March 31, 2009
Wine Market Struggles to Adjust in New Era
By DAVID JOLLY
What is a wine worth?
As elite critics and merchants from around the globe descend on the city of Bordeaux this week to sample the 2008 vintage of the world.s finest wines, that question will dog them.
The ultimate connoisseurs have gathered every spring since the early 1970s for the tastings, known as the .campagne primeur,. or futures campaign. But never have they done it in the middle of so deep a recession, after so frothy a market. For that reason, this week.s tastings are likely to be an unusually sober affair.
Just as the go-go years of Wall Street.s inflated salaries and Main Street.s cheap cash created a bubble in real estate, stocks and other assets, they produced a wine bubble too.
The en primeur, or wine futures, system works to the advantage of the wine-producing châaux, providing them with cash for part of their product while it is still in the barrel; investors and consumers get the chance to buy wine at prices that have the potential to rise substantially.
Prices for futures had long varied widely according to the quality of the vintage. But that seemed to change after an exceptional 2005 sent prices spiraling upward. The vintages of 2006 and 2007 were merely average, but prices did not fall, kept aloft by a surplus of nouveau riche big spenders.
Now many of the speculators who drove prices to extraordinary levels have disappeared, or turned from buyers to sellers as they try to raise cash to cover their overleveraged bets. And the bankers and traders who thought nothing of blowing hundreds of dollars on a bottle are now worrying about losing their bonuses, if not their jobs.
As a result, some overseas buyers have decided to skip the tastings this year, complaining that top châaux will not accept that in a market this weak, prices must fall. Some of the smaller merchants whose livelihoods depend on selling the wine, including some of the Bordeaux middlemen known as néciants, are said to be at risk of failing.
Stephen J. Browett, director of Farr Vintners, an up-market British wine merchant, said he would not even be sending a team to Bordeaux this week because he did not expect to be able to sell the new wine at a profit, unless the wineries are prepared to accept substantial price cuts.
.I wouldn.t call it a boycott, precisely,. he said, .but unless they give us an indication that they.re going to put the price down, there.s not much point in us sending our team down for a week..
Simon Staples, director of fine wine sales at Berry Bros. & Rudd in Hampshire, England, said the gap between the pricing expectations held by wine merchants and the châaux over what is expected to be a decent, though not great, vintage was the widest he had seen in two decades.
The top châaux are hoping to cut prices by 15 percent from the 2007 en primeur to show good faith, he added, .but cutting the price by 50 percent to 60 percent is the only way it.s going to work..
The problem has been particularly acute for British wine merchants because the pound has fallen precipitously against the euro, and British buyers can account for up to a third of the market. Mr. Staples said the pound had fallen about 15 percent against the euro in the last 12 months, so .even a 15 percent price cut will only get us back to last year.s level,. he said.
Prices for the best wines from around the world rose in tandem with the financial bubble, with both institutional fund managers and home-based Internet traders getting into the act. The London International Vintners Exchange.s Liv-ex 100 index, which tracks trading in 100 fine wines, mostly red Bordeaux, nearly tripled in dollar terms between February 2005 and August 2008. The index has lost about 43 percent of its value since then.
Mr. Staples pointed to the example of Châau-Lafite Rothschild, a first-growth Bordeaux, which soared from £675, or $955, for a 12-bottle case in the 2002 futures to £4,000 a case for 2005 . which he called .the best vintage I.ve ever tasted.. But despite merely average years subsequently, the price only fell back to £3,500 in 2006 and £2,800 in 2007. He estimated it cost the châau .10, or $13, to make a bottle of the wine.
Both Christie.s and Sotheby.s, the auction houses, say sales continue to be strong at their auctions, which typically feature excellent bottles in their primes.
And people have not cut back on their overall wine consumption, according to Lulie Halstead, chief executive of the research and consulting firm Wine Intelligence. .But what we are seeing is that people are trading down a bit in price,. she said, spending less at restaurants while occasionally splurging more for the wine they serve at home.
Data from Wine Australia, an industry marketing group, supports that analysis. Australian wine exports declined 5 percent in volume terms in the 12 months through the end of February, but the value of those exports fell 16 percent, suggesting cheaper wines are making up more of the mix.
Predictions based on the weather during last year.s growing season suggest that the 2008 Bordeaux will rank as average-to-pretty-good. The châaux are expected to release their prices for the new vintage by the end of June, based in large part on the buzz from this week.s reviews. Mr. Staples said that if the top châaux decided the market would not support their price, they have sufficient cash to simply keep the 2008 vintage off the market, holding it for as long as 10 years, if necessary, when it would be ready to sell to retailers and restaurants. He said he was optimistic, though, that negotiations would succeed.
There is concern, however, for the many smaller Bordeaux producers, who need the liquidity the futures sales bring. Wine merchants who depend on en primeur sales and the néciants . who act as middlemen between the châaux and the wider market . could be especially hard hit. The American wine critic, Robert Parker, noted as much in November, predicting on his blog that there would be .plenty of casualties..
In an e-mailed message last week, he sounded similarly bearish. .In terms of wine prices, even the luxury end are soft, but have not fallen as much as real estate, art, and stock,. Mr. Parker said. .However, buying of top wines has slowed considerably, and what unfolds over the next six months will push prices lower, I suspect..
David Sokolin, a fine wine dealer in Bridgehampton, New York, notes another potential pitfall. .If the producers cut prices sufficiently for the 2008 en primeur to move their product, they could undermine the prices of the 2007 vintage,. he said. That would hurt merchants and investors holding the back vintage, because their stocks of those wines would lose value. All of the first-growth, or highest ranked, producers . Châau Lafite Rothschild, Châau Margaux, Châau Latour, Châau Haut-Brion and Châau Mouton-Rothschild . declined interview requests, citing the press of business before the start of the tastings.
But Jean-Guillaume Prats, director of Châau Cos d.Estournel, a Bordeaux second growth, acknowledged that prices have come down over the past six months. .That.s true of every fine wine around the world,. he said, .and it.s also true for many luxury items..
Mr. Prats hinted that the producers would seek common ground with merchants. .Speculation isn.t in anyone.s mind at the moment, in any area,. he added. .It.s good that the market is going back to fundamentals..
Francis Cruse, director of the Union des Maisons de Bordeaux, the néciants. union, blamed the madness spurred by the excellent 2005 vintage.
.Prices need to return to the level where people who like to drink good wines can afford them,. he said.
But Angéque de Lencquesaing, one of the founders of iDealwine, an online auction site in Paris, said it was hard for producers to accept lower prices. .In England and other countries people have a view of wine as a financial product that can go up or down in value,. she said. .In France, wine is sacred..
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* Dr. James Ellingson, jellings(a)me.umn.edu *
* University of Minnesota, mobile : 651/645-0753 *
* Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 *
FYI on Cab Franc from SFGC
The other Cabernet
Jon BonnéChronicle Wine Editor
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Winemaker Aaron Pott grows Cabernet Franc for Napa Valley... He also uses the grape in wines for Blackbird and Quintessa. Crocker Starr winemaker Pam Starr makes a smoky Cabernet ... Cab Franc vineyard at Seven Stones winery, a tiny boutiqu... More...
If Cabernet Franc has a pied piper, it might be Aaron Pott. Over the years, the Napa Valley winemaker has quietly taken this misunderstood grape with him from project to project. When Ron and Anita Wornick planted just under 2 acres on their tiny, priceless jewel of a vineyard in the St. Helena hills above Meadowood, Pott persuaded them to include about 15 percent Franc. He has the spiel down.
"I kind of say it like this: 'Which would you rather taste - a 1961 Chateau Mouton (Rothschild) or a 1961 Cheval Blanc?' " Pott says. "The best expressions of Cabernet Franc are much more interesting than the best expressions of Cabernet Sauvignon."
That is often the minority view. Says John Skupny of Lang & Reed, probably California's sole Franc-focused winery: "It is definitely the Rodney Dangerfield of the varietals." This despite hundreds of years of loyal service in Bordeaux and the Loire Valley.
Blame the flavors. While Franc offers plenty of fruit - usually lighter and leaning more toward raspberry and blueberry than Cabernet's dark notes - notoriety lies with its herbaceous, floral, sometimes peppery side.
When ripe, those notes provide aromatic allure: dried herb, tobacco, graphite and paprika, not just in red wines but also in fine rosé
But they also can be Franc's weakness - green, underripe, vegetal flavors. These traits provide fodder for critics who cast Franc as a green-lipped wannabe.
Yet winemakers along the West Coast are finally finding a place in their hearts for Cab Franc, either on its own or as a portion of their blends, even in California, where it has remained a perennial problem child. It earns its keep, if nothing else. Statewide, it averages $1,421 per ton, more than $300 more than Cabernet Sauvignon, according to 2008 data.
The frequent loathing of Franc has given its partisans - me among them - all the more reason to seek one another out. No secret handshakes, but when a fellow traveler drops the name of, say, Charles Joguet of Chinon, we take it as a badge of refinement.
"The profile of a Cab Franc drinker? They usually have a great cellar," says Pam Starr, who makes a smoky, ripe Franc under her Crocker & Starr label. (She's a Joguet fan.) "They get it that life is full of diversity. They can't have the plain box of Crayola crayons. They have to have the mega-box of colors."
Grape gets its star moment
Converts typically come to the Franc side once they understand its historic dual role as both leading man and ensemble member. In the Loire, it is largely responsible for reds from Chinon, Bourgueil and Saumur-Champigny that can immediately refresh but age for decades. Farther south, it serves as part of the blend in many of Bordeaux's most famous wines, notably Chateau Cheval Blanc, which traditionally is about half Cab Franc.
This latter role has swayed many winemakers. Pott learned his lesson as winemaker at Chateau La Tour Figeac in St. Emilion, where he was captivated by a small plot of 60-year-old Cab Franc vines growing across the street from Cheval Blanc. "That's what slammed it home for me," he says.
Now he uses it with most clients, including Blackbird and Quintessa, and makes his own, Pantagruel (an homage to Rabelais, whose beloved Loire reds were presumably Franc). He's planting 2 acres around his house on Mount Veeder.
The irony is that this supporting role has never elevated Franc's fortunes. La Tour Figeac, Cheval Blanc and other top St. Emilion chateaux get an aromatic signature from it. Yet the grape's abilities are typically disregarded, never more so than - sorry to bring this up - in the movie "Sideways," which did a hatchet job on both Merlot and Cab Franc. (Merlot is recovering nicely, at least.)
Cabernet Franc's other big claim is as Cabernet Sauvignon's genetic parent. As Cabernet Sauvignon's star has risen, the elder Cabernet has acquiesced to live in the shadow of its child's fame.
Winemakers can't seem to agree on how to treat it. The dominant view for a long time - thanks in part to the success of ripe, overfruited Cabernet - was that Franc was too much of a wimp to succeed in California. Reality shows otherwise. Look no further than Dalla Valle's Maya, a blend of the two Cabernets that has ranked among Napa's highest-scoring wines.
Franc certainly can be persnickety in its flavors. But it has also been a victim of circumstance - planted on soils that were too wet or too dry, grown too ripe or beaten up in the cellar. Subpar locations can amplify its green side.
Still, exceptional Franc has emerged as winemakers figure out where to plant it. The best examples seem to require well-drained, shallow soils, not the clay that can boost Merlot. (Some California Franc was long mistaken for Merlot, worsening the problem.)
Mineral content is key. In Chinon, simpler wines hail from sandy sites near the river; top bottlings come from chalkier, higher-up vineyards. Pott favors the high iron content - similar to Bordeaux's right bank - in the volcanic Aiken soils that wind through Oakville to the top of Atlas Peak.
The biggest problem may be that Franc's history has led vintners to treat it as second-rate Cabernet. But Franc has a sensitive side. In the Loire, vintners take a delicate approach closer to Burgundy - little new oak and less time in barrel, with wines often in bottle by the summer after harvest.
Cab Franc's sensitive side
A more useful comparison might be to Pinot Noir - especially with its bright red fruit, earthy overtones and softer tannins. Skupny realized this when he was fine-tuning his basic North Coast bottling, an homage to Loire bistro wines. "I realized I was beating everything up too much," he says. Now, he uses only old barrels; the wine's in bottle after about nine months. "I really had to go to my Pinot Noir brethren for advice on how to treat it more delicately."
That delicate nature is also swaying devotees of the Bordeaux model. Chris Camarda of Washington state's Andrew Will Winery was so drawn to "a complexing quality" in the grape that he now uses up to 50 percent Franc in some of his single-vineyard blends.
Camarda and a handful of others are establishing Franc's new frontier up north. If California can be hostile territory, Washington has given Franc an excellent adopted home. Credit a mix of hot days, cold nights and higher latitude (around 46 degrees, similar to the central Loire, hence more summer daylight). The western Yakima Valley hosts excellent sites: the much-used Champoux vineyard, or Camarda's own Two Blondes vineyard outside Zillah, with its intense aromatic fruit.
To the east is Red Mountain, with nonstop sun and stiff winds. Ben Smith of Seattle's Cadence Winery was so bullish on Franc that when he planted his Cara Mia vineyard there he dedicated a full 40 percent to it. The 2007 vintage of his Bel Canto blend is more than 60 percent Franc.
"It has a texture, a mouthfeel, a silkiness that Cabernet Sauvignon doesn't have, period. And it has a complexity that you don't get in Cabernet Sauvignon," Smith says. "And when it's ripe you don't get those veggies, and on Red Mountain it has structure. So what am I losing?"
Taste their wines and the Franc is detectable in a pleasing way, providing a dose of curiosity. This was evident to Camarda in 1996 when he first sampled some from Red Mountain's Ciel du Cheval vineyard. "It tasted great on its own," he recalls, "but what really made the wine for me was its ability to make the Merlot more than what it was."
Curiously, Franc thrives in places where Cabernet Sauvignon struggles, perhaps because its presence in the Loire proved that it could ripen in regions too cold for Cab. Very good examples have emerged from New York's Long Island, and even from Ohio, North Carolina and Ontario. It can be found in Italy's Friuli, on the edge of the Alps.
A variety for cooler climates
But resistance remains. When Camarda asked the owners of Red Mountain's noted Klipsun Vineyard to plant Franc, they refused.
"I almost came unglued out of my shoes and bit my tongue," Camarda recalls. "You could point out to them that Cheval Blanc, s- wine that it is, can be up to 80 percent Cabernet Franc."
Fear of the green also hampers acceptance. Just ask Robert Foley, who first worked with it at Markham Vineyards in the early 1980s. As a nonbeliever, Foley has made his peace with the grape - growing it as ripe as possible, to at least 25 Brix (a measure of sugar), to get the seeds fully dark and lose any vegetal hints.
"Maybe just a hint of green tea, but you're out of the woods on cat piss and out of the woods on geraniums and all those wonky flavors," he says.
Foley can't seem to escape the grape; for years he made a benchmark version for Pride Mountain Vineyards. Though Foley doesn't use Franc in his own Claret, he still makes one - not entirely voluntarily - for Jeff Smith's Hourglass label.
"I've been Franc'd," he says.
Is that supposed to be a bad thing?
History of the grape
Cabernet Franc's American history dates back to the early 20th century, but only in the late 1970s and early '80s did it begin to take on a notable presence, both as part of the rise of the Meritage movement and, less so, as a varietal.
It has always been a bit polarizing. Veteran winemaker Bob Foley recalls Andre Tchelistcheff advising him to use Franc - very sparingly - as a blending component in the mid-'80s. Yet Lang & Reed's John Skupny points to a 1983 Cabernet Franc bottled under Francis Ford Coppola's label that was a runaway hit.
By the early 1990s, Franc had caught attention in Washington state, even in New York and even Ontario, where resistance to cold made it more appealing than Cabernet Sauvignon.
Unlike its Cabernet sibling, only a handful of clones for Franc are in major use, although UC Davis' Foundation Plant Services currently lists 14. One of the most popular is 214, interestingly based on a Loire Valley cultivar but frequently used in Bordeaux-style wines.
Several so-called suitcase clones also exist. Foley recalls dealing with cuttings from St. Emilion during his time at Markham in the late 1970s; cuttings from Cheval Blanc and Vieux Chateau Certan have apparently been planted as well.
>From the notebook
This sampling of Cabernet Franc varietal and blends from California and Washington mostly reflects a Bordeaux style, which helps explain the higher prices. Though available in limited quantities outside the state, Washington has several other standout Cabernet Francs from such labels as Barrister, Chinook and Owen Roe. Increasingly, wineries are also making a roséemulating the popular Chinon Rosé
2006 Andrew Will Two Blondes Vineyard Yakima Valley Red Wine ($52) The young vines in Chris Camarda's estate vineyard yield racy, aromatic wines. This new vintage, 43 percent Cabernet Franc plus Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, is no different. Distinct Franc presence on the nose: Tea, leather, ancho chile and flower-tinged berries play the high notes, subtle oak and cassis play the low. Bright, focused and spicy.
2006 Cadence Bel Canto Cara Mia Vineyard Red Mountain Red Wine ($55) From Cadence's estate vineyard in eastern Washington, this is Ben Smith's Cheval Blanc homage, with 52 percent Cabernet Franc and 48 Merlot. Generous, with an almost romantic nose - dry loam, black tea, chamomile, bright huckleberry. Very plush with sweet primary fruit. Fine-grained tannins make for a nuanced structure.
2006 Crocker & Starr St. Helena Napa Valley Cabernet Franc ($58) No green meanies here. A hulking, extracted profile, with gobs of flavor - smoke, coffee, tangy raspberry atop black-fruit undertones, with a slightly aggressive kick at the finish. Plenty of sultry appeal (Starr calls the style "powerful, sexy, sappy") though its Franc roots aren't immediately apparent.
2006 Hourglass Blueline Vineyard Napa Valley Cabernet Franc ($135) From Jeff Smith's new vineyard near Calistoga. Starts with a smoky whiff, plus cassia and lighter floral notes - high-toned blueberry and a plummy bass line. Broad shouldered, but a supple profile and fine, ripe tannins lift it above a forceful 15.1 percent frame. Bob Foley may be a Franc skeptic, but he can still apply his cult-wine talents to it.
2007 Lang & Reed North Coast Cabernet Franc ($22) A Chinon-style bottling sourced mostly from higher-elevation vineyards in Lake County that allow for slower ripening. The rare example below 14 percent alcohol (13.5). It's right on point, with scents of tobacco, mistletoe and sweet blueberry. Juicy and refreshing, with slightly blocky tannins to finish.
2006 Palazzo Napa Valley Red Wine ($60) Scott Palazzo and his winemaker Peter Franus have caught the attention of places like the French Laundry with their restrained approach. This deeply fruited mix of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon puts forward cocoa and roast cherry, and then Franc-like notes appear with a subtle floral lift. Keep an eye out for Palazzo's rare but very good varietal 2006 Cabernet Franc, sourced from Carneros' Truchard Vineyards.
Franc in France
The Loire Valley's Franc-based wines have long had a California fan base, perhaps in part due to importer Kermit Lynch's advocacy. Some good names include:
Bernard Baudry (Chinon)
Domaine de Beausejour (Chinon)
Catherine and Pierre Breton (Bourgeuil, Chinon)
Charles Joguet (Chinon)
Jean-Maurice Raffault (Chinon)
Olga Raffault (Chinon)
E-mail Jon Bonnét jbonne(a)sfchronicle.com.
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/03/29/FD7816JHKV.DTL
This article appeared on page E - 1 of the San Francisco Chronicle
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* Dr. James Ellingson, jellings(a)me.umn.edu *
* University of Minnesota, mobile : 651/645-0753 *
* Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 *
FYI/FYE.
Nice interactive map at the site.
Does Southwest Airlines fly to SFO?
C,
J
Tasting rooms worthy of more than 3 cheers
Jon Bonne, Chronicle Wine Editor
Sunday, March 22, 2009
The French-owned Roederer Estate winery creates sparkling... Peju Province Winery is known for a tasting-room employee...
It's been over a half-century since Napa Valley's first tasting room opened its doors at Charles Krug, and for decades since, we've been heading to Wine Country for visits. The Chronicle has been reviewing winery tasting rooms since 2002, trying to help readers get the most out of their day in Napa, Sonoma or Mendocino - or Oakland, Livermore or the Santa Cruz Mountains.
Certainly we spend enough time critiquing wine, but reviewing a tasting room is a different endeavor. The wines may be fine, but are there enough spots at the counter? Will it be an hour of unrepentant glitz, studious sniffing or a rustic bash? Can the staff tell you just how the Merlot was made? And at the same time do they make you feel welcome, or are they reminding you - for the fourth time - that you really, really, really want to join the wine club?
Everyone wants something different from their tasting-room visit, so we've selected a cross section of top tasting rooms all over Northern California, based on a combination of recent reviews and staff experiences. Much more important than the wine, all of these should leave you thinking they were worth the trip.
We've mostly focused on those venues that don't require an appointment, so unless otherwise noted, these should be ready for a walk-in visit. Because hours and fees change frequently and by the season, and some activities require reservations, call ahead.
A: Good for connoisseurs
B: Picnic area
C: Fee for tasting
D: Focus on pairings, or food available
E: Tour available
F: Sparkling wine
G: Great views or architecture
Napa
Artesa
The artwork, fountain and panoramic views at this modish winery, designed with a modern Spanish sensibility by cava house Cordoniu, are reason to detour. 1345 Henry Road, Napa. (707) 224-1668, artesawinery.com
C,E,G
Castello di Amorosa
Lest you think the medieval looks of this newly erected castle serve as facade, the authentic dungeon says otherwise. 4045 N. St. Helena Highway, Calistoga. (707) 967-6272, castellodiamorosa.com C,E,G
Charles Krug Winery
Napa Valley's first winery, now owned by the Peter Mondavi family, has revitalized itself. The newly renovated carriage house is a glimpse back into valley history. 2800 Main St., St. Helena. (707) 967-2200, charleskrug.com
B,C
Chimney Rock Winery
The wines are no-nonsense, the staff is knowledgeable, and you'll feel properly refined at this gorgeous spot near Stags Leap.
5350 Silverado Trail, Napa. (800) 257-2641, chimneyrock.com A,C,D,E,
Domaine Carneros Winery
Settle in on the terrace of this replica chateau and feel like royalty as you gaze over Carneros and enjoy table service. 1240 Duhig Road, off Highway 121, Napa. (800) 716-2788, domainecarneros.com C,D,E,F
Domaine Chandon
Though it's one of the larger sparkling-wine houses, Chandon takes the time to explain its wines and put them in context. The Etoile restaurant is on site as well. 1 California Drive, Yountville. (707) 944-2280, chandon.comC,D,E,F
Folio Winemakers Studio
A chance to check out Michael Mondavi's portfolio of wines from around the world in an inviting, bright setting that keeps the focus on winemaking. Ditto at the small Enoteca in the Oxbow Market in downtown Napa. 1285 Dealy Lane, near Henry Road. Napa. (707) 256-2757, foliowinemakersstudio.comB,C,E
Hall Napa Valley
Texas tycoon Craig Hall and wife Kathryn, a former ambassador, not only set the bar high for their Napa project but commissioned Frank Gehry to design a groundbreaking new facility, due in about a year. 401 S. St. Helena Highway (Highway 29), St. Helena. (707) 967-2626, hallwines.com B,C,E,G
Mason Cellars
It's all about Sauvignon Blanc from veteran vintner Randy Mason at this downtown Napa storefront.
714 First St. (at McKinstry), Napa. (707) 255-0658, masoncellars.com
Merryvale Vineyards
Hospitality is a major focus at this St. Helena property. For a bite, Taylor's Refresher is across the street. 1000 Main St., St. Helena. (707) 963-7777, merryvale.comC,E
Peju Province Winery
Peju's famous in-house yodeler makes for memorable visits. 8466 St. Helena Highway, Rutherford. (707) 963-3600, peju.com
B,C,D,E
Robert Sinskey Vineyards
Crowds aside, Rob Sinskey's eco-friendly winery puts the wines in context with food. (Sinskey's wife is a chef and cookbook author.) 6320 Silverado Trail, Napa. (707) 944-9090, robertsinskey.com
A,C,D,E
Sawyer Cellars
Lesser known, but one of the friendliest stops in Rutherford. 8350 St. Helena Highway (Highway 29), Rutherford. (707) 963-1980, sawyercellars.com
C,E
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars
This history-making winery is serious-minded, but a great place to learn about how top Cabernet is made. 5766 Silverado Trail, Napa. (707) 944-2020, cask23.com
A,C,E
Sutter Home Winery
The home of white Zin is a populist haven in the heart of wine-snob heaven. 277 St. Helena Highway, St. Helena. (707) 963-3104, sutterhome.com
Sonoma
B.R. Cohn Winery
The Doobie Brothers' manager keeps it mellow at his longtime Glen Ellen property. Try the olive oil tasting.
15000 Sonoma Highway, Glen Ellen. (707) 938-4064, brcohn.com
B,C,D,E
Benziger Family Winery
A busy but serious focus on farming and grape growing, right down to the tram tour of biodynamic vineyards. (Cow horns not included.) 1883 London Ranch Road, Glen Ellen. (707) 935-4527, benziger.com
A,B,C,E
Cline Cellars
Ponds and gardens make this a popular stop to wrap up the day. The California Missions Museum is on site. 24737 Arnold Drive (Highway 121), Sonoma; (707) 940-4000, www.clinecellars.com
B,E
Chateau St. Jean Winery
One of Sonoma's most beautiful properties, with seemingly endless tasting and picnic options. 8555 Sonoma Highway (Highway 12), Kenwood. (707) 833-4134, chateaustjean.comB,C,E
David Coffaro Vineyard & Winery
A very low-key, personable reminder of Dry Creek in more relaxed times. 7485 Dry Creek Road, Geyserville. (707) 433-9715, coffaro.com
A
Gundlach Bundschu Winery
At 151 years old, this rustic-looking winery retains its whimsy without being silly. Try the Gewurztraminer and Tempranillo. 2000 Denmark St. (at Napa Road), Sonoma. (707) 939-3105, gunbun.comB,C,E
Iron Horse Ranch and Vineyards
One of Sonoma's most beautiful wine-tasting spots, and never snooty. Yes, you can even dump your leftover bubbly (if there is any) on the ground. 9786 Ross Station Road (off Highway 116), Sebastopol. (707) 887-1507, ironhorsevineyards.com A,C,E,F,G
J Vineyards & Winery
A special sit-down food pairing (though pricey) puts this noted bubbly maker's wines in context.
11447 Old Redwood Highway, Healdsburg. (707) 431-3646, jwine.com
C,D,E,F
Korbel Champagne Cellars
Not the fanciest wine, but a one-stop shop for casual visitors, including tours of the cellars and rose garden, and a full-service deli. 13250 River Road, Guerneville. (707) 824-7000, korbel.com
D,E,F
Kunde Estate Winery
The gorgeous setting doesn't trip up a casual vibe maintained by this family-run property.9825 Highway 12, Kenwood. (707) 833-5501, kunde.com
B,D,E,
Larson Family Winery
With farm animals and more, one of the few wineries that offers ways to keep the juice-box set occupied. 23355 Millerick Road, Sonoma; (707) 938-3031, larsonfamilywinery.com.
B,C
Papapietro Perry
Co-located with several other winery tasting rooms, you can try through top Pinots with one of the most fun-loving tasting-room crews around. 4791 Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg. (707) 433-0422, papapietro-perry.com
A,B,C
Preston of Dry Creek
Lou Preston's farmhouse-like facility is the cure for when you think all wineries are theme parks. 9282 W. Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg. (707) 433-3372, prestonofdrycreek.com
B,C
Seghesio Family Vineyards
The quintessential Sonoma winery experience from one of the area's best-known families. 14730 Grove St., Healdsburg. (707) 433-3579, seghesio.com B,C,D
Mendocino
Goldeneye
Duckhorn's Pinot Noir division hosts visitors in a manner both stately and cozy, with fantastic Anderson Valley views. 9200 Highway 128, Philo. (707) 895-3202, goldeneyewinery.com
B,C,E,G,
Handley Cellars
Milla Handley's tasting room is always filled with offbeat art and visitors. A chance to taste one of California's benchmark Gewurztraminers. 3151 Highway 128, Philo. (707) 895-3876, handleycellars.com
A,B
Navarro
This Alsatian-varietal pioneer has a loyal following for good reason: Its staff is some of the most personable behind any tasting-room bar. 5601 Highway 128, Philo. (800) 537-9463, navarrowine.com
B,E
Roederer Estate
This remote outpost of a top Champagne house is friendly but focused on wines; they serve their brut from magnum so you can compare the effect of larger bottles. 4501 Highway 128, Philo. (707) 895-2288. roedererestate.com
A,C,E
Other regions
JC Cellars/Dashe Cellars
This duo set amid the warehouses of Oaktown offers a one-two punch in the same location. You can BART home. 55 Fourth St., Oakland. (510) 465-5900, jccellars.com and www.dashecellars.com
C,E
Mitchell Katz Winery
A stylish re-creation of the historic property makes for a regal visit to this Petite Sirah specialist. 1188 Vineyard Ave., Pleasanton. (925) 931-0744, mitchellkatzwinery.com
B,C, E
Ridge Vineyards
It's a long drive up, but one visit to this original Ridge location explains why its Monte Bello wines are so unique. 17100 Montebello Road, Cupertino. (408) 867-3233.
A,G
Also: 650 Lytton Springs Road, Healdsburg. (707) 433-7721. ridgewine.com
B
Sobon Estate
The Sobon family and their range of Zins help visitors to understand Sierra Foothills terroir.
14430 Shenandoah Road, Plymouth (Amador County). (209) 245-6554, sobonwine.com
B
Terre Rouge & Easton Wines (Domaine de la Terre Rouge)
Bill Easton and his Zinfandel and Rhone-style wines all but define Amador's wine potential. Perfect intro to Amador. 10801 Dickson Road, off Shenandoah Road, Plymouth. (209) 245-4277, terrerougewines.com
A,B,D,E
St. George Spirits
The lineup of St. George and Hangar One spirits (absinthe, eaux de vie and more) on the grounds of Alameda's old naval yard. 2601 Monarch St., Alameda. (510) 769-1601. stgeorgespirits.com
B,C,E
Wente Vineyards Estate Winery
Restaurant, golf course, summer concerts - this landmark Livermore property offers it all. 5565 Tesla Road, Livermore. (925) 456-2300 , wentevineyards.com
B,C,E
Etiquette
Miss Manners might be shocked by what transpires on the wine roads. After polling veteran tasting-room staff, we devised some basic rules of thumb:
-- Taste, don't gulp. You're there to try new wines and learn more about winemaking. If you want to drink, there are marvelous new establishments known as bars. Don't be afraid to spit.
-- Hydrate. Pack plenty of water, and drink it.
-- Don't take the glassware. Unless it's part of the tasting fee, they're loaners - even if you're picnicking.
-- Call ahead, especially for large groups. Some wineries require reservations for tables or patio space. Others have space limits. You might also be able to arrange a tour.
-- Be scent-sible. Go without the perfume and cologne for the day. It can be distracting to fellow visitors.
-- Don't bring outside booze. Even if you're having a picnic, one reason wineries provide space is that they're attracting customers. Buy some of their wine to open. Leave the beer at home.
-- Don't fake a wine club membership. Staff are often trained to root out impostors.
-- Choose your venue. Some wineries are designed to be more formal; some are flip-flop territory. Do a bit of advance research to find one that matches the experience you want.
Key
A: Good for connoisseurs
B: Picnic area
C: Fee for tasting
D: Focus on pairings, or food available
E: Tour available
F: Sparkling wine
G: Great views or architecture
Interactive map at SFGate.com
For a Google map of the tasting rooms listed here, go to sfgate.com/maps/tastingroomshttp://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/03/22/TRVL16BUSQ.DTL
This article appeared on page G - 6 of the San Francisco Chronicle
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* Dr. James Ellingson, jellings(a)me.umn.edu *
* University of Minnesota, mobile : 651/645-0753 *
* Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 *
Probably preaching to the choir w.r.to number 5.
Cheers,
Five ways to drink well for less
Jon BonnéSunday, March 22, 2009
Cutting your wine budget is as simple as being open-minded.
When I ran out of money my freshman year in college, even ramen was too big a luxury. I spent over a month straight eating boiled macaroni. Plain. On Sundays I'd splurge for New York City's hugest slice of pizza (thanks, Koronet!), getting the better part of 2,000 calories for less than two bucks. Classy.
Compared to my noodle days, cutting my wine budget lately has been a breeze. It's as simple as being open-minded, and if it takes a corkscrewing economy to break us out of our wine ruts, so be it.
Do you really love that Chardonnay, or are you just scared of change? Here are five helpful ideas for drinking well in these trying times:
1. Try something new. The other night at the bar of one of my favorite San Francisco restaurants, I cringed as the guy behind my left shoulder shouted - loudly - for a glass of Pinot Grigio without even glancing at an innovative but Grigio-free wine list that contained everything from Spanish Godello to Carneros Cabernet Franc. It's 2009. Have we not evolved?
Pledge that you will try just one new type of wine this week. Stop and read the wine list. Check the three cheapest bottles, which just might be the most interesting. Ask questions about completely unpronounceable stuff.
Happiness right now lies in the less obvious. Maybe Portugal's Vinho Verde should be the official wine of the recession. Fresh, fizzy, totally without gravitas. Or Picpoul from the southern Rhone - tart, laser-sharp, always at attention. Or Chenin Blanc from South Africa (or Clarksburg, or Saumur). All should be available around $10 or less. Same with Monastrell or Bonarda. You won't remember them the rest of your life, but you don't need to.
While we're here, let's deal with the immortal love of Pinot Noir, ever more hobbled by its out-of-control popularity. Watch carefully as I perform my Jedi mind trick: These are not the wines you're looking for. Seek out Gamay, Blaufrankisch, Pineau d'Aunis. Look to Syrah, which might well be what you want in Pinot anyway.
2. Try somewhere new. Suspend your addiction to Napa Cabernet or New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Catch a new region on its ascent. A decade ago, most of us never would have cited Extremadura, Puglia, Burgenland, Lake County's Red Hills or the Wahluke Slope as prime winemaking territory.
And obscurity now provides extra street cred. French vin de table, once a sign of rotgut, can now be more cutting-edge than those fuddy old appellations. Just look at a lineup like Vins Contéfrom the Loire, whose Gama Sutra might be to the trucker-cap set what Beaujolais was to their parents.
3. Revisit some old friends. Feels like ages, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo. You, Gascony whites, we had such great times together at the picnic. And, Amador Zin, have you been hiding in the mountains? Wait - you all say you're still under 10 bucks? Really? We gotta catch up.
4. Learn to love steel. Or concrete. Or neutral oak. Wines made without the use of new wood flavors simply cost less to produce. If you're an oak lover, keep in mind that you're paying for your palate. This isn't just Sauvignon Blanc and Albarino. There are hundreds of examples of red wines made with Grenache, Refosco, Blaufrankisch, Nero d'Avola and anything else under the sun that give ample pleasure without oak.
5. Stop caring about what we think. Even the most carefree collector has a by-the-case bargain for Tuesday nights. Now isn't a time to worry about making an impression. You can get Gruner Veltliner from Berger or Ebner Ebenauer (see In Our Glasses, this page) for around $10 for a full liter - a size that stores beautifully in the fridge. Live with the screwcap. Your sommelier won't hold it against you.
When it comes to the fancy stuff, could it be time to start drinking your stash? You don't have to polish off your last bottle of '95 Insignia but really, do you need to keep aging that 2003 Cahors? You can refill. Enjoy what you took all that trouble to acquire in the first place.
Last month, the Wall Street Journal's wine duo celebrated the 10th anniversary of their Open That Bottle Night, meant to commemorate one special bottle from the cellar. Let's take the logical next step and declare this Open That Bottle Year.
Jon Bonnés The Chronicle's wine editor. E-mail him at jbonne(a)sfchronicle.com.
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/03/22/FDVL16EGT7.DTL
This article appeared on page E - 5 of the San Francisco Chronicle
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* Dr. James Ellingson, jellings(a)me.umn.edu *
* University of Minnesota, mobile : 651/645-0753 *
* Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 *
Two people on our contact list have notified us that they received the following message, purportedly from us. Somebody has evidently compromised our email address book. Please DISREGARD this message and any similar message trying to sell you something (or worse!). DO NOT OPEN THE LINK. We are sending this to everyone on our contact list.
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----- Original Message -----
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Points for presentation - fyi/fye
March 15, 2009
Uncorked!
By KATHERINE BINDLEY
SPEND $500 on two magnums of Veuve Clicquot Champagne at Bagatelle on West 13th Street in the meatpacking district, and the bottles are delivered to your table with lighted sparklers stuck in their corks.
Spend $2,500 on a jeroboam of Veuve Clicquot and some magnums of Dom Pégnon, and the lights dim, the D.J. cues up the theme from .Superman,. and a waiter is hoisted onto the shoulders of his fellow servers. With a tablecloth knotted around his neck as a makeshift cape and his arms outstretched, he carries one of the blazing bottles of bubbly to your table.
As the waiter soars through the air, he does so against a backdrop of patrons fist-pumping Champagne flutes, flashing cameras capturing pictures ripe for Facebook and a dozen young women clad in sequins, stilettos and Chanel bags climbing onto chairs, banquettes, even tables . any elevated surface that is sturdy enough to dance on.
Christie Larkin, a 28-year-old who lives in Gramercy Park and works for a TriBeCa advertising agency, was brunching at Bagatelle for the first time. .It.s like Friday night in here!. she said upon walking in.
But it is not Friday night. It is 3:30 Saturday afternoon.
Champagne corks are always popping somewhere, of course, and the high life never disappears entirely, especially in New York. But these days, a $750 magnum of Perrier-Jouëstands in striking contrast to the scene outside Bagatelle.s glass-paneled door, where the Dow has lost half its value since the fall of 2007, the recession has claimed a net total of 4.4 million jobs since it began, more than 850,000 families lost their homes to foreclosure last year, and the word .depression. is being heard in the land.
.
For decades the New York brunch has been far more than just a meal. It is an institution, an event that can start in midmorning and continue until late afternoon, a ritual in which eggs Benedict are routinely washed down by a seemingly endless stream of mimosas and Bloody Marys.
And in recent months, two restaurants in the meatpacking district have begun taking Saturday brunch to a remarkable level of indulgence and expense, even by New York standards.
The latest incarnation of Saturday brunch began last April at Bagatelle, a French bistro with decorative moldings, crystal chandeliers and striking white dér; it seats 95 people. Six months later, the high-end brunch arrived at Merkato 55, a space on Gansevoort Street that can accommodate about 300 people and typically attracts a younger and slightly less affluent crowd, though the term affluent in this context may be relative.
The two scenes have recently garnered attention in the news media. Merkato 55 was voted .Best Bacchanal. by New York magazine this month. And the blog Guest of a Guest has weighed in on what the site describes as .the Battle of the Recession-Proof Brunches..
The Saturday brunch scene at Bagatelle and Merkato 55 . what some call the dance party brunch . suggests what exclusive New York nightclubs like Tenjune and 1 Oak would look like if the D.J..s arrived eight hours early and the bartenders served French toast. On any given Saturday, brunch enthusiasts can be found dancing on tables, throwing back tequila shots and racking up four- and five-figure tabs well before the sky turns dark.
The aim is to make partyers feel as if they are sipping rosét an upscale cafe along the French Riviera.
.They can feel like they.ve been away for a few hours in the South of France even though they.re in New York,. said Aymeric Clemente, one of the owners of Bagatelle, who grew up in Marseille and spent summers working in Saint-Tropez.
The concept took off just as most Americans were watching the value of their paychecks, stock portfolios and 401(k).s take a nosedive. This confluence is extremely perplexing to some and makes perfect sense to others, the argument being that dancing and drinking are age-old antidotes to troubled times.
.It.s been really more crazy since the recession,. said Mr. Clemente, who is 35. .In a time of crises, you have a tendency of wanting to be with people and see if you can feed from their energy. If you feel sad, you want to go to a lively place, to recharge your battery..
But even fans of the concept acknowledge it.s over the top.
.It.s obscene,. said Matt Sullivan, a 38-year-old owner of a building maintenance company in Miami who was in Bagatelle one recent Saturday to celebrate a friend.s 30th birthday. .We heard it was a hip brunch. But this is gluttony at its finest..
.
At 1:30 p.m. on a recent Saturday in Merkato 55, a two-level African-theme restaurant that makes ample use of dark, heavy wood, the afternoon started quietly. Some tables were empty; the music, though audible, did not cause the floor to vibrate; and bottles of wine sat sedately on ice.
Laura Nolte, a 23-year-old cocktail waitress, noted the relative calmness of the scene. In the upstairs room, which can seat 150, only two dozen people were actually eating.
.It.s funny,. Ms. Nolte said. .You always think, .The economy is hitting today.. By 7 p.m., you.re like, .What crisis?. .
An hour later, the momentum picked up, and Joey Brodish, 26, recently laid off as an editorial assistant for a gossip magazine, expressed a similar sentiment.
.It.s like, .What recession?. . said Ms. Brodish, who lives in TriBeCa and was dressed this afternoon in a glittery top paired with skinny black pants. .Look around. Do you see a recession?.
In her opinion, the Saturday afternoon dance party was just another facet of the dynamic city.
.There.s SoHo,. she said. .There.s the Empire State Building. There.s Merkato 55..
By 3 p.m., two members of the Gypsy Kings, special guests this day, had wrapped up their hourlong set and the D.J. had started spinning. In a large booth, a blonde wearing a short black dress with a plunging neckline mugged for a camera as she dangled a French fry from her teeth. Another woman popped out her hip and ran her tongue over the icing of a red velvet cupcake.
By 4 p.m., the place was wall-to-wall bodies, and people were taking hits from a roséilled bong in the shape of a flamingo. Downstairs, Adesh Baharani was celebrating his 35th birthday by showering all within 10 feet of him (not all of them members of his party) with the contents of a $500 bottle of Veuve Clicquot.
.It.s my birthday, and I want everyone to be happy,. said Mr. Baharani, who works in the jewelry business and lives in the Caribbean. .I might buy two more..
.
Just why so many people choose to throw an extravagant party on a Saturday afternoon may be less surprising than how they could afford to do so, given the country.s economic woes.
Remi Laba, a 32-year-old Frenchman who is a co-owner of Bagatelle, suggests that such celebrating is possible because his guests are not what he calls .recession-prone..
.There.s a very specific Saturday brunch clientele,. Mr. Laba said, seated at a corner table near the window as brunch was getting started. .Most of them are old money, people who don.t mind coming here and spending $5,000, up to $18,000 or $20,000 on a table..
In addition, Mr. Laba said, the typical Bagatelle customer has a cultural affinity with this sort of roséoaked afternoon reveling. For the most part, the customers are what he described as .European friendly,. meaning they either are European or aspire to be.
As for another set of partyers, the New York investment bankers whose once-hefty bonuses may have significantly diminished in recent months, .instead of having the $10,000 to $15,000 to spend on a Saturday afternoon, they might spend $2,000 to $3,000,. Mr. Laba said. .Which is fine..
The absence of a velvet rope outside Bagatelle does not signal a lack of exclusivity; patrons must know the cellphone number of one of the owners to get a reservation.
Through the window this afternoon, Mr. Laba observed two young men talking to the doorman about securing a table.
.They will be turned away,. he predicted.
And if they had been two beautiful women? .They.ll be sent to the bar,. he said. .I may even seat them..
Moments later, a striking woman standing 5 feet 11 made her way past the doorman. As she approached the host, Mr. Laba waved him over and exchanged a few quiet words with him.
.I wanted to make sure he wasn.t sending her away,. Mr. Laba said. .I.m fully booked, but she.s someone I want to keep in the restaurant..
What she had going for her, he said, was being stunning, sophisticated and African-American.
.It.s all about diversity,. Mr. Laba added. .Euros, Muslims, everything goes..
.
The dance party brunch concept, albeit in smaller and tamer form, took root in the mid-.90s at Le Bilboquet, a small restaurant on the Upper East Side where the atmosphere was notably reminiscent of upscale resorts in Saint-Tropez and St. Barts. Mr. Laba was a regular, and his future partner at Bagatelle, Mr. Clemente, was the general manager.
Also employed at Le Bilboquet as waiters were identical twins from Ohio named Derek and Daniel Koch, now 26. The brothers went on to work their way up in the club scene, and in October they became the pioneers of the Merkato 55 brunch.
At Merkato, which in a few weeks will rebrand itself with different cuisine and a different name, they have sought to make the brunch accessible to a wider range of people. Reservations are made by e-mail, first come first served, and a bottle of roséan be had for as little as $65.
.Everyone.s welcome,. Daniel Koch said. .It.s brunch. Give me a break..
.
Given the number of people apparently ready to throw down $200 for some eggs and copious amounts of Champagne, there seems to be room for two shows in town. At the end of the day, some patrons of Bagatelle wander the few blocks over to Merkato 55, which stays open an hour later. Though each brunch has its own personality, both crowds go wild to a pulsing dance remix of .I Need a Miracle.. And by 4 p.m., both places are redolent with the same peculiar smell of muggy Champagne mixed with the Fourth of July.
And increasingly hard economic times may even bode well for the burgeoning brunch scene. The Koch twins maintain that people drink in good times and people drink in bad times. As Karine Bakhoum, who handles public relations for Bagatelle, said as she surveyed a line of dancers along a banquette during a recent brunch: .Look around you. It.s not snobbery; it.s joy..
Lina Nguyen, 31, who lives in Midtown and works as an executive assistant for a law firm, seconded the notion of dance party brunch as therapy.
.I come here to forget everything!. Ms. Nguyen, who was the first to hop up on her chair that afternoon at Bagatelle, shouted over the music. .It beats sitting there being depressed!.
.
Whatever diversion these afternoons bring, some acknowledged that the sight of the young well-to-do partying hard when many financial firms are being castigated for profligate spending could appear embarrassing.
A man who works in finance and was standing near the bar of Merkato 55 the following Saturday started to talk about this issue, but then he had second thoughts, saying he could be fired for drawing attention to the subject in the news media. Any overt display of conspicuous spending, he added, even if not a dime was expensed to a corporate account, would not sit well with his employer. .Excess,. he said, .is frowned upon heavily..
As for how he and his fellow Wall Streeters could still afford such afternoons, he said: .We all made so much money in the past five years, it doesn.t matter..
A 29-year-old man who works for a large investment management firm and was at Bagatelle.s brunch one recent Saturday and at Merkato 55.s the next, put it another way: .If you.d asked me in October, I.d say it.d be a different situation, and I don.t think I.d be here. Then the government gave us $10 billion..
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* Dr. James Ellingson, jellings(a)me.umn.edu *
* University of Minnesota, mobile : 651/645-0753 *
* Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 *
FYI/FYE
My list and MNSHO.
1. Overature Red
2. Burgundy/Pinot
3. Overature sparkling
4. OR Pinot
5. Overature Magnum/Shiraz/Brdx
6. Scotch whiskey
7. Extreme Cab
8. Riesling
9. Dessert.
1. works for almost everything.
really need 2 (and 4) for brgndy/pinot.
champagne/sparkling is better out of 3.
After that, it depends on your tastes. 5 will cut the heat on
todays monsters.
6 makes the biggest difference of any on the list.
7 will dial back the oak.
Four - it's your magic number for wineglasses
Jon BonnéSunday, February 15, 2009
Dessert glass Bordeaux-style glass Burgundy glass Champagne flute More...
"So," asked one of my fellow scribes the other day, "how many types of wineglass do you need?"
Not the koan I'd prefer to ponder on a Tuesday morning, but a question I couldn't duck.
Wineglasses are like jewelry. A couple pieces might feel essential; beyond that is fetishism. Not that there's anything wrong with fetishism. But fear of using the wrong wineglass strikes far deeper than choosing the wrong cuff link.
The glassmakers of today would love for us to believe that there is a glass tuned to every grape. They've endeavored to make it so. If you've ever heard a member of the Riedel family describe the 200-odd taste trials conducted to home in on the perfect shape for a varietal, you conclude they take these projects very, very seriously.
But do you need to stock your cabinets with them? Does a glass whose sole reason for existence is to glorify the nuances of Chianti serve a greater moral purpose?
It's not an abstract question. Even top restaurants have a limited budget, limited storage space and a limited number of hands for buffing stemware. Some of us would be content with a single type of utility glass; others can afford to go full fetish.
So I stared thoughtfully into my cabinet. What number fits the Goldilocks principle?
Four.
Like this: one white wineglass; two for reds, one each in the styles usually called Bordeaux and Burgundy; and drinker's choice - either a dessert glass or Champagne flute. If you can live without that last, down to three.
What I'll call a white wineglass is slim enough to bring out the sharp lines in sharp wines like Sauvignon Blanc or Riesling while not offending weightier fare. Many red wines do just fine in its care. These are the glasses I use for tasting at home and into which I fearlessly pour just about anything. If one is your lucky number, this is for you.
Is there folly in choosing two red wineglasses? I'd argue trial and error has proven me right. The Bordeaux-style glass - narrower, tapering upwards - brings out the best in Cabernet and its robust pals. The wider-bowled Burgundy glass commends itself to all forms of Pinot Noir and makes friends with finicky specimens like Beaujolais, some Grenache and almost any delicate red wine.
By one claim, the taller glass directs wine to the back of the tongue; the shorter to the front. This sort of thing inspires angry debates at glassware seminars. The now-discredited "tongue map" is inevitably referenced. But a roomful of lead crystal is nowhere to start a scientific, or pseudo-scientific, smackdown.
What I've concluded: Bordeaux glasses better handle those wines with ample tannin and fruit, and highlight the wine's more powerful aromas; less wine surface is exposed to air, but the wine can be swirled more vigorously. Perhaps that helps. Burgundy glasses seem to concentrate earthier, more non-fruit aromas in the bowl and your nose - and so best show off lighter, more delicate wines.
That said, Pinot Noir's increasingly oak-heavy, top-heavy, Cabernet-like style makes me wonder if the more head-pounding Pinots wouldn't feel at home in Bordeaux glasses. Research for another day.
Now to our fourth pick. A Champagne glass might be obvious, but even at our house there's a split decision on how to serve fizzy stuff. Typically our table ends up with both a narrow flute and a white wineglass. The wider glass is mine; it allows the wine to breathe more and aromas to hover in the glass, though the bubbles vanish quicker. Those who love the bubbles themselves will prefer a flute.
But Champagne is hard to offend. A wide Burgundy bowl brings out its true wine nature, scents of earth and yeast and mineral, and plays down the bubbles. Just avoid those bulbous coupes that have the imputed allure of Marie Antoinette's anatomy but no practical use except for cocktails.
Option B is a dessert glass, preferably slightly tapered and flared up top, not so much for dessert wines as for the many other things you might drink. A well-designed dessert glass is remarkably versatile.
Just to throw on one more dollop of confusion, there's the stem dilemma - a question that didn't need answering until glassmakers decided a few years back that the world needed the Lindsay Lohan of glassware. How you feel about that last sentence will probably dictate what'll make you happy.
Wineglass shapes
White wineglass: Relatively narrow and tapered, sometimes called a Chablis glass. Handles all manner of white wine and many lighter reds. Though some Chardonnay glasses are bulbous, most Chardonnays aren't nearly as abused by these as they often are by winemakers. Just avoid those universal tasting glasses, which have the unique ability to reduce any wine to mediocrity.
Bordeaux-style glass: Shows off well-structured red wines, not just Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot but also much Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Sangiovese and most Spanish reds. Some softer interpretations (Cabernet Franc-based Chinon from the Loire, for instance) might fare as well in the Burgundy glass, depending on whether you want more fruit or fragrance.
Burgundy glass: Sometimes called a balloon glass. Most Pinot Noir will find a home here, as will other earthy, medium-bodied wines. Also good for more stoic wines like Nebbiolo-based Barolo, though some prefer it in the narrower glass. Surprisingly good for Champagne.
Champagne flute (Option A): Hard to beat for presentation or preserving bubbles. If you like serving cocktails in flutes, consider buying a second, less delicate set.
Dessert glass (Option B): Stemware makers have devised a glass not only for sweet wines but for every manner of spirit. As an all-purpose compromise, look for a glass with a modest bowl and a flare toward the rim, like Riedel's Rheingau glass. I don't actually use it for Riesling, but it's helpful for everything from sherry to Cognac.
Jon Bonnés The Chronicle's wine editor. E-mail him at jbonne(a)sfchronicle.com.
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/02/15/FDRL15OG3G.DTL
This article appeared on page E - 8 of the San Francisco Chronicle
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* Dr. James Ellingson, jellings(a)me.umn.edu *
* University of Minnesota, mobile : 651/645-0753 *
* Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 *
High-octane wines may just be a matter of taste
Jon BonnéSunday, March 8, 2009
Bottles of Ridge Zinfandels, including the 1970 Jimsomare...
It happened again last week as I tasted one of those hulking specimens of the Veneto, the 2003 Dal Forno Valpolicella Superiore. Made from intentionally dried grapes and from a hot year, it clocked in at 15 percent alcohol. Yet there was moist earth and nuance, plenty of fresh cherry fruit. Modest? No. But certainly not out of balance.
And so returned all the old questions about alcohol levels. With standard bottles now routinely at 14 percent and beyond, is high alcohol the new normal?
The particulars of this complaint are familiar, down to the typical plea to return to a 12 percent standard. I should know; I've made it many times. It raises hackles. When Sacramento wine sage Darrell Corti took a stand against wines over 14.5 percent, the wine hordes were energized, enough for Robert Parker to step forward and call the move "appallingly stupid." But these days the complaint can as likely come from those under 40 as those over 65. An apparent Boomer preference for big wines is getting squeezed from both sides.
The temptation is to set a rigid rule, as though the 14 percent divider could stand as a magical Maginot line for booziness. Truth cannot be found between 13.9 and 14.1.
And if California wines are frequently a stalking horse, the larger world is more complicated. Many oversized wines can be perfectly balanced. Spanish Garnacha easily soars toward 15 percent without flinching, merely a reflection of that grape's high-sugar tendencies. In Chateauneuf-du-Pape, 14 percent is now merely a departure point. Many of these are virtuously grown wines from old vines without new oak or fancy winemaking.
Zinfandel functions fine in these upper realms - and not just in the modern, pumped-up style. The 1970 Ridge Vineyards Jimsomare clocked in at a husky 15.8 percent, and that from circa-1900 vines near the Monte Bello vineyard, where Cabernets barely scrape past 13 percent. The Sforzato wines of Valtellina, from dried Nebbiolo grapes grown in the shadow of the Alps, retain the brightness of that variety's high-acid ways; an example like the Nino Negri 5 Stelle can muster 15.5 percent without losing its balance. Even Spatburgunder (Pinot Noir) from Germany's Ahr Valley, one of the world's northernmost sites for red grapes, can hit 14.5 percent. At the same time, many wines below 14 percent wear their alcohol overtly, often when the wine tastes manipulated.
Is this a matter of sensitivity? We all perceive alcohol differently; it may be sweeter or more bitter. Genetics and familiarity play a role. I thought there might be straightforward research about whether the alcohol argument is really a matter of taste. I'm still searching.
All that said, many wines have clearly become too alcoholic. No matter the amount of postgame patching; you can't grow grapes to 31 Brix (a measure of sugar) for a dry wine and not do damage. Pinot Noir at 15 percent and beyond almost inevitably tastes aberrant - as in blazing-hot 2003, when some Oregon vintners chose to land above 15 percent rather than surreptitiously add water. The results were drinkable, but dull.
Alcohol certainly isn't necessary to achieve amplitude. The makers of Muscadet in the Loire Valley long ago realized that leaving their efforts on the lees (yeast and grape residue) for long spells could transform wan white wines into something more subtle. I'm still marveling at a tank-aged 2007 Gruner Veltliner by Austria's Bernhard Ott that radiated opulence at just 11.5 percent alcohol.
Careful farming and low yields can help achieve intensity without heat. One reason biodynamic wines have such appeal is that they require attentive, old-fashioned farming. Old, head-trained vines achieve a different effect - high alcohol without loss of balance.
Other theories abound: that wine yeasts are far more effective now, boosting alcohol. But yeast makers vehemently dispute the super-yeast theory. Plenty of naturally fermented wines face similar inflation issues.
Did I mention this is complicated?
Here's what we know. Alcohol is a reflection of ripeness, and grapes are riper now than when many 12-percenters came of age. That's partly about changing climate, of course, but also the efficiencies of modern grapegrowing. While deliberately alcohol-driven wines collect scores for power - if not grace - many unintentionally high-octane wines can retain their subtleties. They're not steroidal; they're just big-boned.
Have I become an apologist for high alcohol? Lord, no. But building a barrier at 12 percent doesn't help to understand wine as it exists today. When we can put alcohol levels in context, we'll have done ourselves an enormous favor.
Jon Bonnés The Chronicle's Wine editor. E-mail comments to jbonne(a)sfchronicle.com
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/03/08/FDJ415SU15.DTL
This article appeared on page E - 7 of the San Francisco Chronicle
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drink
A Spoonful of Vino
Why are Americans obsessed with wine being good for you?
By Mike Steinberger
Posted Thursday, March 5, 2009, at 6:01 PM ET
60 Minutes recently ran a segment about the health benefits of red wine, specifically the apparently wondrous powers of resveratrol, a polyphenol that is found in the skin of grapes and is thought to prevent illness and promote longevity. This wasn't the first time 60 Minutes has trumpeted the virtues of red wine; in 1991, it called attention to the so-called French Paradox, which posited that the low rate of heart disease in France, despite a national diet gloriously abundant in rich foods, was due to the country's prodigious consumption of red wine. That report not only prompted an outbreak of oenophilia in the United States; it fanned an obsessive interest in the nutritional and therapeutic properties of wine. This seems to be a particularly American fixation, and it raises an intriguing question: Why are we—Americans—so anxious to find justifications for drinking wine beyond the fact that it tastes good and we like it?
Obviously, scientists aren't investigating wine's physiological impact because they are shills for the wine industry and want to encourage Americans to imbibe; the research is being pursued and the results disseminated because it appears that there really is a link between red wine and well-being. (For their part, vintners are not allowed to publicize these findings; federal and state laws prohibit advertising that touts the health benefits of alcoholic beverages.) It is now widely recognized that moderate red wine consumption—generally defined as one or two 5-ounce glasses a day for women and two or three for men, drunk with food—boosts HDL cholesterol, the "good" cholesterol that purges arteries of fatty deposits. In addition, scientists have determined that the flavonoids in red wine have an anticoagulant effect that can help prevent blood clots leading to heart attacks.
Resveratrol is also said to have a role in preventing clots and is believed to inhibit the production of LDL cholesterol—the bad kind. Judging by the headlines, resveratrol seems to be the omnipotent ingredient in red wine—a "vascular pipe-cleaner," as one physician put it. The recent 60 Minutes episode highlighted the work of Dr. Christoph Westphal and Harvard biochemist David Sinclair, whose research suggests that resveratrol can delay the aging process and forestall many gerontological diseases. A few years ago, scientists reported that resveratrol may discourage the onset of one such illness, Alzheimer's. It is also claimed that this antioxidant can boost stamina, reduce lung inflammation stemming from chronic pulmonary disease, and help stave off cancer. Last fall, University of Pittsburgh scientists reported that resveratrol might offer some protection against radiation poisoning. Then there is this joyous news, possibly upending age-old assumptions about alcohol a!
nd sexual performance: According to Men's Health in the United Kingdom, resveratrol works to enhance blood flow, which in turn may improve erectile function.
Personally, I'm thrilled to learn that red wine could help me avoid cancer, outlast opponents on the tennis court, survive a nuclear attack, and lead a long, lucid, and Viagra-free life. However, a little caution is in order. Most of the testing with resveratrol has been done on mice, and they have been given ungodly amounts of the stuff. As the New York Times pointed out in a 2006 article, the mice in one experiment were injected with 24 milligrams of resveratrol per kilogram of body weight; red wine contains around 1.5 to 3 milligrams of resveratrol per liter, so to get the equivalent dose, a 150-pound person would need to drink 750-1,500 bottles of wine a day. I weigh 195 pounds and can finish a bottle of Beaujolais and feel no different than if I'd had a bottle of Gatorade, but tossing back 1,100 liters of wine in a 24-hour period? Probably not.
This combination of lab mice, outlandishly large doses, and extravagant claims recently yielded a very funny piece in The New Yorker, one which zeroed in on an essential point: Red wine may contain resveratrol, but it contains substantially more alcohol. Regardless of how beneficial wine ultimately proves to be for the heart, lungs, groin, and other body parts, we already know it has a powerful and mostly salutary psychological influence. Wine—or, to be more precise, the alcohol in wine—leaves us happy; it is a relaxant, a stimulant, a balm. It can make a bad day good and a good one better. All this, coupled with the gustatory pleasure that wine confers, ought to be reason enough to uncork a bottle. So why are we so concerned about these other possible gains to be reaped?
Part of it is that we are a nation infatuated with quick-fix diets and painless remedies; the idea that sitting on a couch nursing a syrah could actually be making us thinner and fitter is irresistible. We are also a culture that fears growing old, and the possibility that a glass of red wine could be a fountain of youth is likewise a tantalizing prospect. I suspect the preoccupation with wine's health impact is a reflection, too, of our Puritan heritage and the conflicted attitude that Americans have always had about wine. Although we are consuming it in record quantities, wine is still seen as something effete and vaguely foreign. That's why the wine vs. beer dichotomy continues to be invoked every election season as a way of distinguishing urban elites from other Americans, and it is why candidates favored by those elites are invariably tarred as chardonnay-swilling swells.
At the risk of tarring myself as one such specimen, I think we should just lighten up and enjoy wine for the immediate gratification. It is great that science is uncovering so many possible ancillary benefits to merlot and pinot noir, and I hope that resveratrol is indeed the cure-all that mankind has been hoping for. But if and when a proven resveratrol tablet hits the market, I won't be liquidating my cellar, nor do I intend to load up on any of the resveratrol-enhanced wines that are apparently coming our way (unless, of course, they happen to be seriously good). Likewise, if it turns out the mice have been screwing with us and that red wine carries none of these magical side effects, there will still be a bottle on my dinner table every night. Wine is a habit that requires no rationale other than the pursuit of enjoyment.
The French, despite being the inspiration for so much of this research, have never much cared about wine's medicinal qualities; for them, a glass of vin rouge is simply a mealtime ritual. (Though, sadly, that is changing.) Jancis Robinson, Britain's leading wine writer , tells me that her compatriots give little thought to the health aspects of wine; they just like to drink (and are certainly very accomplished in that pursuit). In his excellent book A Hedonist in the Cellar, Jay McInerney notes, "In Europe, where wine has been a part of daily life for thousands of years, American oenophiles are sometimes viewed as monomaniacs—zealous and somewhat narrow-minded converts to a generous and pantheistic faith." He goes on to say that "American wine lovers need to broaden their vision and relax: to see wine as just another aspect of the well-lived life." L'chaim.
Mike Steinberger is Slate's wine columnist. He can be reached at slatewine(a)gmail.com.
Photographs of: man with wine glass by Jack Hollingsworth/Photodisc/Getty Images; wine on Slate's home page by Martin Bernetti/AFP/Getty Images.
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