In 2006, while I was teaching Spanish bankers how to chat up a beautiful woman in English (hey, how else do you get students interested in learning a second language?), Ryan was slaving away at the computer, inventing new and creative ways to involve wine lovers from around the world in Spanish and Portuguese wine. After many creative attempts, he stumbled upon a zany idea he called, the 2+1 Iberian Wine Survey. Sent to a handful of bloggers and wine geeks, the survey asked them to answer 2 questions about Iberian wine, and in return, they could ask 1 of us.

However, at the time, we weren’t entirely confident the idea would work. Having only been in the wine blogging scene a year, we didn’t know if our readers would be interested in hearing about a wine blogger’s selection of Spanish wine in Canada, or whether a blogger based in the UK enjoyed the unique and diverse wines coming out of Portugal. It was a crap shoot, but indeed, it worked! Why we didn’t continue the idea? I don’t have a clue, but we are now!

We’re bringing back the 2+1 Iberian Wine Survey, and over the next few weeks, you’ll be hearing not only what other bloggers are experiencing with Iberian wine, but also some of the pressing questions they’ve had about Spanish and Portuguese wine mulling around in their heads. Let’s cross our fingers that we can make up a convincing answer

In addition, we’d like to include everyday folk who are simply interested in wine, like you! So if you’re simply a wine lover, or an uber geek interested in chiming in your ideas on our blog, let us know so that we can get a survey out to you asap. All the collected surveys will be posted on Catavino beginning on June 1st.

And to get you in the mood, I’ve included a series of questions asked of Catavino way back in 2006 when we were all still green to wine blogging!

Steve DeLong of the Delong Wine Chart
“Spain is always considered both an old and new world country. Where are the traditions being maintained? Rioja really throws me off because it seems to be all over the place stylistically.” Check out how Spain is coping with its traditional ways while adapting to the modern age.

Dave Worthington of Tinto y Blanco
“The promotion of Spanish wine seems to be left up to a few small importers in Australia, why is there not a “Brand Spain” marketing campaign?” Find our how ICEX has missed the mark on promoting Spain wine

Andrew Barrow of Spitton
“Is sherry destined to go the way of Marsala and be relegated to cooking use only?” We sure don’t think so!

Erin and Michelle of Grape Juice
“We?re very curious about Basque wines. Are the wines as unique as the language and culture, and if so, what sets them apart from the typical Spanish wines we?re likely to encounter? Do you yourself enjoy them? Are there any that you would recommend us trying for an introduction? I realize that?s actually about four questions, but we?re very nosy people, so I hope that?s okay.” Txakolis are typically misunderstood and under appreciated.

Roy Hersh from For the Love of Port
“What is the real difference between the Pedro Ximenez grape from Jerez and Malaga?” Although the differences are slight between the production of PX in Jerez and Malaga, there is a distinct separation

Tim Elliot of Winecast
“I’m reading quite a bit about how good Portuguese red wines are and would like to explore this region for one of my podcasts. What 3 wines, $25 USD or less, would you choose for a tasting that would give me an idea of the quality of these wines?” Here are our suggestions!

Cheers,

Gabriella

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I have been eagerly anticipating Alice Feiring’s book, “The Battle for Wine and Love or How I Saved the World from Parkerization.” Then, however, I started reading it. 

And, while the book is eminently readable, it is very memoir-ish and very much in the mode of “chick lit.” It is not at all the erudite dis-mantling of “Parker’s palate” that I that I was expecting.  It is smart, but also personal with much allegorical reference between her love life (not that interesting) and wine.

My personal tastes in non-fiction aside, I do have to diverge from Feiring’s agent provocateur approach to book promotion.  With her op-ed pieces in the Los Angeles Times and the San Francisco Chronicle whereby she paints the entire California wine industry with the same brush, I have to note the hypocrisy in doing so.

How can you rail against homegenization in New World wine, leveraging Parker as your foil, and then write op-ed pieces in California’ two largest daily newspapers deriding virtually the entire California wine industry?

It’s a very subtle point here.  But, if you’re going to attack Parker for his influence in creating a “house style” for wine, touting nuanced wine in France, for example, you better damn be sure you’re not pimping your own book in a fashion that is similarly dogmatic in opinion.

It’s like she’s saying, “Parker’s palate be damned.  Hail my similarly one-sided opinion, and I’m taking California down with me.”

It rings a little hollow for me.  Instead of rattling cages, it might be better to cite chapter and verse in well-reasoned opinion. 

Isn’t there a difference between reasoned analysis that leads to provocation and broadside slanted opinions?  I think so.  That’s where Feiring is falling short.  She may be able to write, but she needs a better publicist.

For Additional Reading.

Best of the wine blogosphere for April 7th through April 11th:

• looks like i’m back drinking the stormhoek kool-aid again
• Wine Pricing Could Stand a Correction
• WBW #45: Old World Riesling
• The Problem With Gary Vaynerchuk
• Randall Grahm of Bonny Doon, Interview
• Neal Family Vineyards, Napa: Current Releases
• Do wine blogs and expensive wine make a good blend?
• Substance and Wine-ing 2.0
• Wine Book Club ?Spin the Bottle? selection: Wine Across America
• Vin de Napkin and the Art of Missing the Boat
• Napa With Altitude Tasting: April 23, San Francisco
• An Audience With … Me
• Checking in on ?Hopes for 2008?
• Wine Bloggers Are Bought and Paid For
• Wine Book Club Reminders
• Vin de Napkin
• Death to the Fine Wine Retailers!
• Not So Big Zinfandel

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I'd originally written this for Lenn, but we didn't use it and I'm dry on material... read it and weep

Cabernet Sauvignon is for wimps.

Yep, you read right. Wimps, I tell ya. You want a dash of crème de cassis? Mathilde makes a pretty one for kir royales. Bursts of blackberry? Pass the Polaner All-Fruit. Chocolate and coffee notes? Starbuck?s can whip you up a mean frappucino. But please, don?t put it in my wine.

I admit, I?m being cranky. And I know it?s partially because I have a pile of dishes in my sink crying out for help as I try to type. But it?s also because I?m trying to make a point: while Cabernet Sauvignon can indeed produce beautiful wines, it?s often made into over-ripe fruit bombs smothered in vanilla-toasted oak.

I know what you?re thinking. Clearly, this woman has never tasted Silver Oak. Or Chateau Mouton-Rothschild. Or etc. etc. etc. I admit, Cab Sauvs can be made into some pretty smoking wines, but can you afford those? Nah, neither can I. The gloriously rated Howell Mountain Cabs are about as far from my price range as possible. As are top growth Bordeaux. Where does that leave me?

Cabernet Franc.

Granted, the two grapes are very different. Cab Sauvignon is all about tannins, dark fruit and leathery aromas. Cab Francs, while also firmly tannic, are lighter, earthier, and display much more herbal aromas. But for me, it?s one of the most wonderfully versatile grapes under vine, producing a plethora of styles, most of which are both food-friendly and age-worthy.

Cabernet Franc, as you know, is one of the grapes used in the classic Bordeaux blend. Along with the more famous Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, Bordeaux can also include Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot. Percentages of Cabernet Franc vary from chateau to chateau, but its typically used more on the right bank in St-Emilion and Pomerol to add tannic structure to Merlot?s juicy roundness.

But Bordeaux is certainly not where Cabernet Franc gained notoriety. That exhalted region is none other than the Loire Valley in France. The Loire is an interesting area that?s largely held on to traditional winemaking methods and indigenous grape varieties, including Muscadet, Pineau d?Aunis, and Cot (the local name for Malbec), among others. The AOCs (Appellation d?Origine Controlle) of Chinon, Bourgeuil, and St-Nicolas-de-Bourgeuil produce reds from Cabernet Franc. The wines tend to be leaner and more acidic than Bordeaux , ranging from the chalk-textured Bourgeuil to the richer Chinon to the juicy St-Nicolas-de-Bourgeuil. While lackluster winemaking can certainly produce bland wines, the true artists of the Loire have been known to craft earthy wines, loaded with mulberry, sage, and minerality that can age for 15 years or more.

Cabernet Franc, however, was largely overlooked in the United States until recently. Some experimental winemakers out in California have been producing Cab Francs that are big, bold, and brawny ? which is just fine, but not particularly true to the nature of the grape. Happily for us, Cab Franc seems to prefer the climate of New York State, and in particular, that of Long Island.

It turns out the maritime climate of Long Island is perfect for many of the Bordeaux grapes ? they dig the summer heat moderated by the surrounding water. Long Island is also cool enough in the winter to allow an appropriate dormant phase without great risk of extended freezes. The Finger Lakes have long struggled with red grapes for lack of sufficient sunlight to ripen, but Long Island has the best of all climactic combinations. And judging from a recent tasting, Long Island winemakers are producing Cab Francs in the all of its glory ? from light and juicy to tannic and mineral-laden.

Raphael and Jamesport both produce what are perhaps the most approachable Cab Francs. Lighter and juicier in style, these wines can both be served slightly chilled as delicious, thirst-quenching sippers. This is not to say that they?re not dinner-wines; indeed, serve them at room temperature paired with rosemary-roasted chicken and asparagus and they?ll certainly blossom.

Castello di Borghese has created a more new world Cabernet Franc that?s full on the palate with sweet cherry fruit and smooth tannins ? it?s a softer, rounder version of the grape that will appeal to dyed-in-the-wool Merlot fans. In a somewhat similar style, Vineyard 48 has certainly gone new world by oak-ageing the wines to impart toasty cinnamon nuances. It?s smooth, round, and creamy, loaded with blackberry and black cherry fruit. Pair either with a hearty beef stew for a midwinter treat.

Schneider produces the most classically-styled Cabernet Francs. If I were to taste their ?Le Breton? blind, I think I?d pick it out as a ripe Bourgeuil. The chalky nose offers plum, sweet red peppers, thyme, and rosemary, with a linear palate of blackberry that expands beyond the stoniness to a smooth, round finish of plumy licorice. Schneider?s ?Roanoke Point? is a bit more elegant, with toasty sandlewood aromas interlaced with rosewater and pluots. The blackberry fruit on the palate is enhanced by notes of roses, herbs, prunes, and roasted peppers. These are both Cabernet Francs for Cab Franc lovers. And a pairing? Why, Long Island duckling, of course!

Ok, now, I?m not saying that after trying Cabernet Franc, you?ll completely abandon Cabernet Sauvignon. But let it swish around your mouth for a while. Taste the lovely herbal notes and the layers of stone and fruit and try to convince me that it?s not an underappreciated grape.

And, if you really feel the need, send me a thank you note. It?s only polite.

Randy Hall, in response to our report that American Wine Wholesalers claim they are saving lives by making sure no tainted wine hits the shelves, answered the question I forgot to answer. Namely, How exactly do those amazing wholesalers actually check each and every bottle of wine to make sure it isn't tainted, thereby saving countless lives?

His Answer? X-RAY WINE GOGGLES!!

And he's right. Why it's downright amazing the kind of space age technology that can be developed when you are flush with dough due only to your state-granted monopoly. And now you can have your own, genuine set of WSWA X-RAY WINE SPECS.

Susana helped me think outside the box?Susana Balbo, that is. One of Argentina?s premier winemakers, her Syrah-Bonarda blend is one of various compelling examples of her brilliance. It?s an intelligent value steal and as a bonus, it is meant to be consumed more or less young. Argentine Syrah as a whole doesn?t get all of the credit that it deserves?combined with the second most planted red, Bonarda, you get this beauty, with meaty tannins and lots of dark fruit/red fruit complexity. My favorite aspect of this one revolved around the irresistible, concentrated plum, cherry and black raspberry flavors, with the Bonarda contributing the nice red berry acidity. The oak and warm spices are a great, subtle backbone that won?t overwhelm with one of those cheap death-by-vanilla finishes. As with a great deal of grapes harvested from the Andean foothills (elev. about 2300ft), both components of this 50/50 blend were hand-harvested from vines in Mendoza?s Rivadavia department that are on average, 40 years old.

What a wonderful blend to try with grilled meats now that the weather is improving. Yet another excellent example that shows what finesse Mendoza blends can have without Malbec involvement.

Susana Balbo?s Crios wines are made available by Vine Connections, the premier boutique Argentine wine importer out of San Francisco. If you?re having trouble finding it in your area, try Wine-Searcher or the importers themselves.

Today the United States lost one of its living legends, as Robert Mondavi died today at the age of 94. It's hard to understate the impact that Robert Mondavi had on the wine world. His name itself was, and still is, one of the most well known brands in America. His family's (and his own) success in the wine business was a prototypical example of the American dream.

Robert Mondavi moved to Napa in 1930's to work in the post-prohibition wine industry of the region, having grown up making wine with his father and brothers in Lodi, California, before attending Stanford University in Palo Alto. Mondavi convinced his father to purchase the Charles Krug winery in 1943, a decision that would prove fateful for the entire family. Under the Mondavis, Charles Krug would become one of the most successful Napa wineries of its time.

This success was not without its trials however, as Julia Flynn Siler chronicled in her history of the family last year. In 1966, after essentially being kicked out of the family, Mondavi founded his own winery in Napa. Through a combination of passion, savvy marketing, and sheer force of will, Mondavi built what can only be called an empire. The rising tide of Mondavi's success, coupled with his own tireless promotion of the place he believed wine should hold in the modern American lifestyle, helped to forge Napa's identity as one of the world's great wine regions.

While the Mondavi name has perhaps lost some of its luster, just as the wines that continue to bear his name have diminished in quality and reputation, these should not and cannot detract from the accomplishments of the man himself. Most wine lovers today owe him a debt of gratitude, if only for helping make America a little more friendly to wine and those who care deeply about it.

Cheers, Robert!

Brilliance is a word that can mean many things: luminosity, intelligence, perfectly executed and, when it comes to flavor, lively and electric. All of those things come together in these two seductive, brilliant wines that are great values to boot coming in at under $25.

• 2005 Clos de la Roilette, Fleurie, Imported by Louis/Dressner Every time I’ve served this wine each person at their first sip is taken back for a second as they ponder what has crossed their palate. Each knows that they have experienced something special. This is an extraordinary wine is that is is just so alive that it makes you take more pleasure in living. Concentrated elegance and finesse.

• 2005 Bourgogne, Pinot Noir Vieilles Vignes, Domaine Joseph Voillot. Imported by Vintage ‘59 Imports – Anybody who thinks there are no great values coming out of Burgundy be prepared to be proven wrong. This racy, bright pinot noir also comes packed with loads of flavor and complexity on its rather electric acid frame. Here’s a pinot that can both sing and dance. A short stint in your cellar of two or three years will give you quite a bottle of pinot.

A pair of 5’s may seem a long shot to those that think a lot of chips are required to get great wine, but sometimes a pair is all you need. These days it’s hard to imagine such a winning hand at this price range from anywhere other than France.

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Just a short commercial note that I have launched my own consulting company for fine wine producers. You can get more information at http://craigcamp.wordpress.com/2008/05/21/craig-camp-consulting/. Many thanks to all for the support I’m getting in launching this project.

Now back to talking about wine.