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I was just talking with a friend from Chicago about Alpana Singh.
At 26, she was named the youngest female master sommelier. Now, at 29, she's director of wine and spirits for Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises. Smart girl. And she champions the women-and-wine cause. I like that.
And there she is in today's Chicago Sun Times offering us a little taste of her wine savvy. I'm fond of this one in particular: Many good wines are meant to be drunk young. "Otherwise, while you're patiently waiting for 'Mr. Right,' you may inadvertently be letting 'Mr. Right Now' get away."
I'll throw in my own girly wisdom: Wine and shoes have a lot in common. You have the $300 Stuart Weitzmans stashed away in a cloth bag in an air-tight box in the back of your closet. And then there's the everyday, comfy-as-hell boots you throw on without a second thought, but can't imagine living without. Those dress-up wines you've got buried in your cellar, they're nice, but it's the week-night, lasagna-and-garlic-bread bottle that gets you through the week.
This is a dry, slightly sparkling wine, with a pleasent, rich, complex aroma. A pleasure to sniff and taste, there’s a fruity note and there’s quite an undefined spicy note, definitely requires another bottle of researching . The producer specifies it as a wine “with characteristic Muscat taste and smell carrying combination of spicy tones of incense, cinnamon, basil and fruit tones of pine apple and strawberry”.
Although it does have the muscaty taste it’s a dry wine, but still does go well with desserts such as nutty cakes. Also goes well with lighter meat dishes and on it’s own.
The Ivanovi? winery is a winery with a long tradition, one of those where the younger generation has embraced it’s ancestry recipes and combined it with modern trends. Some of the details are available online. It is located in the ?upa region in southern Serbia.
Feb-May 2005, Los Angeles CULINARY CHEF II - Cuisine's of the World Mon – 2/28/05–5/9/05 6:30pm-10:30pm After Culinary Chef I, many students broaden their horizons by applying the techniques they’ve learned to make exotic cuisines from around the world.
Pouilly Fuisse should not really be mixed up with Pouilly Fume although it happens. While both are white wines Pouilly Fuisse is rightfully Chardonnay and Burgundian. The other Pouilly is from the Loire Valley and is made from Sauvignon Blanc ( to be covered someday!). While Pouilly-Fuisse is an appelation on to itself it would be a shame not to give the individual terroirs recognition also. There are 4 villages in the appelation: Vergisson, Solutre-Pouilly, Fuisse and Chaintre and arguably 5 terroirs as Solutre and Pouilly are distinctive.
From a distance the twin rocks of Vergisson and Solutre are a clear giveaway that you have arrived. The certain soil zones around these rocks are limestone and give the wines that mineral taste which is lacking or more subdued in the other communes outside of Vergisson, Solutre and Pouilly.
The 5 terroirs within Pouilly-Fuisse are :
Vergisson - mineral driven, punchy with acidic backbone. Solutre - mineral driven but softer with pronounced acidity. Pouilly - Good harmony of mineral and fruit - most balanced. Fuisse - More fruity, does not have the minerality of previous 3. Chaintre - Fruit dominant.
The next time you try a Pouilly-Fuisse take a closer look at the label and see where it comes from - there should be a difference. Personally my favorite is Pouilly proper. It seems to have the right balance of fruit, minerality and lively acidity. The other all have their unique characteristics but not in the harmonious balance I get in a benchmark Pouilly.
Not a comprehensive list by any measure but the wines I liked were made by:
Set your sights on wine, and you?ll set your eyes on some of the most incredible scenery in BC?s three main wine regions. Here are ten of the best scene-stealing sights and activities that insiders guarantee will tempt your palate...
I like writing about imports but it always frustrates me how limited they are (in terms of availability) and generally how expensive. As a reviewer it can feel like I’m spending a lot of time writing for a very, very small number of people. When a box of affordable imports from Australian retailer Vintage Cellars came in though I jumped at it; this is more like it. Vintage Cellars has put a lot of time and energy into its quaffable import range in recent years and it shows. These wines are generally good, available and not expensive. Tasting through them was like a quick trip around the world. There are a couple of real bargains here.
Well, I’ve had a crazy few weeks. March is usually a busy time pouring at events and visiting accounts. We’ve also spent a good deal of time preparing to bottle Sauvignon Blanc and finally doing it now. Then came April and my husband, son and I bought a house and have been dealing with moving and then moving again (long story). I also attended a short cheesemaking course…..Here’s a recap of all that is happened as I have been remiss in posting.
Say Cheese, and then some…..
I attended a cheesemaking course at Cal Poly at the beginning of this month. Learned a lot and had a great time, too (That had a lot to do with the company I was keeping, I’ll have you know—all good fun). I went down there with Marta Kraftzeck (longtime winemaker/viticulturist at Chateau Julien in Carmel Valley), Terry Teplitzky (owner/chef of Michael’s Catering and Wild Thyme Deli here in Marina), and Tony Baker (chef of Montrio Bistro in Monterey). Photos in order: Terry is cutting the cheese (Feta, that is); Tony is making real cream cheese, here I am doing really Gouda, Marta is testing the Mozzarella curd, and last is the whole cheese gang together…..hmmmm
So what’s cheese got to do with wine, you might ask? A lot, actually, and more than I had even realized. It was clearly stated to us by one instructor that cheesemaking is not a natural process. Milk was meant to be consumed the minute it is produced; nature did not mean for it to be stored or made into cheese. Although not such an extreme example, it occurred to me that grapes are the same way: grapes originated as the fruiting body of a wild grapevine that “wanted” it’s fruit to be eaten by birds or animals so that it’s seeds are carried away and planted elsewhere. Maybe we all need to be reminded of this sometimes: the original intention wasn’t to make people drunk or create a multi-billion dollar industry. [So—there’s a little something to dampen one’s hubris—hee hee]
Another commonality: Both cheese and wine are fermented products—cheese is usually cultured with some kind of bacteria and/or mold (molds are fungis and in the same family as yeasts & mushrooms). The primary fermentation in wine is accomplished by yeast (that’s the alcoholic fermentation); the secondary fermentation (which happens in most wines) is produced by bacteria (malo-lactic fermentation) that converts malic acid into the less-acidic lactic acid.
I could go on in this “vein”, although it doesn’t make me “bleu” (sorry I’m in a cheesy mood today)....I’ve always been greatly interested in making (and eating) cheese, and certainly this course opened a door into other world for me, and it unexpectedly added other facets and “levels” to my ever-evolving winemaking philosophies, too, and that I always welcome. Neither wine nor cheese may be a product that nature intended, but natural laws nonetheless shape each, and this was another opportunity for me to renew my appreciation of that concept.
....and then there was Sauvignon Blanc
I may be solidly in the arms of Pinot Noir, but I will always have eyes for Sauvignon Blanc. I’m admitting it here. Call me easy—maybe—but I truly appreciate all styles of S.B. from all regions of the world (can’t say the same for all P.N…..). We are bottling ours now, finally. This year’s (2007, that is) gave me a little hassle as it never wanted to clean up completely (unlike last year’s offering), so had to resort to the filter (which isn’t as bad as it sounds—and can be good for a wine). I really liked last year’s, but some thought it too acidic, so for 2007, I’m moving very slightly toward a “Napa style”—a portion of this was picked just a tad riper, and I barrel-aged 50% in old barrels to soften it and add a little more complexity. The barrel-aged portion may have gone through a little malolactic fermentation, but mostly the original acid component is retained. This will be released in a few weeks out of necessity, but methinks it should open up and show it’s true character sometime this summer…..
Events
Doug will pour at the MCVGA tasting at La Playa in Carmel on Tuesday, April 22.
Doug and/or I will provide wine for KAZU’s Salon Series dinner with Lynn Rosetto Kasper on Thursday, April 24 (looking forward to this as she is one of my favorite radio & food personalities)...
Out and About
Dean & DeLuca in St. Helena is selling our 2005 Tondre Pinot Noir. I visited with Spencer Chaffey (spencer.chaffey@deananddeluca.com) over there the other day and had a nice conversation with him…..
Napa Valley Wine Exchange: Speaking of Sauvignon Blanc, check out what they have to say about our 2006..... and our 2005 Tondre Pinot.
Australia could be forced to give up its place among the world's biggest wine exporters within 50 years and become a niche player, a new report predicts.
There?s an urban myth that we can get all the vitamins and nutrients necessary to survive from Guinness. I?ve made the pilgrimage to Dublin, Ireland, to see if the myth is indeed true. My quest is being documented by a five man TV crew for my new series Glutton for Punishment (now airing on the Food Network in The U.S. and Canada). My plan: to live on nothing but Guinness and water from 6pm Monday until 6pm Friday. Fiachna O?Braonain, co-founder and guitar player of the popular Irish Celtic-rock band Hothouse Flowers has generously agreed to show me around the pubs of Dublin and act as my tour guide for the week.
My good friend Colin Devlin (who introduced me to Fiachna) is in Montreal recording an album, and I?m staying in his vacated flat. Colin bet me a hundred dollars that I wouldn?t survive the week on my self-styled diet. When I arrived at his flat, I discovered a chicken suit hanging in the bedroom with a note pinned to it. It read:
Dear Bob,
This suit is your end of the bargain. Fiachna will be happy to show you a fantastic time in Dublin. But if you cave in, you?ll have to wear this chicken suit for the duration of your stay.
Cheers,
Colin
PS: Please water the plants.
Day 1 (Monday)
Today Fiachna and I mucked about, had a couple of warm-up pints, then headed down to The Purdy, one of Dublin?s many gastropubs, for a fabulous last supper. Like a man on death row sitting down to his last meal, I ordered oysters (accompanied by Chablis), tagliatelle carbonara (accompanied by a Borolo), sea bass on roasted vegetables, garlic fried potatoes and stir-fried veggies (with a full bottle of [white] Mercury from Burgundy) and a multitude of desserts ? followed by Irish coffee, a shot of Bailey?s and a Blackbush Irish whiskey (on the house).
In a spontaneous show of solidarity (or drunken moment ? you choose), Fiachna surprised me by announcing that he was going to join me on the diet. At the stroke of 6 pm the two of us ended the gluttony and officially embarked on our week-long Guinness diet. If all goes well, neither of us will have a morsel of solid food, or any liquid other than Guinness (or water), until 6pm on Friday.
We headed to Searson?s, ?the local?, for a couple of pints before calling it a night.
Day 2 (Tuesday)
At about 9 am, I stumbled into the living room of Colin?s flat to discover two beautiful Irish girls sitting at the dining room table. One was salaciously juicing fresh oranges as the other set out a full-on Irish breakfast. A place had been set for me and all was offered up. While I was surveying the spread, Fiachna arrived and informed me that this was a regular monthly gathering. Even though it was too late to cancel it, he promised to persevere with his half of the deal. We cracked a couple cans of Guinness and watched the girls eat (and believe me, these Irish lassies put the girls from Los Angeles to shame when it comes to eating). The beer was surprisingly satisfying and the company almost made me forget what I was missing.
After our breakfast of champions, I visited a local doctor for a brief assessment. He was a bit shocked by my report on last night?s alcohol consumption (note to self: remember the 50 percent rule when responding to doctor?s questions about alcohol consumption), but after taking my vital stats, he pronounced me to be in fighting form.
Fiachna and I headed to an illustrious local pub to celebrate the positive prognosis. We had a pint while the camera crew ate a HUGE pub lunch in front of us. Afterwards, Fiachna headed to the studio to mix a track for an album he?s recording with the drummer of the Flowers and the original bass player of the Pogues (and Elvis Costello?s former wife). And I headed to another pub for a prearranged meeting with Father Brean.
I was seeking council in the art of avoiding temptation, and the good Father chose to dispense it while feasting on a delicious-looking plate of shepherd?s pie. Actually he was quite a hoot and gave me the best tip so far. His advice: to plug my nose when I was around aromatic food. I responded by sticking a napkin up each nostril, then sending our production assistant out for swimming nose plugs.
After bidding adieu to the man of the cloth, it was on to Fiachna?s studio to hear a few tracks. His band mates were both there ? munching on a freshly delivered pizza.
As if that wasn?t enough temptation for one day, Fiachna insisted that we go to a party thrown by The Dubliner magazine to celebrate their ?Top 100 Restaurants? issue. Naturally, the place was lousy with food, wine and chefs. We made a few friends, then headed off for one last pint.
The Daily Count: Pints of Guinness: 7 (or 8 depending who was counting) Water: at least a gallon Pees: About 15.
Day 3 (Wednesday)
Another day of temptation and torture.
A beautifully presented plate of eggs Benedict greeted me as I opened my bedroom door this morning, but naturally it was no match for a cool pint of the brown stuff which I quaffed while reading the morning paper.
After a bit of e-mailing and general housekeeping, Fiachna took me to meet a chef friend of his at L?Ecrivian, one of Dublin?s only restaurants to earn a Michelin star. As is my nature, I ended up in the kitchen where Chef Derry showed off several of his Guinness-infused dishes. Seems as though he thought my ?Guinness diet? included anything made with Guinness and he was eager to feed me. He must have anticipated my love of bacon, because just about everything from the oysters to the braised beef included it in one form or another. Frankly, it was his freshly-baked Irish soda bread that really made me weak at the knees. Chef Derry promised to pack me a box lunch for my flight on Saturday ? if I last the week.
After the demo, I headed out for a pint on my own. When I came back to meet Fiachna at the restaurant, I discovered him chowing down on plate of quail and sipping an Italian red from a fish bowl-size wine glass. THE FUCKER had caved! Frankly I was impressed that the rocker had lasted this long. And after a brief brow beating, I commended him on pacing me for the first 42 hours. After Fiachna?s betrayal, I had to endure the crew moaning in delight over a stunning lunch that Chef Derry prepared.
From there we toured a few other pubs where I learned to ?pull a pint? and met a few nice ? albeit plastered ? locals. Then after the crew stopped for a quick fry-up at the local chippy stand, Fiachna took me to a pub where he sat in on the penny flute with some traditional Irish musicians. Needless to say, a couple of pints were added to the mix.
In case you are wondering about my state of well-being, it has been a bit of a roller coaster ride. At the end of day two, I had developed a raging head ache. But it later dawned on me that it was probably due to what I wasn?t drinking ? caffeine ? then the all-day drinking or lack of food. I am finding myself vacillating from moments of euphoria to periods of grumpiness (yes, really!). And as I type this I?m feeling quite light-headed. So far, I?ve never felt drunk ? just slightly buzzed for brief periods. And one other thing of note, I can?t turn around without seeing food or references to food everywhere I look.
The Daily Count: Pints of Guinness: 8 Water: tons, but probably still not enough Pees: I lost count after 20.
Day 4 (Thursday)
This morning?s offering in front of my bedroom door was a dessert plate sent over by Chef Derry. Needless to say, the double chocolate brownie, fig shooter and vanilla custard were no match for my ?pint of plain? which I enjoyed at the local at 9:30 am.
After breakfast, Fiachna sent me to his hairdresser-to-the-stars for a Guinness shampoo. Wow, the man who touched Bono?s mane touched mine. Come to think of it, Bono doesn?t have much left these days.
The rest of the day was consumed (or not as the case was) with a visit to the grave of Arthur Guinness, the founder of Guinness. Arthur died in 1802, but his great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandson, Patrick Guinness is still dining off the family name. Patrick, to be fair, was very cordial (in that upper crust, self-aggrandizing kind of way) and was happy to spin truths and a half-truths about the family history until Will mercifully called ?cut?.
We wrapped early and I took in the Borat movie at a packed cinema. Despite the wafting popcorn aromas, it was a welcome distraction ? and wickedly funny in a juvenile kind of way.
The hunger pains have subsided, as has (most of) the grumpiness, and I?m shocked at how much energy I have considered my limited caloric intake. That said, and despite the conventional wisdom that says the stomach shrinks, I do feel as though if I let my guard down for a second, I could do some serious damage to an all-you-can-eat buffet.
I am cautiously optimistic that I?ll make it to the finish line. However, my bravado is tempered by my fear that the entire crew is still determined to take me down ? after all, they?ve had every culinary resource in Dublin at their fingertips. With only 18 hours to go, the proof, as they say, will be in the pudding.
The Daily Count: Pints of Guinness: 5 (today was the Guinness diet diet!) Water: who cares any more Pees: let?s just say the soles of my shoes are wearing thin
Day 5 (Friday)
Nothing could have prepared me for the challenges that would face me today.
There was a note outside my door in the spot I?d come to expect my daily breakfast offering. It read ?Townsend Street #2.? I dressed quickly, glanced at the chicken suit, then ran out of the flat and waived down a taxi. The cabbie deposited me in a scrappy part of town in front of a dubious looking pub called The Windjammer. When I entered I saw Fiachna sitting at the bar devouring a plate of poached eggs on mushrooms and toast. In fairness, he was accompanying his breakfast with a pint, so naturally I joined in. The Windjammer is an ?early house.? Early houses, for the initiated, are pubs in Dublin that?re licensed to open at 7am in order to serve shift workers as they get off work in the early morning hours.
After we finished our respective breakfasts, Fiachna took me to the coast to see the James Joyce museum. It was cold, overcast and rainy. As we approached I noticed several swimmers braving the icy waters. I looked at the swimmers, then at Fiachna. Suddenly my mind scrolled back to a moment as we left the early house when the soundman took my microphone pack from me ?to fix a loose connection.? The penny dropped just seconds before Fiachna dropped his trousers, revealing a pair of plaid swimming trunks. Coincidentally, he just happened to have an extra pair of shorts with him, and insisted that I join him. Before I could decline, he cannon-balled into the drink and I had no choice but to follow. The 40°F ocean waters would have been a shock to any system at the best of circumstances, but they were even more jarring to my weakened body. At the same time I must admit that the experience was quite invigorating. We scampered out onto the rocks shivering. There were no towels in sight, but Fiachna produced a steaming thermos of chicken soup and held the cup up to my nose. Weakened, but not yet broken, I took the soup and poured the whole lot over my head. Chicken soup never felt so good.
With the ruse up, we toweled off and headed to a pub for a quick warm-up pint. I can?t say that it warmed my body, but it certainly took the edge off the shock. From there, Fiachna brought me to one of Ireland?s finest cheese shops. Great cheeses of the world are one of my weaknesses and this shop had them all. I did my best to ignore the wafting aromas as Fiachna and the crew devoured a tasting. Our next stop was a specialty wine store around the corner. The owner had set out a luscious food and wine pairing for us and Fiachna dove in with the same wild abandon he had displayed at the sea side. Then he announced that I could pick any wine in the shop ? as long as I opened it and had a glass. I looked around the well-stocked shop and eventually spotted the reserve case. Closing in on my prey, I discovered a 1985 Petrus ? one of Bordeaux?s most legendary wines, and an excellent vintage. The price was 1,250 euros, well beyond the budget of my weenie cable show. It seemed like a toothless ploy until Will, my director (and the show?s true protagonist) whipped out his wallet and produced his credit card.
At this point it should be noted that Will and I have been traveling on the magical mystery tour we call Glutton for Punishment for the past six months. By now he?s well acquainted with my many weaknesses. Will?s as competitive and tenacious as I am (but in a much more Zen-like way). Usually he?s my staunchest supporter, but in this particular episode he took it as his personal mission to take me down. He also happens to LOVE wine and wanted to taste the Petrus as much as I did.
?Drink it now and I?ll pay for it,? he said.
He was dead serious.
It?s not often in one?s life that they have the opportunity to drink an ?85 Petrus. With less than two hours left, Will taunted me by saying that I could have my wine and drink it too, then only have to endure two (humiliating) hours in the chicken suit. It was painfully tempting, but I knew the finish of the wine would fade long before the stories of my demise.
Next up was a visit to the doctor who?d examined me earlier in the week. Despite his pronouncement that I was ?slightly pale and tired looking,? I was feeling surprisingly spry. He quizzed me about the week and shook his head in disbelief at how much I?d consumed. According to his scale, I lost more than five pounds. The mild-mannered doctor was quite shocked (and dismayed) to find that all my vital signs were exactly the same as my first visit. (Note to Morgan Sperlock: choose your poison wisely). Moving in for the kill, I challenged him to an arm wrestle. I?m sure I detected a flicker of fear in his eyes as he politely declined.
With a renewed spring in my step, we moved on to the market bar where my victory dinner was set to take place. Even though there was less than an hour remaining until the 6 pm finish line, many details had yet to be arranged. Peter Devlin (our local production coordinator, and Colin?s brother) was dispatched to accompany me for a last pint. Six o?clock came and went. I got a hand shake ? and another pint ? from Peter, but at this point, all clocks were reset to television time which basically meant that I couldn?t have my first bite until we were ready to roll. 6:30?7?7:30?another pint?8. Finally Peter?s cell phone rang with word that everyone was ready. As we walked across the street to the restaurant, it began to dawn on me that I had actually survived all the physical challenges, temptations and hurdles of the Guinness diet.
Fiachna was waiting at the bar to greet me with a victory pint. He announced that the table was almost ready. We were to be joined by chef Darry, orange juice girl, his band mates, the Guinness barber and a few other sorted and assorted characters that we had encountered in our travels. Fiachna excused himself for a pee and I nursed my last pint, thinking about how long it would be before I would order another one on my own volition. Much to my pleasure, one of the most stunning woman I had seen all week sat down on the stool Fiachna had just vacated. Needless to say I had no intention of saying it was taken. Moments later, a curvaceous full-lipped-dark-haired beauty sat down on the vacant stool to my left. Apparently the two were friends and we immediately struck up a conversation. I could tell that the fair skinned girl was Irish and the dark haired girl seemed Spanish. The Irish maiden was plucking ripe strawberries from a bowl and dipping them in freshly whipped cream. Seeing the hunger in my eyes, she generously offered me a strawberry. In my slightly buzzed state, I tried to explain my predicament. This amused her, but she would have none of it. The two of them took it as some form of challenge complete the mission that the rest of Ireland had failed to at. I held my ground, which only made them more determined. Sensing my weakened state of willpower they both offered me a long slow kiss if I would just take one bite. Eyelashes fluttered, nostrils quivered and lips curled.
Would anyone really know?after all Fiachna was in the bathroom and?hey?just a minute?
Having survived the last temptation of a very, very long week. I was shepherded to the table where I joined the waiting group (and the two girls from the bar) for the final countdown. For the record, in real time it was 8:30 pm.
5-4-3-2-1!!!
After the big hurrah everyone was curious about how I intended to break my fast.
?What I would REALLY like is nice glass of red wine?, I replied, ?but there?s something I want first,? then I grabbed a long slow kiss from the two girls ? who it should be noted were a bit shocked by the unscripted moment.
Moral of the whole experience: With a little will power and perseverance, you can have your cake and eat it two.
The Daily Count: Pints of Guinness: 8 Everything else is a blur
Saturday
As I type this, I?m 36,000 feet in the air, en route home to Los Angeles. Chef Derry over-delivered on his promise and I?m munching on a pheasant, tomato confit and Gubbeen cheese sandwich ? just one of the many delicacies in my well-stocked lunch box. To heighten the pleasure, and make up for lost time, I?m washing it down with a full-bodied Spanish Rioja that the flight attendant brought me from First Class in trade for some of my fois gras. My week?s experience has made me even more appreciative of the things I?m fortunate to take for granted, and it?s a renewed pleasure to be able to describe food that I am actually eating.
Glutton for Punishment airs on the Food Network in the U.S. at 9:30pm Tuesdays. In other episodes Bob Blumer enters a chili pepper eating competition, a flair bartending competition, the New York City waiter?s race, and attempts to run the Medoc marathon while sampling all 23 wines along the route.
The hunt for October red has turned up a whole lot of alternatives. Here are four to get the week off on the right track. I love them all and have repeated them in search of my favorite. I can't say which is best because they're all top notch, each perfect for the season, and each priced at about $15 or under per bottle. Two are from Spain, continuing on my October theme; one is French and one from Washington State. Perhaps the balance of the month will turn up something from California.
Eric Soloman's European Cellars is an importer many people trust. It's like a seal of approval for any Spanish wine in the eyes of many value conscious Americans. Eric brings us Capçanes Mas Donís Montsant Red 2004 ($15) and Mas Que Vinos Ercavio Tempranillo Roble 2005 ($13). Both are deep purple in the glass, but the Ercavio has more of an unfiltered appearance, showing some haziness under a halogen beam.
Mas Donís 2004 is mostly old-vine Grenache (80% Grenache with 20% Syrah) and has a perfumed black cherry nose with teaberry and hints of pencil lead. The body is medium, the flavor's tart and the mouth feel is moderately tannic. The cherry fruit along with some vanilla flavors come together nicely in the dusty dry finish. The only thing I don't like is the plastic cork. Why must anyone use that blasted plastic cork? Alcohol content: 14%.
Ercavio Tempranillo 2005 spent 5 months in French American oak and has a lovely aroma of black raspberry, loganberry and apple pie spice, plus the scent of a tobacco shop. Lush and fruit forward, this is what I would describe as a masculine comfort wine, and it would pair perfectly with a cheeseburger. The closure is a Nomacork*. Alcohol content: 13.5%.
Jean-Philippe Bourgeois was the General Manager for Eric Solomon for 6 years, and now he is bringing French values to the American market. Château Capion 1C Rouge 2005 (Vin de Pays de l'Hérault, $13) is a blend of 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Syrah, 20% Cabernet Franc, 15% Merlot and was barrel aged for 14 months. That sounds like a recipe for a great Bordeaux but this gem of a red comes from further south. Still you get the deep purple color and aromas of black currants, dark berries and hints of vanilla. The rich blackberry cobbler flavors envelop the mouth in a far reaching luscious dry finish.
The Magnificent Wine Company is the mass-production wing of K Vintners of Walla Walla, Washington. KV is the project of Charles Smith who brings us such magnificent wines as "The Creator". You might walk right past House Wine 2005 ($11) due to the rather "in your face" and non-standard graphics on the label. You might mistake it for a generic red blend but it's anything but. The blend is 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 11% Syrah, 3% Malbec and 2% Cabernet Franc. Here's another ideal Bordeaux blend, and the latitiude is virtually the same as Bordeaux. The resulting aromas and flavors are much better than the average house wine, with dark berry flavors and aromas, resolving nicely in to a lush dry finish that echoes the virtues of barrel aging. The closure is a real cork. Alcohol content: 13.9%.
*The Nomacork is a composite resin artificial cork that is similar to the Neocork, but the Nomacork brand is much more popular in terms of units sold.
Clos Henri is a relatively new entrant to the Wairau valley of the Marlborough wine growing region. This property is also located close to Renwick and is actually opened by the Bourgeois family from the Sancerre region in France. The first vines were planted in 2001 with emphasis on bringing out the terroir. There are a multitudes of soils here but they essentially are either clay based or rocky riverbed. Their "Bel Echo" offerings of Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir show definite minerality and bely the rocky riverbed soil which it was planted on. The "Clos Henri" series on the other hand definitely is more earthy, rich and deep being planted on predominantly clay. Of all the wines tasted in this region - these wines strike me as the most "terroir transparent" I have tried so far.
Their vine planting densities are some of the highest around here of around 5000 vines per hectare. I have high hopes for this property in the future as their vines begin to acquire age and more experience is gained each year on the boundaries of each specific "terroir".
There is definite potential here for these wines - give the vines some age, more experience with the soil and LOWER YIELDS. If there is one sticking point it's the yields which tend to be on the higher end. At ~50 Hl/Ha, this is just too high to produce anythng worthy of the "ultra-premium" status and certainly world class. To get there, we are going to have to drop fruit yields by 30% or more so let's watch this space - it's a great start.
Following the theme of my last post about Americans? increasing awareness of the quality wines that many artisan producers of Argentina are exporting, I?m pleased to post the first installment of my interview with Ed Lehrman of Vine Connections. Along with his business partner, Nick Ramkowsky, they formed a company that not only imports the wines of artisan Mendoza producers, but selectively forges meaningful, long term relationships with them. As Ed Lehrman explains in the interview, this type of involvement encompasses much more than shipping and distribution, extending into representation, consulting, label design and many other crucial aspects which in the end, bring American consumers the types of genuine artisan wines that multinationals couldn?t even conceive of delivering.
Based out of Sausalito, CA, Vine Connections has been at the forefront of the changing of the guard, in terms of tastes, that I described in my last post. Their portfolio includes excellent California, New Zealand and Japanese Saké producers, alongside the wines of star Mendoza winemakers Susana Balbo and Pedro Marchevsky, along with others to look out for, such as Mapema, Tikal and La Posta del Viñatero. If you really want to know what Argentines really like to have at the table and moreover, the breadth that Argentine wines are capable of achieving, I encourage you to explore the types of artisan producers that Vine Connections represents and whose work, over the coming years, will ultimately triumph over the characterless, corporate-backed South American wines saturating our shelves.
I would like to thank Ed Lehrman for taking the time to provide his in-depth responses concerning Vine Connections, its vision and inspiration. Our conversation unfolded over e-mail:
*What is the vision behind your company and what were some of the key experiences that led you and your business partner to get started?
- My partner, Nick Ramkowsky, and I have both been in the wine business since 1986 (we started very young), and we could have done any number of things together. Nick was a small California distributor at the time, and I had just sold my direct-to-consumer wine business where he had been one of my suppliers. A fateful trip together in May of 1999 launched us into the importing/national sale & marketing business. We spent about a week in Mendoza on that trip tasting wines from bottle, barrel, tanks?you name it?and we met some incredible winery owners and winemakers. By the end of the week, we were looking at each other and asking, ?How does the 5th largest wine producer in the world hide incredible wines like these from the US?? It seemed like this must be the opportunity of a lifetime for wine guys like us to lead the charge in introducing Argentine wine to the US, and in a way that they would be fully appreciated for their quality and authenticity, and not just their price. As an aside, of the first 12 wines we imported from Argentina, the LEAST EXPENSIVE wine was $22 retail! So in fact, Vine Connections was originally formed in order to be an Argentine wine importer. *Compared to other importers, what is the depth of Vine Connection's involvement with the producers its represents? (in terms of consulting, marketing, other assistance, etc.)
- It is hard to speak about other importers, since some do quite a lot and some just taste and buy. As for us, we take the approach that we are the winery?s own sales & marketing department and they can use us for as little or as much as they need. That may mean writing back label copy, helping with label design, or determining whether a new blended wine is even a good idea to add to their portfolio.
For all of our wineries, we do the copywriting for all printed materials since we can communicate their stories in English more effectively, and along the same lines, we handle most press relations since we are here and readily available. And I guess the most valuable thing we do would be called ?consulting? since we offer our advice on many topics based on our 40 years of working in the U.S. wine biz. *How does your company forge relationships with producers? In this vein, what is the process like for you when considering an addition to your portfolio? Do the producers come towards you in the way of trade events, do you travel to areas to scout, so to speak, or some combination thereof?
- We are very careful in this regard since our objective as an importer is to build brands and not just sell wine. That requires long-term relationships, so besides tasting backwards and forwards through a winery?s production, we spend as much as time as we can with the owners and the winemakers to see whether there is a good fit for working closely together. When we meet people who already think they know it all about winemaking, marketing, etc., we politely walk away no matter the wine quality. Our initial screen is the wines?they have to be particularly good since that is what we are known for importing. Then we start talking about their philosophies, their dreams, their business objectives, and where we should all eat dinner together (a meal with a potential supplier is always a good way to gain more insight).
This process means that while we have run into some wines that we like, we have sometimes been unwilling to take the winery on. The most common stumbling block for us seems to be that the winery lacks a strong winemaking philosophy, and often because they have abdicated this cornerstone to a consulting winemaker (and most often to foreign winemakers). As time has passed, we have pretty much settled into the idea of only representing wineries owned by Argentines and with Argentine winemakers since the winemaking vision is usually clearer and more grounded in expressing what makes Mendoza so special compared to other regions.
From the first moment that we meet a winery team, it usually takes about 18 months before we come to an agreement, do the ground work, and then start selling the wines in the U.S. It seems to work--we have never lost an Argentine winery and every brand that we represent has achieved a significant level of success.
I wish I could say that finding these producers followed a particular recipe, but in truth, all of our brands have come to us via different sources. The key is to have your radar on all the time so that the best ones don?t slip by accidentally.
*You represent Susana Balbo and Pedro Marchevsky's Dominio del Plata Winery?how did that relationship come about and how far back do you go?
- Well, if it weren?t for the ?dynamic duo? of Mendoza, we may never have been Argentine wine importers. We met them on our first trip to Mendoza in 1999, and they were so obviously talented and knowledgeable that they got us thinking a lot about the possibilities. We also formed a trusting relationship so quickly that it became obvious that we would work together, and together push forward a common vision of making Argentine wine part of the daily American fine wine conversation. That seems like an ominous task looking back now?we had no company yet and they were renting a very small winery at the time?but at the time it just seemed like destiny.
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If you ever wanted an object lesson in the "Blinders On" mentality that results when a state controls and restricts consumers' access to wine, all you have to do is read THIS STORY in the Salt Lake City Tribune on ordering wine direct through the state run system that turned into a 5 month odyssey of frustration and surrealism.
The report begins by noting that Utahans often order one of the tens of thousands of wines the Utah state system doesn't list in inventory from on-line sources then have it shipped to Wyoming, where they go pick it up and drive it back home. Yes, this is illegal, but it turns out it's really the Utahans only choice is they want to access wine that the good Utah government regulators don't choose to bring into the state.
But no worries. This illegal activity isn't necessary: "Under Utah law, consumers may special order wine, liquor or heavy beer that isn't one of the 4,000-plus offerings on the state's listing, says John Freeman, DABC operations director."
The reporter did just this. He wanted to get his hands on two bottles of Quivera Zinfandel from Dry Creek Valley.
He ordered it through the state in November 2007. He got it in May 2008. You've got to read this story.
The really ugly part is that were rational wine shipping laws in place in Utah, the reporter could have ordered his wine from any of more than 20 different on-line wine merchants and had it shipped to him within 3 or 4 days of ordering it.
I'm not one of those Small Government, Conservative kind a guys. But when you read this sort of thing you really start to understand where those folks are coming from when they claim that if you want something screwed up and as inefficient as possible, just give it over to the government to do.
After four decades in the wine industry, Harry McWatters, the spirited, fun-loving, and sometimes outspoken president of Sumac Ridge Estate Winery in Summerland, British Columbia, is stepping down.
Harry?s accomplishments are legendary. He helped found the British Columbia Wine Institute, Wines of Canada, VQA Canada, the BC Wine Information Society, and the Okanagan Wine Festivals Society. In 2003, he was a recipient of the Order of British Columbia and is considered instrumental in propelling British Columbia?s wine industry onto the global stage.
But even more important, Harry is known and loved for his tireless commitment and enthusiasm. To be in a room with Harry, is to be instantly caught up in a contagious passion for all things wine-oriented. His wit is razor sharp, his smile impossible to resist, and few can match the sheer depth of his knowledge.
But there?s clearly no slowing down on Harry?s immediate horizon. Effective May 1st, 2008 ? the day after he officially steps down as president of Sumac Ridge ? Harry intends to begin work establishing The Okanagan Wine Academy, an educational program offering in-depth wine educational programs primarily to consumers. In addition to providing consulting services, he will also continue on as president of the Black Sage Vineyard.
And he?s going to finally be able to devote some time to completing his cookbook, Wine Country Cooking, British Columbia, a project he says ?has been talked about and gathering dust for several years.? He smiles with that characteristic twinkle in his eyes. ?This is by no means retirement, but an opportunity to find new reasons to get out of bed in the morning and shift gears, as I plan to remain active in the future growth of this great industry.?
Like everyone who has ever had the privilege of meeting this incredible man, we wish Harry every success and look forward to seeing what shifting gears will bring. We?ll also be first in line to try out some of his Wine Country Cooking recipes.
A touch high-toned for Cabernet, with cherry and red plum notes backed by a hint of shaved vanilla on the slightly firm finish. Fleshes out a touch with air. Drink now through 2009. 113,000 cases imported.
Last week we took a trip to the Sunshine Coast, a couple of hours driving north of here. After a visit to the Buderim Ginger Factory I came away with a packet of organic uncrystallized ginger. This is like crystallized ginger but without the sugary coating. Across the road is the Macadamia Nut factory and after sampling the entire line up of flavoured nuts we decided on a 1kg bag of raw macadamias.
After a little thought I decided macadamia nuts and ginger would make perfect partners for white chocolate and matcha. I googled white chocolate pots and the first one up was one from my favourite Tartelette.
Earlier in the week I made another Tartelette recipe
Tecnorati
This is a dry, slightly sparkling wine, with a pleasent, rich, complex aroma. A pleasure to sniff and taste, there’s a fruity note and there’s quite an undefined spicy note, definitely requires another bottle of researching 
. The producer specifies it as a wine “with characteristic Muscat taste and smell carrying combination of spicy tones of incense, cinnamon, basil and fruit tones of pine apple and strawberry”.
