“Welcome!” says Gus C.G. Allen, an owner of Constantia Glen winery in Constantia, South Africa. It is one of the first warm days of the South African summer and Mr. Allen is looking tall and rather like the star of some TV Western against the rugged backdrop of Table Mountain, where his vineyards look healthy and neatly arranged against the clear blue sky.

We are here at Constantia Glen to experience one of the “newer” wineries in Constantia, though the property dates back to 1685. Even then, its owners knew the sandstone and granite soil was special. Recently a comprehensive soil survey conducted by viticultural experts Dawid Saayman, Eben Archer and 
Andrew Teubes (the latter staying on as viticultural consultant) revealed an almost perfect environment for the 
cultivation of high quality dryland vineyards as the clay-rich subsoil allows for excellent water holding capacity.

Mr. Allen’s wife’s family had owned the property for years, and it’s fascinating to look at this beautiful green expanse of hillside vineyards and hear about its history. Back in the 1600’s, the area had many farms, and a cannon would sound when a ship came into port so that the farmers knew to bring their produce to the ships.

Today the wind is strong enough to physically lift me up and move me a few inches to the right, yet the tiny budding flowers manage to hold onto the vine and are not nearly as affected. The wind is actually beneficial, helping the vines avoid powdery mildew and keep healthy.

While the farm is not officially organic, it is a new vineyard (2000 was its first planting) so it has not every seen chemicals. Ladybugs are used to rid the land of more harmful insects. Interestingly, years ago the area was considered too cool to grow quality grapes but today with global warming it is just right.

Mr. Allen takes me on a tour of the winery, and it is impeccably clean and pristine, with gravity fed presses and a small basket press to vinify their premium Bordeaux blends.

Upstairs in the glass enclosed tasting room we taste the Sauvignon Blanc 2011. I can’t help but think with its racy acidity and minerality it is a Sancerre. Mr. Allen responds that most of the vineyard blocks are planted on sites characterised by decomposed granite subsoils.
 A feature of these mica-rich soils is their ability to impart a wonderful minerality to the wine which I can really taste in every sip.

The two Bordeaux blends are the Constantia Glen Three and the Constantia Glen Five, with the “Five” containing the typical five grapes (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc) and the “Three” containing the major Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon. I taste both the 2008 and 2007, with the 2008 “Five” not yet released and the 2007 drinking very nicely!

Constantia Glen may be a young winery yet with its very special soil and A+ team of winemakers and consultants, very excited about its current wines and what it will be producing in the future

Constantia Glen

See all visits to S. Africa producers here
 

I recently tried new signle estate wines from TeAwa from New Zealand, which just joined Cognanc One's National portfolio.

New Zealand is usually associated with Sauvignon Blanc, especially in the minds of American consumers, so it was refreshing to try the different styles and varietals.

Te Awa ws established in 1992 by the Lawson family, acquired in 2002 by the NYC based financier Julian Robertson, and is currently managed by Chief Winemaker Ant MacKenzie.

I liked the 2009 Chardonnay, which is from Hawkes Bay. Different clones are used, and the soil types are mostly free draining gravel. Once pressed, the juice is settled before being run to barrels. Some of the barrels went through spontaneous wild yeast fermentation, and the balance were inoculated with selected yeast strains. Most barrels went through malo-lactic fermentation in spring, with the youngwine staying in contact with its yeast lee for twelve months prior to bottling. All barrels were tight grain French oak, of which 40% were new.

Resulting flavors are elegant and sophisticated, with vanilla and toast from the barrels.

The 2009 Syrah (99% Syrah, 1% Viognier) is selected from old vines, hand picked, de-stemmed, and tipped directly into a five tonne open top vat. After a five day cold soak it was allowed to warm up and ferment sponataneously with native vineyard yeast. The young wine was drawn off the skins and aged for 15 months in 300L French Oak Barrels.

The nose offers black berry fruits, cinnamon, and spice. The palate is medium boddied, the tannins supple, and the flavor quite rich and delicious.

The 2009 Sauvignon Blanc is crafted for the 'table not the bar" with orange peel flavors overlying a pure tropical melon base. In the vineyard, successive parcels of fruit were brought into the winery based on flavor and tannin ripeness, and the juices split into three categories: aromatic components, mineral components, and textural components.

The aromatic components were tank feremented with a special yeast selection that unlocks and highlights fruit characters. The mineral component was fermented warmer and left on lee after fermentation to accent the mineral / flint character. The final components were fermented in barrel andtank with a componation of yeast strains to promote layers of flavor and texture. The components were assembled and bottled following six months of maturation.  Fifteen percent of the wine saw the inside of a barrel."

Quite delicious!

"What an incredible value!" said a retailer, listiening to Master of Wine (MW) Sam Harrop presenting a 45 minute seminar at the Loire Project Ambassador Booth at stand F60/2.

In this jam-packed, standing-room only crowd, Mr. Harrop spoke eloquently about different regions in the Loire that produce the Sauvignon Varietal, noting the different terroir, and highlighting also the lower alcohol and fresh palate.

Each of the presented wines was delicious -- the main message was really not about the individual wines, yet rather about the way that a Loire Sauvignon Blanc fits into a restaurant wine list or retail shelf.

And of course, if you are curious about all the Sauvignon Blancs from the Loire, a good way to learn about the individual regions is to ask your local wine store to send you several bottles, each representing a different region, so you can taste them yourself.

"Have you tasted their Sauvignon Blanc? It rocks!"

To be clear, we are speaking of the 2007 Sauvignon Blanc from the Arkenstone Vineyards estate in Howell Mountain. And "rock" is the appropriate word, for even though this is a California Sauvignon Blanc, the minerality is incredible. "Limestone soil?" I ask owner Susan Krausz over lunch.

I discover it is actually a variety of soils in this incredible region of Howell Mountain. In terms of style, it is a surprisingly muscular Sauvignon blanc with loads of minerals and a bright splash of acidity.

The Krausz family purchased the property in the late 1980s as a vacation home, and in the fullness of time, discovered its value as a winery. Beyond the Sauvignon Blanc which is also distinctive by its bottle (designed to capture the 1855 Bordeaux bottle with its deep punt), the winery makes excellent Cabernet Sauvignon and also Syrah.

I was able to try the 2006 and 2007 Obsidian which is grown on sandy soil. The color of both was deep and intence, with incredible balance.

Speaking of the 2006, it was a very assertive yet balanced cabernet sauvignon with precise structure and a harmony of flavors including chocolate, mocha, dusty red raspberry, vanilla, and casis. The 2007 is just a baby -- just right now beginning to open.

Syrah is a personal passion for Susan, and the 07 I taste is very dark in colr, with a nose of violet and blueberries ... a very deeply concentrated syrah with blueberries, mochal, and a long mineral finish.

A very intimate lunch with a very talented and passionate woman with delicious wine New York loves.

Today Sancerre came to New York in the form of Marc Sorrel-Dejerine, International Director of the Chateau de Sancerre, hosting an intimate lunch and tasting and talking about his wine.

Now, it’s possible you are more familiar with the grape variety Sauvignon Blanc than the name Sancerre... and that is because in old world regions such as France’s Loire Valley, they refer to a bottle of wine by the region where it is from. So in the Loire region of Sancerre, your only choices are a “Sancerre blanc” or a “Sancerre rouge.” By French law, the Sancerre white must be Sauvignon Blanc, and the rouge Pinot Noir (and Chateau de Sancerre makes both).

It’s very possible that you have had Sauvignon Blanc and it is your favorite grape, yet you’ve only had it from a region such as New Zealand. The styles of Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand and from the Loire are very different. First, you have the New World vs. Old World issue, with New World wine generally thought of as being more fruit forward. And most Sauvignon Blanc wines from New Zealand do have an accent on ripe, rich fruit on the nose and palate. Old World wines are said to be more dry and mineral, and this is definitely the case here, as evidenced by both Chateau de Sancerre’s white and red.

I like both styles of wine, for different reasons, and for different times. Often the preference kicks in when it comes time to pair the wines with food. Depending on the dish, a Sancerre is more restrained and complements instead of overwhelming a dish. Today we tried the 2006 vintage of Chateau de Sancerre white with lobster and it was a terrific pairing. The Pinot Noir was paired with Branzino, a grilled fish, and though pairing red wine with fish is not typically thought of as a perfect match, the high mineral content of the red really melded perfectly.

Grapes for the white wine are harvested at the end of September and pressed immediately. The filtered juice undergoes alcoholic fermentation for four to six weeks at a constant temperature between seventeen and nineteen degrees Celsius, then is matured on the lees for the next two to three months. It undergoes battonage (stirring of the lees, or dead yeast cells) to give it body. The wine is then racked and matured on fine lees to preserve its freshness and youth. The prestige white wine, Chateau de Sancerre Cuvee du Connetable, undergoes a similar process save that the grapes come from the best plots, with that terroir composed of flint and chalky stones.

The red wine (Pinot Noir) is harvested by hand in five hectares of vineyards whose soils are composed of clayey limestone. The grapes are sorted several times, de-stemmed, then left to ferment in their juices in thermo-regulated tanks for a two to three week period. The juice is then drawn off and the grapes are pressed. Half the vintage is matured in oak barrels, the other in tanks, for a year. Then the two wines are blended in September and bottled in November.

Today the Chateau de Sancerre estate belongs to the Societe des Producits Marnier-Lapostolle, yet the Chateau has a very romantic history. In the fourteenth century, the vineyards were cultivated by French monks. By 1919, Louis-Alexander Marnier Lapostelle, the creator of the liqueur Grand Marnier, acquired the feudal castle which had been built in the tenth century by the Count of Champagne. Louis-Alexander restored it and made it one of the town’s landmarks.

Chateau de Sancerre is a quality producer and on restaurant lists around the world, as well as in shops. If you haven’t yet had a Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire, you can trust Chateau de Sancerre to deliver the specific taste profile this region is famous for.

Eric Titus

Tonight I had dinner with Eric Titus of Titus Vineyards in the Napa Valley and talked about his Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Franc, and Sauvignon Blanc while tasting through several flights. The dinner was held at the illustrious Jean-George Vongerichten restaurant Perry Street, which is very hip and cool (think white on white theme, with floor to ceiling windows looking out to the river, white sofas, white chairs, white tables, very clean and flavorful cuisine ....) 

For wine journalists, it is always fun to meet the maker of the wines, instead of just tasting it. One could say it is almost like the ability to meet with a long gone author or musician, and understand more about the foundation of their book or music via the force of their personality.

Eric is very forthcoming and honest, much like his wines. He went to high school in St Helena in the Napa Valley, along with other children of wine makers (his parents bought the vineyard in 1969 and sold their grapes) and also the children of people who serviced the vineyard. When he said he worked the vineyards during summers and after school, I had to ask if it was a passion or a work ethic instilled by his parents. I'm sure you can guess the answer, as Eric pursued studies in marine biology over a curriculum in viticulture and enology. He earned his doctorate in biology and embarked on a ten-year career in marine biological research and environmental consulting. After working in such varied locations as Honolulu, Baltimore and San Francisco, and Guam he returned to St. Helena during the heralded 1997 vintage. With the Titus Vineyards wine production steadily increasing and the vineyards in need of redevelopment, Eric came to work full-time for the family wine business. He now divides his time between managing vineyard operations and the overseeing the business side of the winery.

Now the Sauvignon Blanc is a fabulous wine, with an aroma of grapefruit pith and palate of the same. I found it far weightier than other Sauvignon Blancs, with very good expression of the terrior and the ability to match slightly heavier foods such as slow cooked Branzino. I adored the Cabernet Franc -- the absolute expression of everything a Cab Franc should be, which to me is (taste-wise) akin to the pleasure of stomping on the first fall leaves on the ground on a crisp day. Really fantastic nose on  this wine, great expression and complexity, and a flag waving signature that yes, Cab Franc can be made and made well in the Napa Valley. The Cabernet Sauvignon was powerful, very rich and concentrated and extracted. Try this one with a grilled juicy steak.

Since one of the houses on the property was built in 1910 and it is 48 hours before Halloween, I had to ask the question:  Has he experienced any ghosts? Eric says no, yet mentions that several workers living in the house have experenced a certain energy. Lately, though, Eric tells me, the energy has become incresingly positive, as the entity -- if indeed there is one -- is vibrating to the creativity and success of Titus Vineyards. "

Quick! Imagine you are presented with a "blind flight" of Sauvignon Blanc wine (or Chardonnay for that matter). Do you think you can pick out a wine from New York’s Long Island against wines from Sancerre or New Zealand? Assume that all wines have the same color, and for the most part, a similar aroma profile. Such a tasting would be particularly intriguing, as most people, even top wine writers, do not have the luxury of comparing a single varietal to its cousins around the world. And how does one recognize the characteristics of a Long Island wine anyway?

The above fantasy became reality recently when the Long Island Wine Council sponsored a seminar and blind tasting of its wines against others from top international regions. The result? Long Island wine can hold its own against the world’s most popular and expensive regions. Right now you may be wondering about the characteristics of Long Island varietals, which are a function of their terroir. One factor is the climate, which is very cool yet moderated by the bodies of water in the area. Vintage variation is considerable. And then there is the soil, which as in many old world countries is quite mineral in nature.

The Long Island Wine Blind Challenge began with a seminar, followed by five flights of a single varietal (each flight was four glasses each). Sitting around me were several of Manhattan’s – and the world’s – finest wine writers. Though some might say we are a jaded lot, truth be told we are passionate about wine, with a burning curiosity to discover factors responsible for what we smell and taste in the glass.

Long Island produces many grapes, but the key varietals are Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay (both oaked and un-oaked), Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. Journalists tasted through five flights: Sauvignon Blanc, Un-Oaked Chardonnay, Oaked Chardonnay, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. When the names of the wines were revealed, I was pleased to see I had attached the correct regions to the wines (a testament to an exhaustive wine education). Yet the comparative tasting also underscored how incredibly well-crafted wines from Long Island are, both the white and the red.

Linda Lawry, Director of the International Wine Center, was the Emcee of the event, with speakers including Steve Bate, Executive Director of the Long Island Wine council, Larry Perrine, CEO/Partner of Channing Daughters Winery, and Kip Bedell, Founding Winemaker, Bedell Cellars.

Take a New Zealand SB and rip off its vibrant flavors and aroma and at its core you see an old world SB. Or as the French might suggest, "doll up" an old world SB with perfume and makeup and you have a new world Sauvignon Blanc.

This particuar wine it turns out I am drinking, Joel Delaunay, is a 2007 SB from Touraine. As soon as I tasted it, I knew it was not from Sancerre, Menatou, or any of the other familiar regions. It was very shy and subdued, almost hesitant in asserting its SB power.

I like it. It is dry, with classic minerals on the nose and palate, and a very sublte nod to fruit and flowers. You will find apple, which is unusual for me when tasting SB yet it may well be particular to Tourraine. I could see it paired with all manner of white fish, sauteed, grilled, etc, or as an aperatif.

Americans in my view do not seem to understand or crave these subtle Sauvignon Blancs, yet I find it a solid value for the price. Not sure of what that is, yet definately under twenty.

Today let’s make this food and wine pairing specific with the newly launched artisanal Geyser Peak Block Collection from Sonoma, California and Manhattan-based celebrity chef David Bouley.

Why Geyser Peak Block Collection?

As a wine aficionado, you know that terroir drives the flavor and quality of wine. What Geyser Peak has done in their new Block Collection is to empower their award-winning winemaker Mick Schroeter to create site-specific wines. Unlike vineyard-designate wines, the Block Collection is a blend of special blocks within multiple vineyards to balance, enhance, and show the specificity of the respective regions (Alexander and Russian River Valleys) in the finished wines. The Block Collection wines are under $25.

Why David Bouley?

If you are also a foodie, you know that Chef Bouley is one of the top chefs in the world and is very much about sourcing artisanal ingredients. As the philosophy between winemaker and world-class chef are so similar, it is a natural that Geyser Peak and David Bouley work together to debut the wines with flights of meals for a small number of Manhattan’s top food and wine journalists.

The Venue: Bouley’s Test Kitchen in trendy downtown Manhattan

In your mind’s eye, imagine an enormous white studio-sized kitchen, filled with a dozen sous chefs efficiently chopping and preparing nine dishes and complex sauces before your eyes. As the journalists file in, squeezing themselves between the various stoves and countertops en route to seats at long tables facing the kitchen, the chefs work calmly and quietly and almost seem relaxed, despite what must be -- for them -- tremendous pressure.

The Speakers: Winemaker Mick Schroeter and Chef David Bouley

With his lively Australian charm, Schroeter kicks off the tasting seminar and lunch with amusing anecdotes about his move to Sonoma, soon followed by a brief discussion of the unique terroir that represent the Block Collection wines.

As the first dishes come out, wines are poured, and journalists are encouraged to taste different Block wines with each of the nine flights of expertly prepared cuisine. First Food Flight

Please note that each tasting-sized dish comes out on its own plate.

Porcini Flan Dungeness Crab, Black Truffle Dashi

Oil Poached Shrimp & Diver Scallops Ocean Herbal Broth

Kumamoto Oyster Plum Wine

Wine Pairing

Geyser Peak Block Collection River Ranches Sauvignon Blanc 2008 Tasting Notes: This clean, refreshing Sauvignon Blanc with its grapefruit and lime blossom flavors paired excellently with the Kumamoto Oyster, a refreshing treat from the sea which was paired with a plum wine gelee. In wine and food pairing parlance, this would be a “complimentary” match as the flavors complimented one another. Now the Porcini Flan with Dungeness Crab and Black Truffle Dashi was a richer dish. In this case, the wine, with its lively refreshing acid, cut through the richness of the dish, cleansing the palate. This is a case of “contrasting flavors.”

I also liked the wine with the shrimp and scallops, a very light dish expertly prepared. The herbal notes of the light sauce nicely matched the herbal flavors of the wine.

Marisa’s pairing suggestions: The above-dishes represented great pairing choices for this wine. At home, you might want to try serving it in the following ways:

1. Alone as an aperitif
2. With a cheese like fresh chevre (goat cheese). The wine varietal Sauvignon Blanc was originally from the Loire Valley in France, and chevre was the local cheese.
3. With all typical brunch dishes such as omelets and quiche.
4. With white-fleshed fish, simply prepared (steamed, broiled) with a very light sauce.
5. Composed luncheon salads. Technical Notes: While the wine was fresh and clean, winemaker Schroeter said that a small portion of the wine was barrel fermented to give a textured roundness to the mid-palate.

Vineyard Notes: Russian River’s cool climate produces intense, fruit forward, vibrant New World style of Sauvignon Blanc, the hallmark of Geyser Peak which dates from the nineteenth century. The backbone of this blend comes from the River Road Ranch Vineyard. Within the ranch, winemaker Schroeter and his team have divided the vineyard into distinct blocks, based on sun exposure and soil type.

True wine geeks might find it interesting to know that the ajority of the vineyard is planted to Clone 1 Sauvignon Blanc (a “clone” represents a specific genetic grape type). Winemaking Notes: At harvest, each vineyard block was picked during the cool morning hours to preserve the fruit’s intensity, and then gently pressed as whole berries. The majority of the wine was pressed in stainless steel (to preserve its aromatic fruit flavor). 15% of the blend was fermented in neutral French Oak. No malolactic fermentation was employed. The wine was matured for four months and bottled March 2008. Only 3,300 9L cases are made.

Second Flight Food

Black Sea Bass Vanilla Infused Saffron Sauce

Main Day Boat Lobster Celery Root, Peas, Blood Orange, & Pomegranate

Line-Caught Halibut with Popped Rice Wine Pairing

Geyser Peak Block Collection Water Bend Chardonnay 2007

Tasting Notes: This Chardonnay is an exceptionally well-balanced wine with subtle aromas of vanilla, butterscotch, and a hint of baked apple pie. In many ways, one could mistake it for its French cousin in Meursault. The wine gives the impression it had undergone many weeks of battonage (lees stirring) with its rich buttery taste.

I absolutely loved this wine with the black sea bass, especially (or perhaps, because of?) the vanilla infused saffron sauce that paired so well with the vanilla notes of this wine (complimentary flavors).

This Chardonnay also went well with the lobster, providing more of a “contrast” match to the sharper, slightly more acidic flavors of the sauce.

Line-Caught Halibut with Popped Rice was also excellent, very much a “compliment.” I should explain that the sauce was not popcorn the way most of us think of it – a hard, crunchy popped unit of corn. Instead, the popped corn had somehow been transformed to liquid form, so it tasted creamy.

Marisa’s Pairing Suggestions: Just thinking about the flavors in this wine makes me crave a glass right now, as an aperitif, without food! Here though, are some further suggestions: 1. Roast chicken. The texture of this wine, its subtle (wood) spice, makes me salivate even thinking about it. 2. Pasta or Risotto with a cheese-accented white sauce. 3. Composed luncheon salad 4. Caramelized scallops

Technical & Winemaking Notes

An important part of Geyser Peak Winery’s Chardonnay program is the use of American Oak barrels whose staves are soaked in hot water prior to shaping. The water leaches harsh components out of the wood and significantly increases the depth of toasting of the staves as they are shaped over fire.

This process yields barrels which impart a more delicate, subtle oak character to the wine along together with an elevated creaminess. Following fermentation in barrel, the wine was allowed to remain in contact with the yeast lees for the entire nine-month maturation period and stirred periodically in order to integrate the nutty, deep flavors of the lees into the wine. Approximately half of the blend underwent malolactic fermentation. Wine was matured for nine months, bottled in July of 2008, and 2,500 9L cases are produced.

Vineyard Notes

Fruit for this wine came predominantly from a riverside block of vines at Geyser Peak Winery’s Ascentia Vineyard. The vineyard’s sandy soils, low yields, and cooling coastal fogs make it ideally suited to growing Chardonnay. To preserve fruit flavors, grapes were harvested in the early morning hours and gently pressed while, without crushing, to avoid any harsh extractions. After cold settling, the juice was racked directly to barrel.

Third Food Flight

Organic Colorado Rack of Lamb Rosemary Crust, Zucchini-Mint Puree

Long Island Duckling Balinese Pepper Crust, White Truffle Honey Verjus, Ginger Dressing

Rack of Veal Heart of Palm & Japanese Egg

Wine Pairing: Geyser Peak Block Collection Walking Tree Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

Tasting Notes: This smooth Cabernet Sauvignon is rich and ripe with notes of blackberry, mocha, cassis, and sweet spice. I liked it best with the Long Island Duckling – the sweet oak notes of the wine really melded well (complimented) the Balinese Pepper Crust of the Duck.

This wine also went well with the Lamb, matching the lamb in terms of texture and weight (crucial for an effective pairing) and melding nicely with the herbal flavors of the rosemary and mint accents.

Many in our group found that the wine worked well with Veal, yet the above-two pairings are my favorite.

Marisa’s Pairing Suggestions: 1. Steak 2. Any other grilled meat 3. Non-meat eaters may find salmon or tuna a possible pairing, depending on the way it is cooked (roasted is best) and the vegetables served with it (roasted vegetables with texture and some char is best). 4. Cheese

Technical and Winemaker Notes:

Here’s an interesting fact: the wine is named after a remarkable oak treethat over the course of several months, “walked” down the steep grade of the vineyard directly behindthe winery – while standing completely upright. WalkingTruee Cabernet is a blend of blocks from this hillside vineyard and other sites around the valley.

The wine is matured for 18 months in 100% new French oak.

You can find Geyser Peak Block Collection Wines in many shops for under $25, including wine.com.

Kosher Wines for Rosh Hashanah