs, you might appreciate the lower alcohol and more subdued and restrained flavors. Among the white Bordeaux I would like to call attention to Chateau Lamothe de Haux, 2009, a dry white blend of 40% Sauvignon Blanc, 40% Semillon, and 20% Muscadelle. Lots of delicious goodness for $13. On that 2008 trip I was invited to stay at the winery's gorgeous chateau in Entre du Mers. Click here to read about the drama that occured in their limestone caves.

Damien of Les Caves Du Chateau Lamothe

Some of the tasting, for me, was educational. It was quite a great opportunity to taste across the regions, finding similarities and differences. I found that most all of the Saint-Emilion had a curious clay-limestone type of element ... yet really didn't have enough regions to compare it to.

Helene Garcin Leveque of Vignobles Garcin

Among the notable producers was Chateau de Pressac in Saint-Emilion. I met the owner J.F Quenin who explained the method beyond the smooth flavors of their Grand Cru - almost unheard of in a barely out of the barrel 2009. We discussed pumping over vs. punching down and which is more gentle, with M. Quenin explaining they have a special machine that punches down very gently and evenly, and when the skins have given color to the must, then they pump over. Though the winery uses 100% new wood, the wine was so incredibly balanced I couldn't smell or taste any wood at all - it was very well integrated.

I was also impressed by Clos des Jacobins, which is a "Grand Cru Classe" - a wine that does not have the distinction of a Grand Cru by title, yet I found much better than its sister wine, a Grand Cru called Chateau La Commanderie. The producers explained that the Grand Cru classe wine sold for twice the price of the Grand Cru, and that they are applying to kick it up a noche in the system (an occassion that happens only once every ten years). To be successful in elevating a wine, producers must submit ten vintages for tasting, notes and studies on the soil, and incredibly, stacks of (hopefully good) publicity so the powers that be can see that the wine is getting good reviews, and even more incredibly, a hospitality program that sees the winery hosting tours.

Chiara Ferraris

Did you know that wines from Italy are the most imported wines to the USA?

In Manhattan, Italian wines are very hot, and they are most diverse and exciting at the restaurant I Trulli, which has hundreds of Italian wines on its list.

Now certain Manhattanites (you now who you are!) are known to like "mysterious" and "obscure" wines, and I Trullli has that covered with the exciting new Ruche grape, which is native to the Piedmont region of Castagnole. It is a wine meant to be drunk young, and express the terroir of the region. Its cherry, mineral, aggressive flavors pair well with rich dishes such as sweatmeats (or chicken livers) as well as aged cheese.

Only 32 producers make this varietal, and today's lunch was all about the winery Luca Ferraris in Piedmont, with the guest speaker Chiara Ferraris, wife of the owner/winemaker who I understand to be the largest exporters of the native varietal. Beyond Ruche, they produce another eclectic varietal, Grignolino d'Asti, which is sort of like a New World fresh, fruity, Pinot Noir, meant to be drunk young and can easily pair with white fish (such as trout) with earthier elements (i.e. mushrooms, pasta).

As the charming young Chiara spoke about Ruche and her other wines, I immediately sensed the quality of the wines and sophisticated personality of the Ferraris family.

wine

It all started in the California gold rush years, when an ancient patriarch of the Ferraris family left his pregnant wife and three children in Italy for California and his chance at fame and fortune. In the fullness of time, he sent enough money 'home' for his family to buy a house. And though he continued to send money home, he never returned. The youngest son (whom he had never seen) came to California to seek him out, found him, yet was unable to convince him to return to Italy.

When Chiara, the daughter-in-law of the family, was asked if the family was upset by this abandonment, she remarked that all the money he sent home allowed the family to buy the house which is still used as part of their winery and that they have even named a wine after this ancestor. Chiara's husband Luca, the descendant of this California-bound ancestor, was quick at a young age to buy the land around the house and become a full time vignaron.

I liked the Ruche a great deal, yet you really must enjoy it with its native food and the I Trulli restaurant is a great setting. This wine was paired with sweetbreads, yet I think it can go with many rich foods. It is sold by the glass so you might also want to just order the glass and think about the remarkable story about Chiara and Luca Ferraris and their passion to bring an indiginous grape of the region to new life.

 The Menu and Wines are below

Featuring the wines of
Luca Ferraris
with Chiara Bizzocchi-Ferraris
March 10, 2010
12:30 pm

Grignolino d’Asti 2008
Luccio con Patate ai Capperi
Pike with Potatoes and Capers
~
Barbera d’Asti 2008
Tajarin con Funghi
Rich Egg Pasta with Mushrooms
~
Ruchè di Castagnole Monferrato 2008
Finanziera
Chicken Livers and Sweetbreads, “Banker Style”
~
Monferrato Rosso Il Re 2006
Robiola
Assorted Piedmontese Cheeses and Accompaniments
 

Pietro Ratti

Tom Maresca and Charles Scicilone of New York's Wine Media Guild have done the impossible -- they have put together a fantastic tasting of 2005 Barolos with Pietro Ratti, son of the late Renato Ratti and owner of the family winery in La Morra, to come to NY and speak to us.

Overall, the wines were way too young, yet it was a rare treat to be able to compare wines from the different villages and the different producers.

As you probably know, Barolo was known as the "King of Wines and the Wine of Kings" for its muscular power. It is named after the town of Barolo, about nine miles south of Alba from the Nebbiolo grape. Laws specify it must age at least three years (two of them in cask), Riserva must age five years, and the maximum yield is 50 hl/ha.

Barolo is divided into five basic sub-regions, which are divided again by soil type. The town of Barolo and neighboring La Mora have calcareous and Tortonian marl, which are magnesium rich and produce a softer, more elegant and graceful wine. Towns of Monforte d'alba, Castiglione Falletto, and Serralunga d'Alba lie on an older, poorer sandstone, and iron rich marl called Helvetian. They are more powerful, denser, and said to sustain longer aging.

It was interesting to hear Mr. Ratti speak about the appellation, and I could really feel his passion. Now I can't wait to go and meet the producers myself!

 

Erwin Faiveley flanked by celebrity chefs

1st Cru winemakers and Michelin rated chefs from Dijon, the major city near Burgundy, gathered together in Manhattan this week to celebrate a week-long celebration of the creativity and vitality of Dijon.

Nuits saint georges

At a reception for journalists, winemakers set up tables with their best 1st Cru, and the famous chefs paraded about in their smart white uniforms, relaxing from what must have been a rather taxing week of cooking in strange kitchens for a variety of events.

For wine students and journalists, it was an opportunity to taste the best of the 2007 vintage. I enjoyed my conversation with Erwan Faiveley, the very charming and sophisticated head of the winery, and tasted his three 1st cru 2007 from "Les Damodes," "Les Fuees," and Les Cazetiers."  I also tried his 2007 whites from Meursault and Puligny-Montrachet.

3 Tiers of Burgundy from Domaine Gallois

I also tasted the wines of Domaine Dominique Gallois - Mr. Gallois was kind enough to bring a village wine from 2007, a grand cru, and a 1st cru so I could compare the differences. Recently I spent over $400 to do the same thing as an exercise in the Master of Wine program (the goal was to see the progression of quality). I have not yet done that tasting, and will report on it extensively on this blog. Yet right now, I'm seriously wondering if the exercise would be of real benefit as I did not taste much variation between the village level and 1st cru level of Domaine Gallois -- very possibly, because the wines were all so young. In ten years, the differences might be more remarkable. 

Dominique Gallois

Below are some notes on vinification from the Dominique Gallois web site


Each year requires its own wine, respecting the traditions and basic rules Whilst using technical progress. Most importantly, we must carefully sort the grapes.

Firstly in the vines each picker spells, then in the vat room was sorting table. Then scraping and cold pre-fermentation for 2 to 5 days according to the quality of the harvest. Fermentation for 12 to 15 days, depending on the year, using only the natural yeast of the grapes. Temperature control mainly by "pumping" and "piping". Whilst Devatting hot and barrelling in oak casks from the Allier for 14 to 20 months aging depending upon the year and the name.

In any event, I will be in Burgundy in a few weeks to taste the new vintage and will keep you up to date!
 

Michael Apstein

Have you heard of Manchuela? It is a very small, rather new D.O. in Spain that makes quality white, rose, and red wine. Recently, winemakers from the region presented their wines to journalists at a lunch in New York with commentary from wine educator Michael Apstein.

The native grape of the region is Bobal, which is a refreshing, red wine with good tannin and acidity, and I liked it even better as a rose (Realce Bobal Rosado 2009) with its pretty candy-colored rose hue, refreshing acidiy, and very pleasant slightly bitter finish. I also liked the Macabeo, which is a popular white grape in Spain. I found the Antares Macabeo 2009 especially pleasant with its gorgeous near-gold color, aromatic lemon verbana aroma, and balanced acidity.

To properly show off the wines, the luncheon had many courses ... with the first course of shrimp, we enjoyed the Macabeo described above and Realce Crianza 2005, 100% Tempranillo with spice and concentrated red fruit. The second course of fish was paired with Azua Bobal Roble 2007 (sweet floral nose, fruit and spice on the palate that does not weigh one down) and Quantum 2008 blend of Merlot, Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon. The third course of venison was paired with Villavid Crianza 2004 (floral nose with blackberry jam) and balanced, concentrated palate, as well as Senorio del Jucar Reserva 2003 (very complex, incredible concentration of flavor) and nuances of vanilla and sweet oak.

The cheese course was served with Azua Bobal Crianza 2008, a delicious and well concentrated wine with a nose revealing vanilla, cinammon, clove, and violets and a long finish of ripe blackberry and toasted oak.

These wines are a welcome addition to the American wine scene.

Antonio (standing)

One of the best things about being a wine writer is the opportunity to meet really great people. Wine producers always seem to be so genuinely friendly and nice. Of course, they are sales peole by necessity, yet every single wine person I've met has always been incredibly sincere and passionate about their product.

This past Monday night I had the occasion to meet producer Antonio Garcia Figuero, whose family owns a winery called Garcia Figuero in Ribera del Duero and goes back through several generations. The wines of Garcia Figuero are all 100% Tempranillo, which as you know is Spain's signature grape.

What is frustrating about tempranillo - to students of wine at least - is that it can take on so many personalities. In the "old days" one had better chance of identifying a Tempranillo, especially from Rioja, by its signature "American Oak" barrel aging which resulted in specific aroma. Today producers are experimenting with many different types of oak, and many different styles.

The Tempranillo of Garcia Figuero is smooth, elegant, and their very finest "Noble 2004" has been described (not by me) as akin to the finest Bordeaux. At $130 it is certainly equivalent in price, but I liked this wine for its smooth, elegant richness of fruit and complexity of flavors. It's not just the Tempranillo grape at work here, it's the soil of Ribera del Duero which has quite a bit of minerals, iron in particular. You can taste ripe jam, licorice, all very smooth and balanced and compex and rich.

For this wine, 70 year old grapes are hand harvested, destemmed, and put through gravity-controlled tanks (Antonio is very proud of these new tanks, as they improve the quality of the wine) it is macerated two days prior to fermentation. It is aged 21 months (15 months in American Oak, six months in French oak from the Allier and Troncais forrest). It then spends an additional 15 months aging in bottle before leaving the cellar.

Yet if this wine is too rich for your budget, you can choose a 'Crianza' which has spent twelve months in barrel. I liked this wine a lot ... rich concentrated flavor of spiced plum, vanilla, blackberries ... and a bit of new French oak shinning through. 85% of the grapes used for this wine come from 20-40 year old vines, with the remaining coming from vines older than a half century. After the grapes are hand harvested they are destemmed, go through gravity controlled tanks, and have five to six days of cold soak maceration prior to fermentation. $28.00

I also liked the Reserva (15 months in Barrel, $53.00) which was delicate with firm yet plush red fruit, quite silky and sensuous. Vines used for this wine are all over half a century, and after gravity controlled tanks have two days of masceration prior to fermentation. It is aged 15 months in new barrels (95% American, 5%French) and sees an additional 21 months aging before it leaves the cellar. Affordable for all at $19 is the Roble Four Month, which has a fresh dark berry aroma. Well balanced and delicious yet can not be compared to the rather coddled wines described above. 

Antonio, his siblings, and brother in law J. Felipe Martin Cabezon run the winery now as his father is mostly retired and they feel very positive about the future of the winery. Tasting the wines, I can see why.

Taylor Mason, Resident Chef

.... it seems like I've been going to the Napa Valley every few weeks this year. Only February, and I've been in late January for the Master of Wine educational seminar and just last week, the Symposium for Professional Wine Journalists and the Premiere Napa Valley Barrel Auction.

Usually Yountville looks the same from year to year, yet in the past several months I've noticed new activity in this gorgeous, ancient looking structure along Yountville's "restaurant row." It turns out that the name is Ma(i)sonry and it is owned by Michael Polenske who also owns the Pomerol style Blackbird Vineyards winery.

Last summer was the first time I really noticed Ma(i)sonry as it looked like a very cool party was going on. Was it a restaurant? It turned out to be the opening of an art exhibit of Chiara Mondavi (yes, grand daughter of Robert) and we were welcomed inside. 

Of course, it was a gorgeous summer day and the reception was held in the delightful garden. We chatted a bit with Michael Polenske, whom we met a few years back at an event related to his Blackbird Vineyards. Yet it wasn't until last Friday, when we were invited to Ma(i)sonry for a press lunch, that we were able to get some updates on his wines and projects.

Michael had been a investment management specialist (hence the artful fruition of his winery and the picture perfect showcase for his wines and art) for over twenty years. He went on to get diplomas in agriculture and create Blackbird Vineyards, which has won many awards.

Ma(i)sonry was acquired to serve many purposes. First, Michael wanted to create a fabulous tasting environment for his own wines and showcase local artists. And with 10,000 feet and various rooms, niches, and the garden, he could also offer the venue as a tasting space for smaller boutique wineries that do not have a tasting room or marketing force on their own. Beyond the art, the structure is richly furnished with one of a kind pieces.

Of course, the space came in quite handy as a delightful venue for journalists to taste the cuisine of Ma(i)sonry's resident chef Taylor Mason and sipped some signature Blackbird releases (below)

Blackbird 2009 Rose
Blackbird 2007 Arise
Blackbird 2007 Illustration
Blackbird 2008 Premiere Napa Valley blend

I liked the space a lot and wish I had the foresight to snap it up before Michael! Happily, Ma(i)sonry is available for rent and Chef Taylor Mason is fabulous.

Info:  Contact Denis Collins at 707 944 0889
http://www.maisonry.com

 

Gary Fisch (stripped shirt) of Gary's Wine and Marketplace (location New Jersey)

,,, so here I am, freshly returned to NYC after a week in Napa tasting fantastic wine, spending time with fellow journalists at the Symposium for Professional Wine Writers at Meadowood, and attending many of the festivities and tastings leading up to the Premiere Napa Valley Barrel-Futures Auction.

This year you will be happy to know that the auction raised almost a million more than last year (nearly two million dollars) and had been bested only twice in its 14 year history.

Now you must be asking yourself some questions, quite possibly:

1. Isn't there supposed to be a recession?
2. Isn't there some sort of buzz predicting the price lowering of high end California wine?
3. Who are the biggest buyers?
4. What wines went for the highest price.

Yes - there is a recession. And despite talk of it being over, it may be a while until we are full speed ahead. And yes, you have probably heard gloom and doom statements about "overpriced" California wine.

Yet according to many of the wine buyers at the auction, demand for upmarket California wine is increasing and they predict by the time the wine is ready to be bottled and sold to customers, demand will be there.

The top selling lot of the day was from Shafer Vineyards, a five-case offering of Sunspot Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon sold to Napa-based Winebid.com for $37,000.

The number two bidder was Nakagawa Trading Company of Japan, purchasing thirteen offerings including high-earning lots from Lewis Cellars, Schrader Cellars, and TOR family vineyard.

Gary Fisch of Gary's Wines (pictured in stripes above) purchased 38 different wines for his clients from the Premiere catalog, including BOND, Chateau Boswell, and Staglin Family Vineyards.

 

Chef Christopher Kostow

It has been a while - perhaps more than a year - when I had the tasting menu at the fabulous Meadowood resort in the Napa Valley (click here to read the review).

I had the pleasure of being at Meadowood this past week in anticipation of the Napa Valley Wine Auction, yet did not have the opportunity to experience The Restaurant. Michael Bauer, Restaurant Critic for the San Francisco Chronicle, did and the newpaper just released his four star review.

Now, of course, I am so envious that my schedule did not allow me to experience the delicious dishes he wrote up. Many of the dishes reminded me of Noma, a gourmet restaurant in Denmark where lunch for one (me!) cost $500. I will enclose a link to that restaurant review later, yet I found it interesting at the time that of the half dozen people in the restaurant, all were individuals who, like me, had their cameras and notebooks on the table and furiously scribbled and photographed between courses. Like some of the dishes in Mr. Bauer's review, the cuisine had a fabulous and whimsical presentation.

Now I can't remark on the cuisine under Chef Kostow as I have not experienced it yet it sounds fabulous. As Mr. Bauer mentions, the 3 course meal is $75 yet I would definately do the $155 eight course pairing menu. Universally, this has always proved to me a much better experience than a simple three course and shows the depth and bredth of the chef's experience.

Service at Meadowood is spectacular, and sommelier Rom Toulon is great at finding fantastic pairings.

Restaurant at Meadowood
900 Meadowood Lane (at Silverado Trail), St. Helena

(707) 967-1205 or www.meadowood.com.

Journalists at Symposium for Professional Wine Writers

... so on my previous post I mentioned I have been coming here for years to catch up with fellow professionals throughout the world.  Even the most jaded journalist can always learn something new, and of course new associations can always be made.

This year Tuesday kicked off with optional visits to To Kalon or Cade vineyards ...

yet our flight arrived too late for this, so arrived in time to hear Frances Mayes, author of "Every Day in Tuscany: Seasons of an Italian Life" speak about her book.

Every Day in Tuscany

This segued into a talk called "Sense of Place" by Louise Kiernan, writing coach from the Chicago Tribune. In the interactive writing exercise, I remembered writing about one of my favorite Languedoc wines I enjoyed by an ancient Roman structure in the Coteries de Nimes, where gladiators fought over blood and sand. (Something about the Carignan grape and its corporal quality).

Wednesdays events took place at the CIA in the famed Greystone building. Jeff Morgan, winemaker and author whom I interviewed many times, gave a fabulous brief on winemaking bore Karen MacNeil (author of The Wine Bible and now invited to the Hall of Fame from our Wine Media Guild) in New York and Eric Asimov, Wine Editor of the New York Times, gave a great presentation on tasting notes.

John Ash cooks lobster

Lobsters and Viognier were the theme of the day in the next presentation by John Ash, Chef, Author, and Instructor at the CIA and Antonia Allegra, founder of the Wine Symposium and creative writing expert, gave a talk on writing about food and wine pairing.

lobster dish

The highlight of this afternoon was a dynamic talk by Vic Motto, Chairman of Global Wine Partners, on the current recession and ideas of how the industry can dig its way out of a "recession mentality."

In the afternoon, Mark Krasnow, a post-doctoral candidate at the University of California at Davis, gave a talk on identifying flaws in red wine, followed by a "crash course" on red wine varietals in California Bordeaux style wine by Meadowood's Director of Wine Education Gilles de Chambure and Cain 5 Winemaker Chris Howell offered an enlightening lecture. The vines for all varietals are planted all over Spring Mountain, with Howell revealing that it many be many decades until it is known which varietals perform best in which plot.
 

That night, a friend arranged us to have dinner at Bottega in Yountville, a Chiarello restaurant that is quite popular. Chiarello produces wines and we tried his Cabernet Sauvignon Eileen (2006) as well as a reasonably priced Puglia red. The food was quite authentic -- appetizers and pastas are served family style which allowed guests to try various bites.

Thursday - today - was also very dynamic. Alder Yarrow was moderator of a social media panel, with the panel consisting of Doug Cook, Director of Search for Twitter, Steve Heimoff, California Editor for Wine Enthusiast, Joe Roberts, 1winedude.com, and Patrick Comiskey, Wine & Spirits. The theme was what bloggers could do to build brand and buzz, with the audience very keen on probing questions. The takeaway point of the panel was for bloggers to educate themselves on search engine optimization. 

Alder Yarrow by night ... (without jacket)

The Wine Writers, Ethics, and Income Streams panel was also quite controversial - Steve Heimoff moderated a panel including the S.F. Chronicle's Michael Bauer, Bon Appetite's Heather John, and Thomas Ulrich, of the Journalism Department of California State University.

I thought Christian Miller's report on "What Wine Drinkers are Reading" was fabulous. Miler is part of Full Glass Research and had some eye opening statistics. Following this was the The Luxury Media Panel revealed the "do's" and "don'ts" of the trade.

So tonight the conference is over - tomorrow is all about Premiere Napa Valley as we gear up for the sold-out auction!  Stay tuned!