The Wine Bible

Imagine yourself at one of the popular new wine bars in your town.

You are sipping a glass of red wine perfumed with notes of violet and lavender – a departure from your typical request for a California Cabernet Sauvignon.

You take another sip and wonder what combination of soil and sunlight could produce such a succulent wine?

Your curiosity roused, you look at the label on the bottle and see it is from the Languedoc – a region in Southern France.

Suddenly, you are bursting with questions about the region.

What grape is the wine made from?

What is the typical climate of the area?

Who are the top winemakers in the region?

And if you serve wine at a dinner party, what foods would pair best with it?

“Karen MacNeil, director of the wine program at the Culinary Institute of America in the Napa Valley, has crafted an excellent book in the appropriately named book.”

The Wine Bible

This is a terrific 910 page resource for amateur and seasoned wine lovers alike.

This book starts out with the basics, with MacNeil explaining the elements, such as sun, water, and soil necessary for good wine, and goes on to the more complex issues of wine making and regional styles.

What I liked best about the book is that MacNeil takes you to vineyards all over the world. She describes the climate and terrain with such detail and color you will feel as if you are there.

[socialpug_tweet tweet=”In the Wine Bible, MacNeil even introduces you to winemakers. She takes you deep into their dank, dark cellars so you can taste the wine for yourself.” display_tweet=””]

Then she describes the local cuisine in such tantalizing detail you’ll want to rush out and create your own wine and food pairing based on the succulent flavors described in that chapter.

You will find many ways to use The Wine Bible. Instead of reading it from beginning to end, you might try to use it as a reference guide.

Did you have a great Chianti at a restaurant and want to find out more about the region?

Pick up this book and go to the appropriate chapter.[socialpug_tweet tweet=”Are you having friends over for drinks and want to show off your wine sophistication? Read up on the wines you’ll be serving and surprise your guests with some fun, colorful facts about the wine.” display_tweet=””]

Do you love to cook and are you eager to find the perfect pairing for a recipe you just saw in Food & Wine magazine? You’ll find it in this incredible resource.

In The Wine Bible, here are some other things you will discover:

– how to taste and analyze wine like a professional

– how to read a wine label – how to write your own tasting notes

– how to store and serve wine – and much more.

With this book in hand, you can set up your own classes, or study sessions. One week you might study the wines of France, and buy wines from the region. The next week, you can do the same thing with Spain. What makes it even more fun is if you can get a partner or some friends together and make a party of it.

So the next time you find yourself in a wine bar, eager to learn more about what you are drinking, or in a wine store, wondering what to buy, sneak a peek in this book. [socialpug_tweet tweet=”Sooner than you think, friends and co-workers will see you as the go-to wine expert in your circle.” display_tweet=””]

I must have three copies of this book in many places of my home and office.

I love thinking about a region and being able to grab the book and find the most important things about it instantly!

And you can even learn about the unique soil types of each region.

**Curious about Pinot Noir from Willamette?** Read the Forbes.com article here

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If you like this article you will like:

— Dominus Estate
— Chappellet

Family Winery
— Hess Collection
— Frog’s Leap

Curious to Learn More About Wine? Start Here

Want to Grab Quick Wine Resources? Click Here 

About Author Marisa D’Vari

D’Vari contributes to Forbes.com, Financial Times, World of Fine Wine, Quarterly Review of Wine, Decanter Robb Report, San Francisco Chronicle, South China Morning Post, and more.

She holds the (WSET) diploma, Certified Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers, a Certified Wine Educator  through the Society of Wine Educators … to see it all, please click on bio

The post The Wine Bible appeared first on AWINESTORY.COM.

If you love art and wine, you are eager to visit the Hess Collection winery in California’s Napa Valley.

You might have heard about Hess Collection Chardonnay, rich and buttery, and available in your higher end supermarket or fine wine shop.

Hess Collection Winery makes wine from many different wine varieties including Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc, as well as the various blends.

History of the Napa Valley Hess Collection Winery

It’s really fascinating to hear the history of the Hess Collection Winery.

[bctt tweet=”The Winery was created by Donald Hess, who inherited his father’s company at the age of 20 in the earlier part of the last century.” username=”awinestory”]

In 1959, the family was very successful with their mineral water company in Europe.

But in the mid 1970s Donald came to the USA to see how the market was for mineral water. After spending four weeks visiting the entire United States, he did not see a strong demand for mineral water, or resources for making good mineral water.

A stop in Calistoga was the last straw. He did not like the water there at all.

At an elegant restaurant, he wondered what he would tell the family back home about his failed mission.

Then he picked up the wine list.

Hess Collection Winery: What Happened When Mr. Hess Looked At the List

Instead of the French wines that usually filled a list at an elegant restaurant, he saw only California wines.

He asked the sommelier about the wines, and became intrigued with the idea of making California wines.

Two years later, he returned to the Napa Valley and found the vineyards that would soon belong to the Hess Collection winery.

At first, they grew the grapes and made the wine at a different facility.

Then they searched for a winery space.

They found one in an old, antiquated winery space that had been used by monks to make wine during prohibition.

Rebuilding the space into the grand Hess Collection Winery took millions of dollars and many years.

Preparing to Visit to the Hess Collection Winery

You will want to prepare for your visit to the Hess Collection Winery.

To see the multi-million dollar of art, is free.

Tastings of wine begin at $25 and go up from there, depending on the sort of experience you want.

Click this link to watch the Video Below

How much time to spend at Hess Collection Winery?

According to Michael Jobs, the chief wine educator, 90 minutes at Hess is fine.

This is enough time to choose one of the more streamlined tasting experiences and even enough time to buy a bottle of wine and enjoy it with your friends in the gorgeous art-filled garden.

Marisa D’Vari’s Recommendation For Hess Collection Winery

Hess Collection Winery is one of the most beautiful wineries in the Napa Valley.

Their top wine, The Lion Cabernet Sauvignon from the best Mount Veeder grapes, is nearly $200 dollars a bottle.

Though touring the art collection is free, and the least expensive tasting is $25, I recommend booking one of the higher end tastings.

The Chocolate and Wine Pairing

One exciting tasting is the chocolate and wine pairing.

For this pairing, the chefs prepare truffles infused with some elements you may find in the wine to be paired with it.

The Cheese and Wine Pairing

For this pairing, you will taste seasonal artisinal cheese paired with a variety of different wines.

The Lunch Events

On request, Hess Collections winery can arrange a special lunch. The price quoted to me was $185 a person. And it’s interesting to know that two people is just fine.

The Tasting

I was lucky enough to taste through the range of current releases. Fabulous! You will enjoy your visit to the Hess Collection Winery very much.

2016 Panthera Chardonnay – new generation wine – very Meursault like, sauteed butter, long length of finish. 14.3

2016 Lion Tamer Red Blend – Malbec and zin (Prisoner is the target, Malbec is second most important grape …. 40% Malbec 27% Zinfandel 2% Mourvedre 1% Petite Verdot and 1% merlot – jammy red fruit flavors. Velvet tannins. Some boysenberry fruit

2016 Napa Valley “Allomi” Cabernet Sauvignon – $32 but also by glass – 1 hour north Howell mountain but not within the AVA -flatter and warmer – American oak.

2014 Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Grown – $75 retail – very elegant with structured tannins – 80% new french oak 22 months –

2014 The Lion Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Grown – 65% new french oak – very structured and bordeaux like – blackberry blueberry dark chocolate $185

Here is a Video of the Hess Collection Art

Video of Sparkling Wine

 This is the Marisa D’Vari aka AWineStory.com List of Essentials to Bring for Winery Visits

1. A hat, especially for sunny days.
2. Sunglasses for the same reason.
3. Sunscreen very necessary in summer.
4. A charger for your device so not to miss once-in-a-lifetime pictures.
5. Your favorite bottled water
6. A cup for expectorating wine in case it is not provided.
7. A small notebook to record details about the wine or vineyards.
8. Comfortable walking shoes for vineyard visits
   

   Hess Collection Winery Visitor Center

   4411 Redwood Road
   Napa, California 94558
   707-255-1144

   P.S. If you or your friends are visiting the Napa Valley, please use the SOCIAL SHARE buttons to send them this article. You can also subscribe here to my newsletter.

   If you liked this post, you may enjoy

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   Beyond the Scenes at Dominus Estate

   Cabernet Sauvignon in Chiles Valley with George Bursick of Maxville Winery

    

   MORE ABOUT AUTHOR MARISA DVARI

   **Follow Marisa on Instagram here**

   Marisa D’Vari DipWSET holds the highest qualification from the Wine and Spirits Educational Trust (WSET), representing three years of intense study.  In addition, she has completed the “Honours Level” of the WSET, representing an additional year writing a thesis.

   Key Wine Credentials

   D’Vari  has several of the most important wine credentials in the world, including the “Certified Sommelier” designation from the Court of Master Sommeliers and the Certified Wine Educator qualification from the Society of Wine Educators.  She has several blind tasting and other diplomas from the American Sommelier Association and Sommelier Society of America.

   Wine Competition Judge

   Marisa D’Vari is a judge for the International Wine Challenge and International Wine and Spirits Competiton, as well as the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles Wine Competition

   Associations

   D’Vari is the first American member of the UK’s Association of Wine Educators and a member of the global Circle of Wine Writers. She is a long standing member of FIJEV, the International Federation of Journalists of Wine and Spirits.

   D’Vari is a Finalist in the 2019 Millesime Blog Competition, and the author of five non-fiction books.

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Conn Creek Winery

Napa Valley Barrel Blending

Do you love Napa Valley winery events, not just tasting Napa Valley wine itself?

Yes, I can relate. We all love to book a Napa Valley Wine Experience.

This typically means tasting the wine in the tasting room.

We can even book a food and wine pairing experience.

Yet the best Napa Valley Winery Events are events that are active.

You play a key role in the winery event itself. Such as the barrel blending experience at Coon Creek winery in the Napa Valley.

Conn Creek Winery Barrel Blending Experience: One of the Best Napa Valley Winery Events

So for the second time now, I can vouch for the Conn Creek Winery blending session as one of the best Napa Valley Winery Events.

If you love Napa Valley red wines, you know that the majority of wines are a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and other Bordeaux varieties.

As a wine lover, you know there is an “art of the blend” in the Napa Valley.

This is why the Conn Creek winery event known as the “barrel blending experience” is one of the best Napa Valley winery events,

On a personal note, I’ve wanted to take part in this Napa Valley winery event for quite some time.

I first heard about this Napa Valley winery event from former Conn Creek winemaker Mike McGrath.

He explained his barrel blending winery event for visitors, saying that it was more of a “class” than a typical Napa Valley Winery Event.

Objective of this Napa Valley Winery Event Barrel Blending Class

The objective of this winery event is for Conn Creek visitors to assemble their own wine.

They do this by blending a wine from all the different appellations owned by Conn Creek.

The most expensive Cabernet Sauvignon wine at Conn Creek is called the Conn Creek Flagship Anthology Bordeaux style blend.

The word “Anthology” refers to a collection of literary or artistic works. At Conn Creek, the name suggests the layers of depth and complexity that can be achieved through the art of blending.

“Anthology” is expensive because it takes a very seasoned palate to use the exact right amount of grapes from the different appellations to use in the blend.

Structure of the 90 Minute Barrel Blending Winery Event

Guests are very warmly welcomed as they enter the main tasting room of the Conn Creek winery.

I emphasize the word “warmly” because the tasting staff team is extremely friendly. 

They seemed very excited to introduce guests to their winery and show them how the wines are assembled.

While you wait for the class to begin, you are offered a glass of the Anthology wine.

The reason for this offering is twofold. First, it is relaxing to sip wine as you meet the rest of the group you will have class with.

Second, tasting this “finished wine” helps get your palate ready for understanding how your finished blend “should taste.”

At least according to Conn Creek standards.

That said, during the blending class you are free to blend whatever style of wine you desire.

The Blending Class Logistics

Participant numbers can vary, yet there seemed to be about twelve people during our Napa Valley winery event.

Most if not all were couples, yet I could imagine that the class would be fun for groups of friends or event wine lovers traveling on their own.

The room was enormous, with gigantic windows that let in the sun and barrels of wine on one side.

The walls also had maps of the various Napa Valley appellations.

Our hostess was very friendly and welcoming.. 

She spoke in a way that enabled everyone in the class, from new wine drinkers to seasoned professionals, to understand the fundamentals of how, and why, Conn Creek Cabernet Sauvignon wine is blended.

The reason Conn Creek blends Cabernet Sauvignon wine from different Napa Valley appellations is because in winemaking, a blended wine (usually) creates a more complex wine.

Yet the “how” is also important. Every vintage is different in the Napa Valley.

Beyond that, each appellation is known for unique qualities. Some appellations produce a Cabernet Sauvignon wine with higher acidity.

Some appellations have stronger tannins.

Part 1 of the Wine Blending Experience

As you take your seat, you will notice five filled glasses of Cabernet Sauvignon wine from different appellations, as well as two empty glasses for blending. You will see a document written by the creator of the class, as well as various tools for your wine blending experience. This includes a pipette for assembling your blend. 

Our engaging, charismatic leader spent about a half hour explaining how and why each glass of Cabernet Sauvignon had a different flavor profile, even though it was the same variety.

The difference is because of the climate and terroir of its respective appellation.

People who like a softer style of wine, might prefer the softer flavors that come from the Sonoma appellation.

People who like stronger tannin and a bolder flavor profile might like a majority of the Cabernet Sauvignon from the Saint Helena appellation.

Note: If you like this piece, check out related content:

• Visit to Chappellet Winery
• Visit to Quintessa Winery
• Chalk Hill Winery with Courtney Foley

Part 2 of the Wine Blending Experience

If part 1 of the wine blending experience is listening, then Part 2 is actively making the blend. This part of the class requires several things.

1. You must remember from Part 1 the characteristics of each appellation.
2. You must be relatively good in math to make sure the components add up correctly.
3. You must exercise self-restraint and remember that Malbec and Petit Verdot add “spice” and should be used in very modest amounts.

It is also necessary to amble, avoid splashing people with your wine as you take samples from the different barrels, and write down the exact proportions of your blend.

Once your sample blend is approved by your own palate, you make the final blend.

This is the wine you will pour into a bottle, and seal yourself with a cork.

They also encourage you to design a label for your wine.

I had a lot of fun making my own blend.

A year later back in New York, I took the wine and myself out to a restaurant to celebrate my masterpiece.

c

During the visit  I was able to meet the new winemaker Elizabeth DeLouise-Grant.

She is fresh from being Assistant Winemaker at Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars. Look for great things from her to come!

I strongly recommend this incredible Napa Valley Winery event.

If blending is not your thing, you can discover the wines of Conn Creek with a formal wine and cheese pairing tasting experience or just taste the delicious wines of Conn Creek at the tasting bar.

Reservations are necessary: Click on this Conn Creek link or call 707.968.2669.

Like this article? Check out these excellent wine book reviews here.

Please SHARE this article visit the social media links and subscribe to my newsletter here

If you like this article you will like:

— Dominus Estate
— Chappellet Family Winery
— Hess Collection
— Frog’s Leap

Curious to Learn More About Wine? Start Here

Want to Grab Quick Wine Resources? Click Here 

About Author Marisa D’Vari

D’Vari contributes to Forbes.com, Financial Times, World of Fine Wine, Quarterly Review of Wine, Decanter Robb Report, San Francisco Chronicle, South China Morning Post, and more.

She holds the (WSET) diploma, Certified Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers, a Certified Wine Educator  through the Society of Wine Educators … to see it all, please click on bio

The post Conn Creek Winery appeared first on AWINESTORY.COM.

… so when you think of Portugal, you probably think of Port, yes? And it’s true, Port has been the signature drink of the country for decades. Yet in the last twenty years, still (and sparkling) wine from Lisbon has taken center stage.

Recently I accompanied several other wine educators to Lisbon to learn more about the region and the wine. I came away with a respect for the wine and a tremendous bond with the producers, who ranged from self-made millionaires to foreigners falling in love with the region to wine-making families hundreds of years old.

About Lisbon

Portugal’s entry into the EU paved the way for modernization and raised capital for winemakers, improving cellars, equipment, and vineyards. Because of economic grants and the demands of the international market, many producers are blending with international varietals especially Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and to a lesser extent, Chardonnay.

Meeting Producers

Producers visited included millionaires making quality wine from Rhone varietals to wealthy families planning to build hotels in addition to vineyards on their vast amount of land, and a sprinkle of families who inherited the wineries from their forefathers and ex-patriots who make wine and other businesses (wedding services) as well.

All of the producers were passionate about their wine and their region, and keenly aware of the pressures of succeeding in the international marketplace. We enjoyed wine of surprising quality, and as one can imagine, our fair share of inexpensive table wine.

Each producer visited had several quality lines, though after touring their wineries it was clear that even the least expensive wine was produced with great care. One can surmise that for the majority of the wineries, their biggest concern was creating awareness for wines from Lisbon.

Below are snippets from each producer visited
.
Alorna

“Is there any Portuguese wine on the menu,” I often ask when dining in New York City restaurants. From tastings at various trade shows, Portuguese wines often seemed to offer rich, concentrated flavor for a very reasonable price. So tonight starts my sojourn to Lisbon (Lisbon, Portugal), an exotic city that from the air looks like a crowd of hills, beautifully sculptured buildings, and blooming palm trees surrounded by water.
Tonight I am meeting with two key executives from Quinta da Alorna, a company that takes its name from the first Marques de Alorna, who gave his name to the property following the conquest of Fort Alorna in Italy. It is a 2,000 ha property in the Tejo region, planted on the kind of sandy soils best for wine. For the last hundred years it has been family owned, with the owners replanting and modernizing the winery in the last eight years to be in line with the commercial needs of the markets.

With me tonight are two gentlemen, Tiago Macena from the commercial sales department, and Pedro Lufinha, General Manager. We are at one of the most elegant restaurants in the city, Faz Figura, with a two story glass window overlooking the river. It’s just eight-thirty, early by Lisbon time, and the restaurant is just getting started.

The first wine we taste is a white wine made from the naturally acidic Arinto grape, with the aromatic Farnao Pires. The wine has a high but sweet, pleasant acidity, and the finish is like that of the sweet-tart candy though the wine is technically dry with 6 grams of sugar per litre. The other white is made from the Verdelho grape, typical used in the production of port. The wine is deliciously full bodied and goes well with our shrimp starter.
The next two wines are excellent examples of well-crafted red wines from Portugal. The first features the native grape, Touriga Nacional. It is smooth and somewhat floral, with black fruit and vanilla from four months of French oak aging with second year barrels. The next wine is a blend of Touriga Nacional and Cabernet Sauvignon (60/40). The grapes used from this wine were “green harvested” to intensify concentration of fruit, and after fermentation, received twelve months maturation in French oak.

After dinner discussion turned to the commercial market. The addition of Cabernet to the Touriga Nacional is both a good choice in terms of taste, and also for the international market to recognize the more international nature of the Cabernet grape so consumers could get a sense of its style. Perhaps on another trip I will see the property (the manor house is prominently displayed on the label) but from what I can see now, the wines are delicious.

Quinta de Sant’ Ana

“Welcome to Quinta de Sant’ Ana,” says tall, lanky James Frost, the quintessential English gentlemen as he welcomes us to his gorgeous bougainvillea winery, lit up by the sun and expanse of bright blue sky. Sant’ Ana is a seventeenth century structure, a series of charming saffron colored buildings connected by a charming cobblestone walkway. His German inlaws had purchased the property in the 1960s, and today it is a place for growing vines, making wines, and weddings.

First, we tour the vineyards. James explains that he is growing several different varietals, many of them new to Portugal such as Riesling and Pinot Noir. Vine management is rigorous here, with three men employed to work steadily on the vines from February to harvest for there is much to be done. The trellis system is arranged so that the wires holding the vines can be raised as the vines grow. Because of the uncertain weather conditions, workers always need to be managing the canopy. Yet sometimes the weather plays tricks – it could be so cold and rainy in summer that the leaves are thinned and canopy open so the grapes can get sunlight, then suddenly it is blazing hot for a month. Riesling in particular – and surprisingly as it is a German cold climate grape – has difficultly with wet weather, and sunburns easily. Pinot Noir becomes dehydrated if it is left too long in the sun without a shielding canopy.

We tour the winery where some old-fashioned wooden fermentation tanks have been refitted with stainless steel interiors, and there is an old-fashioned lager. For Pinot Noir, the grapes get a cold soak and then three workers (or friends) jump in every four hours for two days to stomp the grapes in Lucy Ricardo fashion from the mid-century television show I love Lucy. Then the grapes are transferred via gravity to the fermentation tank below.

At lunch in a charming reception hall used for wineries, we taste the Riesling and the other varietals produced. The Riesling is delicious, very high in acidity with the signature taste of Petrol. Very little fruit in the 2009 though we are told the 2010 has a great deal of fruit. Weddings are a big business here, with over fifty a year. James and his wife have seven children, from twins of a few months to a twenty year old who calls during our lunch with a question for Dad. The Frosts also sponsor a wine festival to sponsor a local charity. The property is gorgeous, and the wines quite good – you can find them using the wine searcher tool to the right.

Quinta do Pinto

“This is for my son to manage,” says energetic Rita Cardoso Pinto, as we get out of her four-wheel drive and look out at the land she is developing for a new, north-facing vineyard for cool climate grapes. Rita is a woman with a great deal of charm who is managing the enormous property for her father, a businessman from Lisbon who bought it 2003.

The story of how it happened is quite amusing – her father realized he was tired of the city and from a Google map, decided on this location since it was within driving distance of Lisbon. The challenge was that the 120 ha property was not for sale – in fact, an old man with a rifle greeted him at the door.
Yet his five sons were eager to sell, and in the fullness of time did sell the vineyards and gorgeous 17th century property with its enormous oak trees to Mr. Pinto. The vineyards by the house are old vines of a local variety, but Rita has great plans for developing new vineyards and is busy at work putting in draining channels and preparing the land. She is also keen to develop a hotel on the property, which her sister may design as she is an architect.

After the tour of the vineyards we taste the wines with Rita. As is the case with many of the producers, she makes local varieties such as Fernao Pires and Arinto (white grapes, popular as a blend) and the local Touriga Nacional alone and blended with Merlot and sometimes Tempranillo, which here is called Aragonez and has great plans for Syrah as well. A single varietal is also made of the local grape Tinto Miuda. Rita explains her father is a huge fan of wines from the S. Rhone, and presents us with tastes of several wines made from Viognier, Marsanne, and Rousanne. We leave amazed by this woman and her family and wish we could return in ten or twenty years to see how their dreams have come to fruition.

Sanguinhal

“My uncle is arriving just now,” says attractive blond Ana Pereira da Fonseca Reis. Sure enough, as if on cue, her uncle Carlos Joao Pereira da Fonseca pulls up to the driveway and introduces himself. Carlos is a very charismatic and genuine gentlemen who tells us the fascinating story of his winery as he shows us around. His grandfather had found the properties (they have three labels) in 1926. We tour the lager, now a museum of sorts showing how wine was produced a hundred and forty odd years ago, and then the ancient distillery with is black iron pipes. It is in this ancient room with its high ceiling where we have a tasting of all his wines, the region’s typical mix of local varieties and local varieties blended with international varieties.

Carlos is very excited that Gary Vanderchuck, from Wine Library TV, has raved about his wine on his Internet television show (episode 476), causing his agent to sell 100,000 bottles of wine. Here I also taste a new native grape, Castelao, and see that Carlos is also changing from the shorter Bordeaux shaped bottle to the taller Burgundy under market pressures and because Burgundy is easier to stack in stores. I will see Carlos again Monday in New York at the Wines of Portugal tasting.

Quinta de Chocapalha

“I am Swiss by birth,” says attractive blonde Alice Tavares, looking very soignée in an elegant sweater and slacks. “I came to Portugal many years ago and never went back.” I am here at the gorgeous Quinta de Chocapalha estate in Lisbon, just north of Lisbon (formerly known as Extramadura).

This family-owned winery is notable for several reasons. First, the bougainvillea covered stone walls and the modern looking residence (with its shimmering pool) look like a resort from a glamorous lifestyle magazine. Second – and most importantly – a new gravity-fed winery is being built in the hills above.

In the present winery, we see a robotic lagar. Several wineries in this region have actual lagars – whether it is to keep with tradition or because foot-treading improves the wine. We tour the barrel room, with its French Oak barrels, and during the tasting that follows see that this attention to quality pays off. Winemaker is daughter Sandra, who lives in the Duero where she and her husband Jorge Borges run an estate called Pintas. Though the winery uses a combination of local and international grapes that span many price points, my favorite is the 2005 oak-aged Chardonnay that tastes like a Chassagne Montrachet. I am excited to return to see the new winery.

Casa de Cadaval

This gorgeous 5411 acre property has existed here since 1648, and is a winery as well as a  Lustiano horse farm, rice factory, grounds for wild black Iberian boar hunting, fishing,  breeding of Merulengos, a Iberian cattle breed, and a cork-production with1000 cork-oak trees.

Before learning about the wine, our hosts take us on a haywagon tour of the property. The bright sun shines down on us as we bounce along and view the vineyards, the gorgeous brown horses, and the lake.

Our hostess is Teresa Castro Pereira, who descended from the Portuguese General Nuno Alvarez Pereira, conqueror of the Battle of Aljubarrota which took place on August, 14th 1385. In April 2009 he was canonised by the pope.

Teresa is the fourth female head of CASA CADAVAL in a line that stretches two hundred years. Casa Cadaval has been owned by the Schönborn family since 1648 and Lusitano horses have been bread here for 250 years., The estate is located near the old Roman road that runs between Evora and Lisbon and is gorgeously restored. In 1989 the family decided to modernize the winery, create new brands, and replant some varieties to appeal to the international market.The winery has 18 steel vats, two conical tanks, a pneumatic press and three mills of skin maceration, reaching 320,000 liters of capacity for wine production. 

The winery also produces Pinot Noir, which is a particular favorite of its German owner – a very nice one, but our group loved the reserve Cabernet Sauvignon and tried many different vintages of it thanks to the generosity of Madame Teresa. After the extensive tasting of all their product lines, from entry level to reserva, simple traditional whites to expensively made international varieties, we enjoyed some traditional cuisine for lunch.

And the rest …

We visited many spectacular wineries, including Casa Santos Lima with its clay limestone soils from the Superior Jurassic period (a dinosaur bone was recently found here), Quinta do Monte d’Oiro, and Vale d’Algares. As a group, all the winemakers were passionate, some flush with cash, others relying on other sources of income such as weddings, or bed and breakfasts. Lisbon’s wine region is close enough to the city that it can be used by owners as a family vacation resort, and by city-dwellers as a fun “wine country” weekend.

Overall the wines were good. The entry level wines of most producers was acceptable, even good, and at the high end the wines really dazzled. Yet it’s hard to find a bottle of Lisbon wine in New York city, outside of the few Portuguese restaurants. And would one of the many well-crafted delicious wines we tasted “sell” if not hand-sold by a sommelier, waiter, or wine store clerk?

The region has a lot of potential, the wines are already very high quality, with the entry level wines good value for the money and the elegant top wines delicious. Now it’s just a matter of time for the message to reach the international market.
 

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Celine Villars-Foubet
 

"So what vintage do you think this is?" asks charming hostess Celine Villars-Foubet, an owner of the 1855 Grand Cru Chateau Camensac (and many others). We are sitting at a round table inside the very grand Chateau Chasse Spleen (another Chateau of hers) enjoying vibrant green watercress soup and an unknown red wine.

"2001," I say, even though the other wine journalists around the table have guessed vintages as late as 2006 because of the vibrant dark color (wine becomes more pale with age) and fresh acidity. I am right — then again, I admit having had the opportunity to taste through the vintages that morning with Celine’s equally charming husband Jean-Pierre Foubert. I had been amazed by the vibrancy in this wine that presents itself in such youthful form after a decade of bottle age.

                                                     Jean-Pierre Foubet (suit) & journalist Simon Tan

Chateau Camensac is what is known as a "fifth growth" in the division that divided the Medoc into five different classes in 1855. And just as Americans have a popular saying that one never has a second chance to make a first impression, it is true with the 1855 system that it is amazingly difficult to "jump" to another class. The leaders of the civic association did not arbitrarily divide the Chateaux into classes on a whim or personal taste — instead they looked at the record books of negotiants and divided the Chateaux based on the prices their wines fetched in the marketplace.

Though the land and cellar that are Chateau Camensac have been around for nearly two hundred years, parts of the actual Chateau are quite new and its original owners would be hard-pressed to recognize it today. They would undoubtedly recognize its terroir, which borders the Saint-Julien appellation, in the commune of Saint-Laurent-Medoc. The vines are located on the town’s finest gravelly rise. The soil has many pebbles and is quite deep. Supposedly, this makes for excellent drainage (crucial to quality wine) — and today would be proof as it is raining so hard the marshland surrounding the Chateau is nearly under water. Yet, true to its reputation, the land outside my window here at Chateau Camensac looks almost dry.

The Vineyard has a density of vines per hectare 10.000, with 60 percent Cabernet Sauvignon and 40 percent Merlot. The average age of the vines is over forty, which naturally restricts yields, and green harvesting (removing grapes before they are ripe to further increase concentration) is practiced. As a result, the average yield does not exceed 40-45 hectoliters per hectare. Harvest is a nervous time for the producers here, as grapes must be picked when perfectly ripe yet before bad weather sets in.

During my tasting this morning (1999 – 2009) I really enjoyed this wine, and beyond being impressed by its fresh acidity and color after so much bottle age, could taste the terroir in every vintage — a sort of very earthy sensation that spoke of the mineral content of the soil, and especially in the older vintages, the flavors that develop when ripe fruit mellows into tertiary flavors that are often redolent of truffles and mushrooms. Watch out for the 2009 vintage when it reaches your local wine shop.

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