Here are 3 Old World wines, all better with food than on their own. The way it should be.
UMANI RONCHI MONTIPAGANO 2009, DOC Montepulciano D'Abruzzo (Italy); #134585; Price: $12.95; 13.0% ABV 100% Montepulciano (organic). Bright purple colour. Aromas of black cherry, plum, and dried herbs. Flavours of cherry and plum, nicely balanced by medium acidity and velvety tannins. Medium bodied, the finish is a bit short but it’s only $13. Good, simple wine for simple Italian dishes, like pizza and pasta Bolognese.
REAL COMPANHIA VELHA EVEL TINTO 2007, DOC Douro (Portugal); #190694; Price: $14.95; 13.5% ABV A blend of the Douro varieties of Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz (aka Tempranillo), Tinto Cao, and Touriga Francesa. Aged in Portuguese oak barrels. Plum, blueberry, leather, and a meaty aroma on the nose. The plum and blueberry flavours are outweighed by its chalky tannins and mouth-watering acidity, but a beef or lamb stew would balance that out. Medium bodied.
CHÂTEAU LECUSSE CUVÉE SPÉCIALE 2008, AC Gaillac (France); #198937; Price: $14.95; 13.5% ABV 100% Fer, a regional grape variety. Still purple in colour, there’s a lot on the nose: blackberry, plum, black olive, black tea, smoky, tar, liquorice. It’s the blackberry and black olive flavours that dominate in the mouth. Full bodied with good length. The chewy tannins need to soften…will they over time? Better yet, match it with duck confit or steak with Béarnaise sauce.
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Buzz is building about El Camino del Vino (The Ways of Wine), an Argentinean “drama-documentary” about Charlie Arturaola. Charlie (born Carlos) is a Uruguayan sommelier who loses his senses of taste and smell while participating at the Masters of Food and Wine Awards in Mendoza.
Can there be anything more horrible for a sommelier than losing his palate? (As a sommelier who lost his palate for about a month last year during an illness, it’s a miserable place to be.)
The film traces Charlie’s journey from the Mendoza awards through his attempts to regain what’s been lost, including encounters with Argentinean winemakers Susana Balbo and Jean Bousquet as well as consultant Michel Rolland (the “villain” of Mondovino).
Right now, the film is on the festival circuit, hitting Berlin next month, likely seeking a distributor. Keep an eye out for it.
Here’s the trailer:
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PERRIN NATURE CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2009, AC Cotes du Rhone (France); #948059; Price: $ 16.95; 13.0% ABV Grenache with a bit of Syrah. Bright cherry red in colour, aromas of cranberry, red cherry, red currant, anise, something floral, and (just at the beginning) a bit of meatiness. The cherry comes through on the flavours, with moderate acidity and soft tannins. Reminds me more of a Pinot Noir than a Rhone wine! Medium-bodied. It’s balanced but everything is muted, which is surprising from one of the better producers in the southern Rhone. Better than the 2007. But great with roast chicken.
PIKES TRADITIONALE RIESLING 2009, Clare Valley (Australia); #66894; Price: $19.95; 12.0% ABV Good intensity of aromas: tangerine, lime, peach, orange blossom, red apple, and minerality. Wonderfully zingy acidity with the lively lime, green apple and minerality coming through in the flavours at first, then peach shows up at the finish. Medium-bodied, it’s has a good long finish with the flavours and acidity echoing all the way. Fermented in stainless steel with cultured yeast. Good example of Clare Valley Riesling! Capable of 10 years of aging.
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I remember Matt Kramer from back in the days when I read Wine Spectator. He’s been a regular contributor there since the mid-80s and reading his column was often a highlight. Perhaps Kramer is best known for his translation of Terroir as “somewhereness”, which just goes to show that some concepts are better left untranslated. But let’s not hold that against him.
Yes, Matt Kramer is an advocate of the concept of Terroir so, right away, we are comrades-in-vino. And I’m right with him when he mourns the homogenization of wines,
The greatest challenge today is to recognize ‘originals’...I believe more strongly than ever that both searching for and finding originals is a wine lover’s greatest pleasure…great wines taste like they come from somewhere. Lesser wines taste interchangeable; they could come from anywhere.
So many Cabernet Sauvignons and Chardonnays from countless different regions taste like they came from some McVino franchise. Perhaps the greatest service that wine scorers can do for us (if you rely on scores to buy your wines) is to score wines as much on originality as what Kramer argues is the most important criterion: complexity.
Perhaps my favourite chapter is The Wine Cellar – Are you Ready for Reality? where Kramer tackles the purported effects of humidity, vibration, temperature, light, and shipping on wine. Many of these threats, he argues convincingly, have been vastly overstated. As one example, the long-standing recommendation that we should keep wines in a humidity-controlled room stems from way back when wines were stored in barrels, hardly something that is common today outside of the winemaker’s cellar. Once bottled (sealed in glass), humidity is largely irrelevant to a wine’s condition.
The last chapter, Food Is the Meaning of Wine, starts off,
Wines exist for food. Without the context of food, wine is a eunuch, a sterile experience which soon acquires distorted features.
This is the point that so many New World winemakers miss, that a good wine becomes great only as a partner to food.
Much of Kramer’s writing still makes sense. He writes extremely well and reading something so well written about pleasure is in itself, well, a pleasure.
That’s not to say that everything that Kramer offers makes sense. He argues that the best way to appreciate a wine is to experience its evolution over time, and that the only way to do that is to buy a case of each wine that you buy. (It’s a oft-recommended wine-buying strategy.) A few pages later, he encourages buying wines from many different regions, and even buying different wines from the same region to appreciate their differences. Again, a good buying strategy. But buying a case each of different wines from within a region, and from many different regions, is a strategy only for the independently wealthy aficionado with a very large cellar! As for the rest of us, we can do one, or the other (even then, if we’re lucky). Me, I choose variety.
Kramer added a chapter for the second edition of this book: Twenty-First Century Fine Wine – The Consequences of Success. It’s worth reading just for his summary of the technological revolution (some might say trickery) that’s been brought to winemaking in the past 20 years. It's a revolution that he blames mostly on the Australians, who are not pleased. But the counter-revolution has already begun, even in Australia, at least at the level of fine wine. More wine writers and drinkers are seeking out originality. (See Beppi Crosariol’s column in the January 15 Globe and Mail…and most any post in this blog.)
Making Sense of Wine was originally published in 1989, with this second edition published in 2003. (Yes, I’m still catching up on my wine reading.)
Definitely worth keeping a copy on your bookshelf.
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The main theme of this week's release is Chile (3 worthy picks, 2 organic), with a minor focus on wines from SouthWest France (2 more there). Wines from SouthWest France offer some the best values in today's market. Some good bargains all around, continuing the post-holiday trend. Check here to see how I make My Picks.
Organic
EMILIANA NOVAS LIMITED SELECTION CHARDONNAY 2009, Casablanca Valley (Chile); #4515; Price: $14.95; 14.0% ABV Grown right near the Pacific Ocean (OK, everything in Chile is near the Pacific Ocean) where the influence of the cold Humboldt Current plays a big role in making the wines, bringing cool morning fog and conditions for slowly ripening grapes. Aged 4 months, 30% in French oak. From Chile’s leading producer of organic wines.
COOPER HILL PINOT NOIR 2008, Willamette Valley (Oregon); #199802; Price: $21.95; 13.0% ABV Here’s a chance to try some good Oregon PN at an affordable price. They say they make the wine from oreganic grapes. Oh, brother. But I think the wine is better than the humour! Cooper Hill uses Biodynamic practices but they’re not certified. Fermented in stainless steel, aged in 5% new oak.
EMILIANA NATURA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2009, Central Valley (Chile); #61069; Price: $15.95; 14.0% ABV 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged 20% in French oak barrels for 6 months. Certified organic by the Institute for Marketecology.
Off the Beaten Track
Whites
CREEKSIDE ESTATE BUTLER'S GRANT RIESLING 2008, VQA Twenty Mile Bench – Niagara Peninsula; #220293; Price: $15.95; 11.5% ABV Fermented entirely in stainless steel, with fermentation halted “based on sensory analysis”. That’s a fancy way of saying, “We liked how it tasted, so we stopped.” God bless winemakers who know when to stop!
CÉDRICK BARDIN 2009, AC Pouilly-Fumé (Loire); #202416; Price: $21.95; 13.0% ABV 100% Sauvignon Blanc grown in Kimmeridgean soil (same as Chablis, but a different grape). Cold fermented for 10 days, then aged on its lees for 4 months. Unlike Fumé Blanc from California, this Fumé refers to its typical smoky or gunflint aroma from the grapes, not the barrel.
BEAUVIGNAC PICPOUL DE PINET 2009, AC Coteaux de Languedoc (France); #350124; Price: $11.95; 12.3% ABV 100% Picpoul, one of my favourite white wines from Languedoc. Typically citrus flavours, crisp, refreshing, wonderful with fresh oysters or as an aperitif. Short maceration, cold fermentation. Drink now.
Reds
MISSION HILL S.L.C. MERLOT 2005, VQA Okanagan Valley; #68353; Price: $34.95; 14.0% ABV SLC = Select Lot Collection from Oliver and Osoyoos. Hand harvested and sorted. Gravity fed into fermentation, then aged in French oak for 13 months. Another goody from BC.
ANTU NINQUÉN SYRAH 2008, Colchagua Valley (Chile); #675371; Price: $17.95; 14.5% ABV 100% Syrah. Handpicked. Cold Maceration for 4 days, fermented on the skins for 23 days. Aged 18 months in 80% French, 20% American oak, 50% new, 50% second use. Unfined and unfiltered. Grown at altitude. Antu Ninquén means “Sun on the Mountain”. Owned by Montgras.
Here are my two Picks from SouthWest France:
CHÂTEAU LECUSSE CUVÉE SPÉCIALE 2008, AC Gaillac (France); #198937; Price: $14.95; 13.5% ABV 100% Fer. Heard of it, never tried it. I’m in.
CHÂTEAU PEYROS 2005, AC Madiran (France); #208249; Price: $14.95; 13.5% ABV A blend of 70% Tannat, 25% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, which makes for a less tannic wine than with the more traditional 100% Tannat. Fermented in stainless steel. Micro-oxygenation used to allow earlier drinking - whatever happened to patience? - but can age for a few more years. Malolactic fermentation in oak. A classic regional match with duck confit.
BUIL & GINÉ GINÉ GINÉ 2007, DOCa Priorat (Spain); #67843; Price: $17.95; 14.0% ABV A blend of separately fermented Garnacha and Cariñena from 50% young vines (less than 20 years old) and 50% old vines. Maceration and fermentation followed by Malolactic fermentation.
VINOS SIN-LEY TRAZA GRA 2 2008, DOCa Rioja (Spain); #190819; Price: $16.95; 13.5% ABV 100% Graciano, unusual for Rioja where Tempranillo is king. Graciano is indigenous to Rioja but fell out of favour for quite a while. But these people are bringing it back. Even more unusual: aged in stainless steel tanks with no oak! Makes sense, because “Vinos Sin-Ley” means “Wines Without Laws”. Not exactly Ontario’s motto.
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23 new wines stealthily popped up on Vintages Online Exclusives last week. I say “stealthily” because there was no email announcement about the new release (Or, at least, I didn’t get an email about it, and I subscribe to everything that Vintages sends out. I stumbled across the new release by chance. My winey-sense must have been tingling.) No publicity...an interesting approach to product promotion.
[Update Jan 17: Oops...the on-line release was the third item listed in an email promotion sent out by Vintages on the 13th. My apologies!]
So what’s there that meets my criteria? With prices ranging from $30 to $99, with the average at $70, they’re not exactly “value” wines. Looks like another set of wines that didn’t make the cut for an upcoming Classics offer, perhaps because the available quantities are relatively small. Just guessing on my part.
But there are two "Off the Beaten Track" wines from Inniskillin worth checking out:
INNISKILLIN LEGACY RIESLING 2008, VQA Niagara Peninsula; #0189621; 12% ABV; $30 From the Twenty Mile Bench sub-appellation. Cool fermentation in stainless steel for 13 days, then aging on its lees for 6 months.
INNISKILLIN LEGACY CABERNET FRANC 2007, VQA Niagara Peninsula; #0189639; 14% ABV; $40 Franc...the other (food-friendly) Cabernet. From the Four Mile Creek sub-appellation. Warm fermentation in one tonne bins with daily punched down for 16 days, followed by Malolactic fermentation in new and used French and American oak barrels. Aged in the barrels for 16 months. From the excellent 2007 vintage.
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Decanter reports that Agence Bio (France's organic certification label) recently granted, for the first time, organic status to two Bordeaux Grand Cru Classé estates: Chateau Pontet-Canet in Pauillac and Chateau Guiraud in Sauternes.
In fact, Pontet-Canet was Biodynamic back in 2005, wavered during the difficult 2007 growing season, but now is back on its way to Biodynamic certification. And converting to Biodynamic practices is just one element in the long rehabilitation of the Pontet-Canet estate (a neighbour to Lafite-Rothschild and Mouton-Rothschild) since Guy Tesseron took over in 1975. The Tesseron family continues to innovate: the latest is to bring working horses back into the vineyard instead of tractors, with the view that horses cause less damage to the vines.
Pontet-Canet doesn’t make a big deal about being organic or Biodynamic in its marketing...no mention of their certification will appear on the label and you have to review their website carefully to find references to their practices. They know that organic, even Biodynamic, is the way to go and they just get on with it. It's not a gimmick for them. Perhaps their illustrious neighbours will take note.
To learn more about what Pontet-Canet is up to, check out their video.
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100% Grechetto, an underappreciated white varietal from central Italy. The back label says it's made from organic grapes. Aged on its lees in stainless steel. Aromas of white peach, flowers, and almonds. The peach really dominates on the flavour, with an agreeably bitterness at the back…a bit like rolling a peach pit around in your mouth. Good acidity too, with medium length. Medium-bodied. The bottle says 14% ABV but that seems higher than what I get. Great match with broiled scampi.
Even more interesting is the description of the wine at the bottom of the front label. Is this what happens when the folks on the label machine sample too much of the product?
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I'm fascinated by the ideas on matching food and wine that François Chartier put forward in his book, Tastebuds and Molecules ("Papilles et Molécules" is the original version written in French). It's easily the most innovative book that I've read in the past 20 years on the subject of matching wine with food.
Last June, Chartier's published his newest book, Les Recettes de Papilles et Molécules. Somehow, I missed that but, hey, it's tough to stay on top of everything! I must have been out golfing that day.
But, thanks to Michèle, I came across an episode of a show on Télé-Québec (Curieux Bégin) that devotes most of an hour-long episode to Chartier and a few of his recipes. Chartier explains some of his concepts and illustrates why the foods and wines are a great match.
Worth watching if you're interested in wine and food matching and Chartier's ideas. Télé-Québec is repeating the show Sunday, 9 January at 5pm, Monday, 10 January at 1:30pm and Tuesday, 11 January at midnight. In French.
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Before Christmas, it was a lot of premium wines at Vintages. Now the pendulum swings all the way back to the bargain basement with the theme of "Smart Buys". The cover photo even has a picture of a wine glass half-full of Loonies and Toonies, the message being that's all we have left!
It's a mixed bag: lots of bargains (only a baker's dozen at more than $20) with some previously released wines making a second appearance. Many of these wines are meant to drink ASAP...like we need a reason.
For my part, I could only find 11 wines that meet my criteria.
Organic
PECH MATELLES MARSELAN 2008, Vin de Pays des Bouches du Rhone (France); #148684; Price: $13.95; 14.0% ABV Certified by ECOCERT, this wine’s producer, Les Celliers du Languedoc, is like a “super organic co-operative” with fifteen producers and co-operatives in the south of France. Even more interesting, Marselan is a “new” cross of Cabernet Sauvignon & Grenache Noir and authorized for Vin de Pays in 1990. Previously released a year ago at $12.95. I guess we’re paying a warehousing fee. Tasting Note
PERRIN NATURE CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2009, AC Cotes du Rhone (France); #948059; Price: $ 16.95; 13.0% ABV Grapes certified by ECOCERT. I’m nothing if not forgiving: the 2007 vintage was a big disappointment, but let’s see what’s up with the 2009. After all, Perrin is one of the better producers in the southern Rhone. Tasting Note
UMANI RONCHI MONTIPAGANO 2009, DOC Montepulciano D'Abruzzo (Italy); #134585; Price: $12.95; 13.0% ABV 100% Montepulciano. Harvested by hand. Fermented in a steel tank for 10 days, followed by Malolactic fermentation. Aged in oak. Simple wine for simple Italian dishes, like pizza and pasta Bolognese.
Off the Beaten Track
Whites
JACKSON TRIGGS NIAGARA ESTATE SILVER SERIES SAUVIGNON BLANC 2009, VQA Niagara Peninsula; #209577; Price: $17.95; 12.5% ABV They say they’re going for a New Zealand-style Sauvignon Blanc. Cold fermented with selected yeasts after extended skin contact of 4 hours. And since it’s from just down the road, it should be crisp and fresh!
13TH STREET WHITE PALETTE 2009, VQA Niagara Peninsula; #207340; Price: $14.95; 12.5% ABV Funky Alsatian-inspired blend of separately-fermented Gewurztraminer, Chardonnay Musqué, Riesling, and Pinot Gris with Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Chardonnay. Fermented in stainless steel, with some partial Malolactic fermentation, and then blended. Drink ASAP as an aperitif.
KING ESTATE SIGNATURE COLLECTION PINOT GRIS 2009, Oregon; #983627; Price: $17.95; 13.0% ABV A blend of seven different blocks of Pinot Gris, which many consider the signature white of Oregon. 100% steel tank fermented, then aged for 11 months on the lees in stainless steel. Oregon Tilth certified the vineyard as organic, but not the wine.
DOMINIO DEL PLATA CRIOS DE SUSANA BALBO TORRONTÉS 2009, Calchaquies Valley (Argentina); #1834; Price: $11.95; 13.5% ABV If you like Viognier, try Torrontes. It’s at its biggest and best in southern Argentina, where this one is from. No oak. Loved the 2008. Another wine to drink young. Susana Balbo is the most known female enologist in Argentina.
This next wine was a no-show in the release of November 13. I guess its ship came in:
PIKES TRADITIONALE RIESLING 2009, Clare Valley (Australia); #66894; Price: $19.95; 12.0% ABV The label has a fish on it, but since their name is Pike, I’ll overlook the “critter wine” stigma. Fermented in stainless steel with cultured yeast. Clare Valley turns out some great Riesling. Citrus and mineral when young. Capable of 10 years of aging. Tasting Note
Reds
BAGLIO DI PIANETTO Y NERO D'AVOLA 2008, IGT Sicilia (Italy); #207423; Price: $14.95; 13.3% ABV 100% Nero d’Avola, indigenous to Sicily where it’s the signature grape. Handpicked. Fermentation and maceration for 8 days. Aged for 10 months, half in new French oak.
FATTORIA DI BASCIANO RISERVA 2006, DOCG Chianti Rufina (Tuscany); #209478; Price: $25.95; 14.0% ABV A blend of Sangiovese (95%) and Colorino (5%). I prefer Chianti Rufina to Chianti Classico because it’s more assertive. Tends to need more aging, but worth the wait.
REAL COMPANHIA VELHA EVEL TINTO 2007, DOC Douro (Portugal); #190694; Price: $14.95; 13.5% ABV A blend of the Douro varieties of Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz (aka Tempranillo), Tinto Cao, and Touriga Francesa. Aged in Portuguese oak barrels. This is the winemaker’s entry-level wine.
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