win September 2009

win@thebarn.com

4 participants
13 discussions

by Jim L. Ellingson

Anderson Valley Pinot Noir Jon BonnéChronicle Wine Editor Sunday, September 20, 2009 2007 Black Kite Redwoods' Edge Anderson Valley Pinot Noir 2007 Breggo Savoy Vineyard Anderson Valley Pinot Noir 2006 Chronicle Cerise Vineyard Anderson Valley Pinot Noir 2007 Copain Tous Ensemble Anderson Valley Pinot Noir More... Anderson Valley was once a quiet, rustic haven, shut to outsiders but for a long, winding low road and a vertiginous, winding high road. In the 1800s, the local Boontling dialect was invoked to confound outsiders. A century later, the valley's foggy, redwood-lined slopes became a magnet for lovers of a subtler style of Pinot Noir. The outside world has arrived in more ways than one. That Pinot style has been shifting for at least the past five years. As big Pinot names have turned their gaze north to Mendocino, the wines have gotten bigger and oakier, alcohol levels have crept higher, and fruit flavors have shifted from red to black. Yet in our latest tasting of Mendocino County Pinots, with Anderson Valley in the leading role, we seem to have discovered a detente of sorts. Many wines are indeed bigger. More than a few showed the same problems that have hit Pinot regions like Santa Barbara - an excess of oak, alcohol and ripeness that turns Pinot's near-magic transparency into something gloppy. The more ambitious the pricing - this time it topped out around $75 - the more likely the glop. To consider a lineup of more than 50 wines, I was joined by Eric Railsback, one of the sommeliers at RN74 in San Francisco, who previously worked in Los Angeles at Osteria Mozza and Gordon Ramsay's The London. A superb 2007 vintage offered the chance for greatness, and our best luck came with the growing number of single-vineyard bottlings emerging from Anderson Valley. When ripeness was handled with skill (and these are wines that can approach 15 percent alcohol), we found exceptional efforts that, if not inexpensive, will provide great pleasure now or after a few years of aging. Think gift-worthy. That successful focus on site was rewarding to see. California Pinot has become cluttered by vineyard designates, but our Anderson Valley lineup made a strong case for the practice. We witnessed multiple interpretations of some well-known sites: Ferrington, Toulouse, Savoy. Rather than being a fetishization of place, these have legitimately earned their stripes. There was less success with the blended wines, often marked simply as Anderson Valley. Along with fame has come a handful of wines made on a larger scale - up to 15,000 cases - that can top $50. For a once-low-key place, these are wines seemingly made for (and by) what in Boontling jargon might be called the "high-pockety." Mercifully, some familiar names like Navarro and Copain still enjoy success with their larger-scale bottlings, with reasonable prices. They uphold Anderson Valley's good name. So do newer names like Boonville's Breggo Cellars (Boontling for "sheep"), Healdsburg-based James MacPhail and Jason Drew. Drew, with his wife, Molly, runs a tiny operation in the seaside hamlet of Elk, due west of the valley. He produces increasingly compelling Pinots under 14 percent alcohol, including his Fog Eater blend (Boontling again) and a new effort from the Monument Tree vineyard in the valley's northern "deep end." Their success signals Anderson Valley's forward potential. Its cloak of obscurity may be gone, but its ability to produce deep, edgy Pinot Noir hasn't wavered. 2007 Black Kite Redwoods' Edge Anderson Valley Pinot Noir ($52) The first scent of an ever-evolving nose is evocatively char-tinged, like a burning field at harvest, leading to toasted baking spices. It's a shape-shifter, always changing, with very ripe fruit flavors but a masterful approach. 2007 Breggo Savoy Vineyard Anderson Valley Pinot Noir ($55) Douglas Ian Stewart and consultant Ryan Hodgins have found a rewarding middle-ground style for Stewart's Boonville winery. There's lots of ripe fruit but persistent brightness. Leathery and muscular, with a core of boysenberry and distinct mineral weight. 2006 Chronicle Cerise Vineyard Anderson Valley Pinot Noir ($48) OK, I admit - we like the name. But this effort sourced from a south-facing site above Boonville has not only a great fruit pedigree but also the skilled hand of Littorai's Ted Lemon making the wine. The ripe cherry flavors have an invigorating tension, edged by complex aromas: pine cone, sweet cherry, fresh flowers and marmalade. 2007 Copain Tous Ensemble Anderson Valley Pinot Noir ($30) Wells Guthrie's blend includes fruit from the Cerise, Monument Tree and Wentzel sites. Leafy, huckleberry-tinged high tones mix with a truffly earth undercurrent. A great example of the valley's subtler expression. 2007 Drew Fog Eater Anderson Valley Pinot Noir ($42) A floral punch adds tension to bright flavors of shaved cherry ice and an intense dry-earth complexity. Drew's limited Monument Tree ($42) bottling took time to open but blossomed into sweet huckleberry and dense forest-floor scents. Both are momentous and cellar-worthy. 2007 Elke Donnelly Creek Anderson Valley Pinot Noir ($34) Grower Mary Elke's home vineyard was in fine form in 2007, making for an affordable single-site effort. Full of vibrant moss-tinged strawberry, with soy and lavender accents and an orange-like twang. 2007 Foursight Clone 05 Anderson Valley Pinot Noir ($49) The Charles family has quickly left its imprint with its new label. They isolated fruit from their Pommard clone and gave it extra oak. The result is smoky and heady, with allspice and cocoa accents on a dark-fruited base. Finessed tannins make it immediately drinkable. 2006 Londer Paraboll Anderson Valley Pinot Noir ($54) A supple take on Londer's often robust style, with notable oak presence but a generous dose of sweet, rich strawberry flavors. Very well done. 2007 MacPhail Toulouse Vineyard Anderson Valley Pinot Noir ($50) James MacPhail's Anderson Valley bottlings show that power doesn't mean sacrificing nuance. With 40 percent new oak, this one from a site in Philo is a fine example with its extraordinary nose: bergamot, fenugreek, forest-floor and damp soil, with rich black fruit flavors and a soft depth. Remarkably intriguing in its layers. The Ferrington ($60) is almost as dense and full of rich spice. 2006 Navarro Methode a l'Ancienne Anderson Valley Pinot Noir ($29) This classic bottling harks back to Anderson Valley's more low-key style. Cinnamon-tinged black cherry gets depth from firm mineral notes and an orange-peel lift. Needs time. 2007 Phillips Hill Corby Vineyard Anderson Valley Pinot Noir ($40) Artist Toby Hill again finds a powerful Pinot expression, with bright red fruit highlights and a rich earthy tone giving it momentum. His 2007 Oppenlander ($42) is more brooding and meaty. 2007 Roessler Blue Jay Anderson Valley Pinot Noir ($32) Roessler's Anderson Valley blend opens with slightly overripe fruit, but cola spice and an appealingly musky black cherry note provide a deep, luscious quality. 2006 Saint Gregory Mendocino County Pinot Noir ($19) Greg Graziano uses mostly Potter Valley fruit in this approachable effort, with a bit coming from the Yorkville Highlands. A bit sharp at first, but with solid red fruit flavors. E-mail Jon Bonnét jbonne(a)sfchronicle.com, go to sfgate.com/wine to read his blog, and follow him at @jbonne on Twitter. http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/09/20/FDLV19NI03.DTL This article appeared on page K - 1 of the San Francisco Chronicle -- ------------------------------ * 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 *

16 years, 2 months

[wine] David Anderson update 2

by Jason Kallsen

David was at a WCW event yesterday and looked great. Had to take it easy, sitting often, but was otherwise back to form, tasting wine, talking to everybody. Modern medicine is incredible! Jason Kallsen

16 years, 2 months

[wine] David Anderson Updates?

by Jim L. Ellingson

Greetings, Anyone have any new information regarding David Anderson and his successful surgery? Cheers, Jim -- ------------------------------ * 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 *

16 years, 2 months

[wine] S. France double take

by Jim L. Ellingson

A two-fer: September 16, 2009 Wines of The Times The Languedoc Raises Its Game By ERIC ASIMOV YEARS ago, when I was in graduate school in Austin, Tex., I remember buying liter bottles of red wine from southern France, mostly from the Languedoc. I particularly remember those from the appellation Minervois. They weren.t bad wines, at least I didn.t think so at the time, though they were lean and perhaps a bit tart. But they were ideal for anybody on a student budget, and those big bottles were great for dinner parties. My, how things have changed. I don.t see those big bottles anymore, and while the wines from the Languedoc, especially those from Minervois, are still very good values, these days they may stretch a graduate student.s budget a little too far. But what.s really different is how much better these wines are now than they were 25 years ago. For years, I.ve heard talk about the transformation of the Languedoc, a region that for so long was best known for supplying the rest of France with cheap red wine that only occasionally rose to the level of mediocre. As the French began to consume less wine, and the competition for the inexpensive market has grown, Languedoc has had to undergo a painful evolution that is far from complete. Not long ago the only thing you could be sure about in a bottle of wine from the Languedoc was that it would be unpredictable. Styles might range from the most rustic wines imaginable to highly polished bottles of no discernable origin. And the quality of the winemaking was a similar grab bag. In a tasting recently of 20 bottles of red from the Languedoc, the wine panel found them still to be all over the place stylistically. But the level of high quality in the winemaking was unexpectedly consistent. For the tasting, Florence Fabricant and I were joined by Bernard Sun, the beverage director for Jean-Georges Management, and Michael Madrigale, the sommelier at Bar Boulud. The Languedoc, along with Roussillon, the region just to the south with which it is habitually paired, covers a huge territory. The vineyards stretch in a long crescent along the Mediterranean between Provence to the east and the Pyrenees to the south, accounting for perhaps a quarter of all the vines planted in France. For the tasting, we tried to confine ourselves to some of the better hilly regions inland, including Saint-Chinian, Minervois, Corbiès, Fitou and certain sub-regions of the enormous Coteaux du Languedoc, most particularly Pic Saint-Loup. We also looked for bottles $35 or less. In the end, 15 of the bottles in the tasting were $20 or less. Only two cost more than $30. These wines are generally made from a handful of grapes typical of southern France, including mourvèe, grenache, syrah, cinsault and carignan. Carignan is of particular interest. The grape is much derided for its lack of allure, particularly when overcropped, resulting in thin, dark, acidic, tannic wines of . big surprise . little charm. The European Union has encouraged many farmers to pull out their carignan vines. But when old vines are carefully nurtured, and the grapes intelligently blended, the wines can be very good. Many of our top 10 wines have a significant carignan component. It.s easy to find international grapes, too, like merlot, cabernet sauvignon and even pinot noir in some of the branded bottles that are intended to compete on the global market for inexpensive wines. We avoided these sorts of wines as, frankly, I find them of very little interest. The wines we liked best were well made and focused, with clear expressions of regional identity, particularly the earthy, aromatic blend of wild herbs that, if you close your eyes, can.t help making you feel as if you.re smack in the middle of the shrubby, rocky Languedoc. Even so, we had some disagreements. One of the things I liked best about the wines was that they were not dripping with fruit flavors, as so many modern wines are today. Florence, on the other hand, thought that the wines as a whole did not show enough fruit flavors. Bernard, too, was looking for clearer expressions of fruit, while Michael preferred wines that he thought were rough, raw and rustic. As much as the wines have improved, Languedoc is still a forbidding proposition for winemakers, not only because of the rugged, dry terrain but the difficulties in making inroads in an overcrowded marketplace. Is it any wonder that one of my favorite Languedoc producers, Domaine Rimbert in Saint-Chinian, calls its wine Le Mas au Schiste? Aside from referring to the schiste on which the grapes are planted, Le Mas au Schiste is, as the British wine writer Andrew Jefford has pointed out, a pun on the French word for masochist. The 2005 Mas au Schiste, No. 7 on our list, was not at all painful to drink. It had great character in fact, with intriguing flavors of herbs, olives and cranberries. Our favorite bottle was the spicy, balanced 2006 Le Rél du Loup from Le Loup Blanc in Minervois. Made from carignan, grenache and syrah, it offered herbal, savory flavors, and epitomized a wine that spoke of its origins and history. Our No. 2 bottle, the dense, concentrated 2006 Châau de Séme, from Corbiès, was an entirely different sort of wine. Though it offered more obvious fruit, it too spoke of its region with aromas of menthol, licorice and herbs. At $14, it was also our best value. We also very much liked the 2006 CuvéSyrah Conference de Presse from Domaine Faillenc Corbiès, with its combination of fruit and earth flavors that were somewhat rustic. Our No. 4 wine, the 2005 Domaine de l.Hortus from Pic Saint Loup, also had an unpolished quality, yet we enjoyed its meadowlike herbal aromas and its tannic structure. With their raft of unfamiliar appellations and little-known producers, the wines from the Languedoc have over the years often been an adventure. The best bottles have always offered unexpected flavors and pleasing surprises. As the viticulture and winemaking have improved, the good news is that many producers have succeeded in removing the risks while managing to leave the sense of adventure intact. That is quite an achievement. Tasting Report: Navigating the Hilly Terrain Le Loup Blanc Minervois 2006 $19 ... (Three Stars) Le Rél du Loup Great sense of place, fragrant of fruit, herbs, garlic, rocks and dirt roads. (Jenny & Françs Selections, New York) BEST VALUE Châau de Séme 2006 $14 ... (Three Stars) Corbiès Rérve du Châau Big, dense and true, with aromas of menthol, licorice, fruit and herbs. (Allied Beverage Group, Carlstadt, N.J.) Domaine Faillenc Corbiès 2006 $20 ... (Three Stars) CuvéSyrah Conference de Presse A touch rustic with aromas and flavors of smoke, earth, fruit and minerals. (Rosenthal Wine Merchant, New York) Domaine de l.Hortus 2005 $20 .. ½ (Two and a Half Stars) Pic Saint Loup Grande Cuvé Tannic and unpolished yet appealing with true southern French aromas of herbs and flowers. (Eric Solomon Selections/European Cellars, Charlotte, N.C.) Châau Coupe Roses 2006 $18 .. ½ (Two and a Half Stars) Minervois CuvéVignals Distinctive flavors of smoke, herbs, bacon and fruit. (Vintage .59 Imports, Washington, D.C.) Castelmaure Corbiès 2006 $32 .. ½ (Two and a Half Stars) CuvéNo. 3 Big and structured with aromas and flavors of rich fruit, anise and herbs. (Regal Wine Imports, Marlton, N.J.) Domaine Rimbert Saint-Chinian 2005 $20 .. (Two Stars) Le Mas au Schiste Intriguing flavors of black olives, earth, cranberry and herbs. (Jenny & Françs Selections, New York) Ermitage du Pic Saint Loup 2006 $17 .. (Two Stars) Coteaux du Languedoc Balanced but tannic with smoky flavors of bacon and herbs. (Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, Calif.) Châau Massiac Minervois 2006 $14 .. (Two Stars) Earthy, spicy and intense with aromas of clay and bacon. (Rosenthal Wine Merchant, New York) Châau Cazal Viel Saint-Chinian 2007 $14 .. (Two Stars) Cuvédes Fé Polished and juicy with simple flavors of dark fruit and herbs. (Frederick Wildman & Sons, New York) This article has been revised to reflect the following correction: Correction: September 23, 2009 The Wines of The Times column last Wednesday on Languedoc in France referred incorrectly to the origin of one wine. The 2006 Châau de Séme is from Corbiès, not Minervois. Not to be outdone, from the WA Post: French Quality Goes South By Dave McIntyre Wednesday, September 16, 2009 Americans are always looking for something new, the next big thing, the undiscovered star, designer, iPhone app or whatever. So it might seem strange to look to France -- the stodgy, hidebound homeland of fine wine, with its rigid classifications and appellation laws -- as a source of innovation in wine. Yet the southern provinces of Languedoc and Roussillon have shown tremendous improvement in quality over the past decade, and they remain a great source of high-value wine at reasonable prices. Languedoc and Roussillon have a reputation for producing massive quantities of inferior wine. With modern winemaking techniques and capital, these regions still produce boatloads, but the cheap wine is getting better. In part that's because big French wine names from other regions are investing in Languedoc's cheap vineyard land to produce bargain wines that anchor their portfolios. Foreign companies, too, are investing, including Gallo, which markets the Red Bicyclette wines. You may have enjoyed some other Languedoc wines under cute brand names, such as Arrogant Frog, Petit Bistro or Fat Bastard, among others. There has even been a whiff of scandal, which shows how important this sector of the market has become. French and U.S. authorities are investigating whether pinot noir exported from Languedoc to the United States actually was pinot noir. They haven't determined which brands, if any, were sold as fraudulent pinot, but Languedoc is not exactly known for the grape, so suspicions run high. The real excitement lies in the various sub-appellations of Languedoc and Roussillon, such as Corbieres, Faugeres, Fitou, Saint-Chinian, Minervois and Cabardes, and the broader Coteaux du Languedoc. Here, the traditional Rhone Valley grapes of grenache, syrah, mourvedre, carignan and cinsault feature in various combinations, often with a splash of cabernet or merlot for added interest. The French magazine La Revue du Vin de France lavished patronizing praise on Languedoc in its July-August issue. "No other region in France has made as much progress as the wines of Languedoc over the past 10 years," the magazine said. (Presumably no other region had to.) The wonderful 1998 vintage surprised "local vintners" with the potential of their formidable terroirs, and, in the decade since, improvements in blending and aging their wines have enabled a few leading domaines to shake off the inferiority complex that haunts the region. So the magazine says. La RVF, as it calls itself, listed what its tasters considered the best 100 red wines from Languedoc. Bringing the magazine home with me from a visit to France this summer, I decided to explore Languedoc wines available here. I found a few that were on La RVF's list of favorites and a few others from producers that were on the list. Some of the wines I would call "modernized traditional": modernized in that the quality is high, traditional in that alcohol levels stay under 14 percent with little or no noticeable new oak. An example of this style is the delightful Ermitage du Pic St. Loup Cuvee Sainte Agnes 2005 from Coteaux du Languedoc ($23), imported by Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant of Berkeley, Calif. It is fresh and herbaceous, with herbal notes of the "garrigue" -- that heady mix of aromas, especially sage and thyme, that conjures southern France -- and an appealing citrusy note of orange peel. The 2006 of this wine ranked 57th on the RVF list. Other wines I tasted were very modern, almost New World in style, with riper flavors, lower acidity, alcohol pushing 15 percent and sometimes lavish new oak. The Mas Laval 2006 from the Vin de Pays de l'Herault appellation, for example, has a gorgeous perfume of evening, a rich silky texture and new oak that is evident but comfortable in a supporting role. It is imported by Exclusive Wine Imports of Richmond and ranked 20th on the RVF list of 100. It is ambitiously priced at $37, but some of the same magic can be found at $19 with the 2007 "Les Pampres" bottling from the same winery. The problem for consumers is that it can be difficult to know which style you have until you've tasted it, though the alcohol level on the label can be a clue. Unfortunately, I also found several wines that were marred by excessive sulfur, most likely sulfur dioxide (a necessary and natural preservative) added at bottling. The characteristic burnt-match-rotten egg smell will sometimes vanish if you decant the wine and let it breathe. Too often, however, it lingers, and no amount of vigorous swirling will liberate the fruit trapped underneath. On the whole, wines from Languedoc and Roussillon offer a variety of flavors and styles, good value and, increasingly, quality. They offer wine lovers a great opportunity for exploration. Dave McIntyre can be reached through his Web site, www.dmwineline.com, or at food(a)washpost.com. Recommendations Wednesday, September 16, 2009 Mas Laval 2006 *** Vin de Pays de l'Herault, France, $37 Perfumed with evening air, this gorgeous wine offers rich texture that coats the palate like fine silk. New oak is evident but content to play a supporting role. It ranked 20th on La Revue du Vin de France's list of the best 100 reds from Languedoc. The Mas Laval 2007 "Les Pampres" ($19, **, Great Value) is shy next to its more powerful sibling; decant it for an hour or two and let it blossom. Murray-Sykes Selection: distributed by Nice Legs in the District and Maryland, on the list at Rasika. Exclusive Wine Imports in Virginia: available at Arrowine in Arlington, Grape + Bean in Alexandria, Wine Seller in Herndon, Maison du Vin in Great Falls; on the list at Willow in Arlington and Vermilion in Alexandria. Ermitage du Pic St. Loup, Cuvee Sainte Agnes 2005 ** 1/2 Coteaux du Languedoc, France, $23 (Great Value) Herbaceous and fresh, deceptively light in body but long in flavor, with a hint of orange peel and intrigue. The 2006, which is just now reaching area stores, ranked 57th on the RVF list, while another wine from this producer was 34th. Winebow in the District: available at D'Vines, De Vinos, U Street Mini Mart; on the list at Acadiana, Bistrot Lepic, Cactus Cantina, Vinoteca. Castelmaure Grande Cuvee "Vendanges Humaine" 2006 ** Corbieres, France, $23 Deep aromas of thyme, olives and sage speak of the traditional garrigue character of wines from southern France, yet this wine has an impressive richness that should appeal to fans of New World wines. Kysela: available in the District at Whole Foods Market Tenleytown; available in Virginia at Unwined in Alexandria, Wegmans in Fredericksburg, Market Street Wineshop in Charlottesville. Chateau Coupe Roses "Granaxa" 2007 ** Minervois, France, $25 According to importer Roy Cloud, "the important thing about this estate is that the wine is made by a woman, so you can trust it." Okaaaay. But this grenache-based wine is also grown in the highest part of the Minervois appellation, which gives it bright fruit and good acidity for structure and balance. Vintage 59/Country Vintner: available in the District at MacArthur Beverages, Whole Foods Market P Street; on the list at Buck's Fishing and Camping, Indebleu. Chateau de Caladroy, Cuvee Saint Michel 2005 ** Cotes du Roussillon, France, $26 Lavishly oaked in a New World style, this mourvedre-based blend needs a little air to settle down, but when it does reveal its fruit, it shines. Mourvedre is the main grape grown in the Bandol sector of Provence, and this should appeal to fans of the highly touted and hard-to-find wines of Bandol's Domaine Tempier. Vintage 59/Country Vintner: available in the District at D'Vines, De Vinos, MacArthur Beverages. Les Hauts de la Brune 2007 ** Coteaux du Languedoc, France, $15 (Great Value) I love the color of this wine, deep purple but not opaque, as though I'm looking at a jewel and the summer of 2007 is reflected inside. Syrah, with grenache and mourvedre. Kysela: available in the District at Whole Foods Market Tenleytown. Available in Virginia at Arrowine in Arlington, Wegmans in Fairfax; on the list at Cantina D'Italia in Herndon. Chateau Aiguilloux, "Tradition" 2006 * 1/2 Corbieres, France, $11 (Great Value) Minerally, cherry fruit, nice structure and balance. A good example of the traditional style from a producer that also captured the 94th rank in La RVF with another wine. M Touton: available in the District at AB Liquors, Burka's Wine & Liquor, Rodman's, Watergate Wine & Beverage; by the glass at Montmartre. Available in Maryland at Silesia Liquors in Fort Washington, Bethesda Co-Op in Cabin John, Hillandale Beer & Wine in Silver Spring, and Old Farm Liquors and Frederick Wine House in Frederick. Available in Virginia at Arrowine in Arlington, Whole Foods Market in Vienna, Leesburg Vintner. Chateau Jouclary, Cuvee Tradition 2006 * 1/2 Cabardes, France, $10 (Great Value) Musky, herbal garrigue notes, light in body but with refreshing acidity and good fruit unmasked by oak. Wine Traditions: available in the District at D'Vines, De Vinos; on the list at Bistrot Lepic. Available in Maryland at FineWine.com in Gaithersburg. Available in Virginia at Arrowine and Whole Foods Market in Arlington. -- ------------------------------ * 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 *

16 years, 2 months

[wine] SA wines

by Jim L. Ellingson

South America Is on the Rise By Dave McIntyre Wednesday, September 23, 2009 I consider myself part of the "Anything but Chardonnay" crowd, at least until I taste a really great chardonnay. And I have tasted some fine ones recently that might persuade me to give up my skepticism toward this grape. They're not from Burgundy (which gets an automatic pass from the ABC crowd, anyway) and not from California, either. The chardonnays that excite me these days come from the Limari Valley of northern Chile. This is a region to watch: It could become the world's next source of consistently good chardonnay. Vines were first planted in the Limari (pronounced lee-mar-EE) Valley in the 16th century, but only in the past decade or so have some of Chile's great wine companies exploited this mountainous region for its grape-growing potential. Morning fog rolls in off the Pacific Ocean, much as it does in some of California's best chardonnay regions, and retreats in the afternoon, allowing the grapes to bask in the late-day sun. That helps maintain acidity and structure in the wine while allowing optimum ripeness. The Concha y Toro wine empire led the way in this region with its Maycas del Limari label; other familiar names followed, including Santa Rita. Limari is only part of the story, however. For new and exciting wines from South America, look also for bracing sauvignon blanc from Chile's Elqui or Leyda valleys, or stellar pinot noir and riesling from Bio-Bio, several hundred miles south of the capital, Santiago. In Argentina, where Mendoza defines value with malbec, look for intensely colored and spiced malbec from Patagonia in the south or exotically flavored torrontes from Salta or San Juan in the north. These are the emerging wine regions of South America, where established wineries and foreign investors are producing high-quality, value-priced bottles that are worth searching out. Products from Concha y Toro, one of Chile's oldest wineries, span the spectrum from basic jug wines to Almaviva, a rare and expensive cabernet-based blend that is a joint venture with Baron Philippe Rothschild of Bordeaux. The company's Maycas del Limari winery is setting the standard in the Limari region with a top-notch chardonnay, an elegant, supple syrah and a spicy, intense cabernet sauvignon. Farther south, in Bio-Bio, warm days and cool nights provide optimum conditions for producing ripe wines with vibrant acidity, ideal for Riesling and pinot noir, for example. Cono Sur, a popular value-priced brand, makes an excellent Riesling from Bio-Bio that would be great with Asian foods or delightful by itself. Agustinos pinot noir is crisp and lean, almost deceptively light in color and weight, with a firm core of acidity and fruit underneath. In Argentina, Mendoza still reigns supreme for quality and value. But farther north, winemakers are cultivating even higher-elevation vineyards in the Salta province, including its Cafayate Valley, and producing torrontes of exceptional quality. Torrontes can be quite flowery, which is attractive to some, including me. But in Salta it achieves firm acidity and structure that give it even more interest. Down south in Patagonia, reds -- especially Argentina's favorite grape, malbec -- exhibit intense color and spice. There are not enough of them yet to give Mendoza a run for its money, but the quality makes wines from other emerging regions worth seeking out. Dave McIntyre can be reached through his Web site, http://www.dmwineline.com, or at food(a)washpost.com. Recommendations Wednesday, September 23, 2009 Maycas del Limari Chardonnay 2008 ** 1/2 Limari Valley, Chile, $26 Enticing, racy yet sophisticated flavors, perfectly balanced with a long finish. Republic National: available in the District at Broad Branch Market, Georgetown Wine & Spirits, Harris Teeter locations. Available in Maryland at Rip's Wine and Spirit Shop, Bowie; on the list at Volt in Frederick. Maycas del Limari Syrah 2008 ** 1/2 Limari Valley, Chile, $26 A terrific New World-style syrah, with new oak polishing nice ripe blackberry fruit and moderate (14 percent) alcohol. (Also good: the 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon.) Republic National: available in the District at Georgetown Wine & Spirits, Harris Teeter locations. Agustinos Reserva Pinot Noir 2008 ** Bio-Bio, Chile, $15 (Great Value) Delightful; in weight, body and texture it resembles some of the lighter, more delicate Burgundies of the Cote d'Or, although the aromas are spicier, with hints of eucalyptus and mint. Whole Foods Market recently featured this wine at $11, making it a terrific value. Country Vintner: available in the District at Whole Foods Market P Street; available in Maryland at Mills Fine Wine & Spirits in Annapolis, Chesapeake Gourmet in Queenstown; available in Virginia at Whole Foods Market locations in Fairfax, Alexandria and Reston. Santa Rita Medalla Real Chardonnay 2008 ** Limari Valley, Chile, $18 (Great Value) Excellent, with impressive depth and balance, and a core of mango and passion fruit shining through a halo of oak. Republic National: available in the District at Sheffield Wine & Liquor Shoppe. Callia Alta Torrontes 2008 * 1/2 Valle de Tulum, San Juan, Argentina, $9 (Great Value) Racy and flowery, a fine aperitif or partner for slightly spicy foods. The malbec also is good. Republic National: available in the District at Burka's Wine & Liquor, Morris Miller Wine & Liquor, Press Liquors, Riverside Liquor, S&R Liquors; on the list at Cashion's Eat Place, Grill From Ipanema. Valle Perdido Malbec 2006 * 1/2 Neuquen, Patagonia, Argentina, $16 (Great Value) Deep color and jammy blueberry fruit tinged enticingly with mint give this wine a decidedly New World accent. It should appeal to fans of Australian shiraz. Good acidity prevents it from becoming sappy. Nice Legs: available in the District at Chat's Liquors, D'Vines, De Vinos; on the list at Perry's. Available in Maryland at Cork & Fork in Bethesda, Frederick Wine House. Available in Virginia at Unwined in Alexandria, the Wine Seller in Herndon, the Wine House in Fairfax. Cono Sur Riesling 2008 * Bio-Bio, Chile, $9 (Great Value) A nice, dry Riesling, good as an aperitif or with seafood. The 2009 vintage is coming soon and will taste a bit racier for its youth. Both are fine. Bacchus: available in the District at Capitol Supreme Market, Magruder's, Paul's of Chevy Chase, U Street Mini Mart; on the list at Heritage India. Available in Maryland at Mount Washington Wine Co. in Baltimore, Calvert Discount Liquors in Cockeysville. Vinedo de los Vientos "Estival" 2008 * Atlantida, Uruguay, $15 This is a fun blend of Gew?rztraminer, chardonnay and moscato bianco, featuring litchi and other tropical flavors with a hint of sweetness. Uruguay Imports: on the list in the District at Mio. Available in Maryland at the Wine Bin in Ellicott City; on the list at Pure Wine Cafe in Ellicott City. -- ------------------------------ * 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 *

16 years, 2 months

[wine] 2007: You're the One That I Want

by Russell McCandless

For my fellow New World pinot noir fans (most of us like Burgundy too), I offer the following, published under the above title in the Pinot File. This eminent on-line newsletter of all things pinot (primarily U.S. and emphasizing California) is authored by Dr. Rusty Gaffney (www.princeofpinot.com <http://www.princeofpinot.com/> ), who is a great person with whom to share lunch, conversation and a glass of wine, and an all-around prince of a guy. Drives a Corvette, too. Concerning wine styles, a matter of considerable concern to pinotfiles, I would describe Rusty as potentially tolerant but not a seeker of the higher-alcohol, plusher sort of wines. I have NOT, that I can remember, seen him favorably reviewing (just to pick two examples out of the air) wines from Loring or Kosta Browne. But he unashamedly likes California pinot, as I do, and much of that carries a degree or so of alcohol more than Burgundies do. Here's Rusty: "The economic slump has affected us all, and the prices of good Pinot Noir make it seem like Pinot Noir isn't so much a wine as a drink for the privileged few. The timing is unfortunate because the 2007 vintage Pinot Noirs from California are the best ever statewide. James Laube wrote in a recent issue of the Wine Spectator, 'Now comes 2007, offering the greatest assortment of outstanding wines in the 25 years I've been tasting and writing about Golden State Pinot.' I echo his sentiments completely. "The time to stock your cellar is now because the next two vintages will probably not provide the wide-ranging quality of the 2007 vintage. 2008 was a vintage from hell with many regions suffering severe frost at bloom, periods of intense heat, and smoke taint. The grapes from a number of vineyards were either not made into wine or the resulting wine was sold off in bulk. 2009 has presented its own challenges. I recently returned from harvest work in the Russian River Valley. The off and on heat has shortened the growing season for Pinot Noir. Grapes last week were reaching optimum Brix for picking, but were lacking in phenolic, seed and stem maturity. Harvest had been moved up 10-14 days in a number of warmer-sited vineyards. That said, 2009 should fare better than 2008. "How can you make Pinot Noir your daily drinker, your house wine, without taking out a loan? Pinot Noir has ridden the Sideways wave to unprecedented popularity and prices have escalated in step, creating disdain in the minds of some wine drinkers. Fortunately, there are plenty of Pinot Noirs that are quite affordable and some of these can be very, very good. I have tried to feature a number of wines under $40, even under $20 that you can happily dance with. The task of choosing among the vast number of value-priced Pinot Noirs is challenging as evidenced by the 2,843 wineries in California, many of which produce Pinot Noir. Nearly 30,000 acres are planted to Pinot Noir now in California, double what it was only ten years ago. Despite the daunting number of choices, picking a good Pinot Noir has actually become much easier, driven by the improvements in viticulture and winemaking over the last several years. "The 2007 vintage of California Pinot Noir is the one to buy, the one that I, and most assuredly, you will want." [Russ again.] You will do well, imho, to take Rusty's advice to heart. I've tasted many 2007's, and look forward to tasting quite a few more this coming Fall and Winter. The inexpensive ones outperform their humble origins. The serious ones are startlingly good as young wines, with the sort of balance and structural cut that indicate they will age superbly. Despite the popularity of the grape and stellar quality of the 2007 vintage, many of these wines are being discounted significantly in the current economy. Happy bargain hunting. R.

16 years, 2 months

[wine] fwd Blue is the New Black

by Jim L. Ellingson

FYI/FYE September 20, 2009 Op-Ed Columnist Blue Is the New Black By MAUREEN DOWD WASHINGTON Women are getting unhappier, I told my friend Carl. .How can you tell?. he deadpanned. .It.s always been whine-whine-whine.. Why are we sadder? I persisted. .Because you care,. he replied with a mock sneer. .You have feelings.. Oh, that. In the early .70s, breaking out of the domestic cocoon, leaving their mothers. circumscribed lives behind, young women felt exhilarated and bold. But the more women have achieved, the more they seem aggrieved. Did the feminist revolution end up benefiting men more than women? According to the General Social Survey, which has tracked Americans. mood since 1972, and five other major studies around the world, women are getting gloomier and men are getting happier. Before the .70s, there was a gender gap in America in which women felt greater well-being. Now there.s a gender gap in which men feel better about their lives. As Arianna Huffington points out in a blog post headlined .The Sad, Shocking Truth About How Women Are Feeling.: .It doesn.t matter what their marital status is, how much money they make, whether or not they have children, their ethnic background, or the country they live in. Women around the world are in a funk.. (The one exception is black women in America, who are a bit happier than they were in 1972, but still not as happy as black men.) Marcus Buckingham, a former Gallup researcher who has a new book out called .Find Your Strongest Life: What the Happiest and Most Successful Women Do Differently,. says that men and women passed each other midpoint on the graph of life. .Though women begin their lives more fulfilled than men, as they age, they gradually become less happy,. Buckingham writes in his new blog on The Huffington Post, pointing out that this darker view covers feelings about marriage, money and material goods. .Men, in contrast, get happier as they get older.. Buckingham and other experts dispute the idea that the variance in happiness is caused by women carrying a bigger burden of work at home, the .second shift.. They say that while women still do more cooking, cleaning and child-caring, the trend lines are moving toward more parity, which should make them less stressed. When women stepped into male- dominated realms, they put more demands . and stress . on themselves. If they once judged themselves on looks, kids, hubbies, gardens and dinner parties, now they judge themselves on looks, kids, hubbies, gardens, dinner parties . and grad school, work, office deadlines and meshing a two-career marriage. .Choice is inherently stressful,. Buckingham said in an interview. .And women are being driven to distraction.. One area of extreme distraction is kids. .Across the happiness data, the one thing in life that will make you less happy is having children,. said Betsey Stevenson, an assistant professor at Wharton who co-wrote a paper called .The Paradox of Declining Female Happiness.. .It.s true whether you.re wealthy or poor, if you have kids late or kids early. Yet I know very few people who would tell me they wish they hadn.t had kids or who would tell me they feel their kids were the destroyer of their happiness.. The more important things that are crowded into their lives, the less attention women are able to give to each thing. Add this to the fact that women are hormonally more complicated and biologically more vulnerable. Women are much harder on themselves than men. They tend to attach to other people more strongly, beat themselves up more when they lose attachments, take things more personally at work and pop far more antidepressants. .Women have lives that become increasingly empty,. Buckingham said. .They.re doing more and feeling less.. Another daunting thing: America is more youth and looks obsessed than ever, with an array of expensive cosmetic procedures that allow women to be their own Frankenstein Barbies. Men can age in an attractive way while women are expected to replicate . and Restylane . their 20s into their 60s. Buckingham says that greater prosperity has made men happier. And they are also relieved of bearing sole responsibility for their family finances, and no longer have the pressure of having women totally dependent on them. Men also tend to fare better romantically as time wears on. There are more widows than widowers, and men have an easier time getting younger mates. Stevenson looks on the bright side of the dark trend, suggesting that happiness is beside the point. We.re happy to have our newfound abundance of choices, she said, even if those choices end up making us unhappier. A paradox, indeed. -- ------------------------------ * 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 *

16 years, 2 months

[wine] [wine@wineloverspage.com: 90 points? What's the point?]

by Jim L. Ellingson

FYI/FYE. ----- Forwarded message from The 30 Second Wine Advisor <wine(a)wineloverspage.com> ----- X-Authentication-Warning: winex2100.cniweb.net: nobody set sender to bounce(a)wineloverspage.com using -f To: Jim Ellingson <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> Subject: 90 points? What's the point? From: The 30 Second Wine Advisor <wine(a)wineloverspage.com> Date: Fri, 11 Sep 2009 15:44:35 -0400 X-LibVersion: 3.3.1_4 X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-MimeOLE: Produced by SwiftMailer 3.3.1_4 X-mid: amVsbGluZ3NAbWUudW1uLmVkdSAsIG0yMw== X-Mailer: AC Mailer X-Greylist: IP, sender and recipient auto-whitelisted, not delayed by milter-greylist-4.0 (smtp-relay.enet.umn.edu [128.101.142.227]); Fri, 11 Sep 2009 16:21:52 -0500 (CDT) X-Spam-Score: 0.001 () HTML_MESSAGE X-Scanned-By: MIMEDefang 2.57 on 128.101.142.227 THE 30 SECOND WINE ADVISOR, Friday, Sept. 11, 2009 ________________________________________________________________________ FEATURED WINE BOOK Buy "The Psychology of Wine: Truth and Beauty by the Glass" through our Amazon.com link for $32.36, a 28 percent discount from the $44.95 list price. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0313376506/robingarrswineloA/ ________________________________________________________________________ 90 POINTS? WHAT'S THE POINT? I was browsing my local wine shop the other day, looking for a good, reasonably priced red for dinner, and an interesting Southern Italian Aglianico blend caught my eye. But then I saw the advertising card dangling proudly below the display bottle, bragging about the wine's 90-point rating from Robert M. Parker Jr.'s Wine Advocate. Well, excuuuuuse me! Call me an exception to the rule that high scores sell wine, but I've never been an enthusiastic, er, advocate for rating wine by the numbers. I'm not so smitten by the purported romance of wine that I can't get used to screwcaps or even good wine dispensed from a box, when product quality and value make the sale. But reducing wine to numbers turns it from a joy for the senses into something more like chemistry for me. Moreover - although there are some exceptions to this rule - my tastes generally depart from the Parker and Wine Spectator crowd to the extent that their highly rated wines scream "Danger, Will Robinson!" to me. Show me a 90-plus rating, and I'll expect to find a big, alcoholic, fruit-forward and oak-laden blockbuster wine in the bottle. The more subtle, earthy and food-friendly wines that I love tend to grab scores in the 80s from the usual suspects, and that's fine with me. It keeps the points-chasers from grabbing up "my" wine. So the other day, while browsing through a recently arrived wine book of unusual intelligence and charm, I was delighted to discover that the authors - the Australian father-and-son team of Evan and Brian Mitchell - don't think much more of rating by the numbers than I do. I'll review their new book, The Psychology of Wine: Truth and Beauty by the Glass, in more detail before the holiday book-buying season. But on today's point, I thought you'd enjoy this excerpt, which shows an eclectic, idiosyncratic approach to the world of wine that's a long stretch from the usual recitation of appellations and varieties and vinification and terroir. In a world of books about wine science, it's a book for liberal arts majors, and that's me. Here's what the Mitchells have to say about points. What do you think? "It's a shame today that scores rule the way they do. Taking wine instruction "by the numbers," so to speak, is a dry and didactic kind of learning. There's little soul in it. Taking wine instruction rather from an expert's detailed tasting notes is akin to the method of the Socratic dialogues, the 'maiuetic' method of teaching, described by the philosopher Simon Blackburn as 'the method of the midwife, merely assisting [them] to give birth to their own understanding.' ... "Still, scores will endure because most people would riot if they were taken away. Well, perhaps not riot, but they would abandon in droves those publications that so dared, until a new breed of number-crunchers arose to fill the vacuum that nature abhors." Hmm. "Abandon in droves"? In quite a few years writing about wine, I've generally avoided points scores. Perhaps that's why I am not rich. But you have to admire, if not embrace, a wine book that in a single long paragraph invokes Socrates, the philosopher Simon Blackburn and "maiuetic" teaching ... yet remains immensely readable. It's not a book for everyone, and it's not inexpensive even with the Amazon.com discount. But I'm finding it irresistible, at least in small, daily doses, not unlike a ritual glass of wine. If you think it's your style - perhaps you took up English Lit, or maybe Philosophy, in college - then I recommend it. The Psychology of Wine: Truth and Beauty by the Glass is available through our Amazon.com link for $32.36, a 28 percent discount from the $44.95 list price. Click to view details or order from Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0313376506/robingarrswineloA/ As always, purchases made by using this exact link will return a small commission to WineLoversPage.com, helping us maintain our online publications (and this E-letter) without charge. Still wondering about that Southern Italian red? I expressed concern to John Johnson, the genial proprietor of my neighborhood wine shop, The Wine Rack in Louisville, and he reassured me. Sure enough, it's one of those exceptions that "proves" a rule: Although it's as nearly opaque as you'd expect from a 90-pointer, its fruit, licorice and subtle earthy flavors are intriguing but subtly balanced, with alcohol held to a very rational 13 percent. Good, mouth-watering acidity and soft tannins make it a fine food wine. I'd give it a 90 myself, if I gave out numbers. ________________________________________________________________________ TODAY'S TASTING REPORT FIDELIS 2005 AGLIANICO DEL TABURNO ($14.99) A blend of 90% Aglianico with a splash of Cabernet Sauvignon and a dash of Merlot, produced by Cantina del Taburno, this is a clear, very dark blackish-purple wine showing almost a patent-leather look in the glass. Pleasant aromas blend black cherry and a scent somewhere between fennel and licorice on the aroma scale. Ripe cherry-berry fruit and subtle earthiness is well balanced by tart, food-friendly acidity, with soft tannins adding a touch of astringency in the long finish. Very good wine and a good value, showing good balance and complexity. U.S. importer: Vintner Select, Mason, Ohio. (Sept. 9, 2009) FOOD MATCH: This balanced, acidic red met its natural match in a locally produced rib eye steak, pepper-crusted and medium rare, natural grass- fed beef from Dreamcatcher Farm in Kentucky. Showing its versatility, the leftovers went very well indeed with fried chicken for lunch a couple of days later. WEB LINK: One of its U.S. importers has a detailed fact sheet about Cantina del Taburno on this page, from which you can find a link to the Taburno Aglianico and other wines. http://www.skurnikwines.com/prospects.cgi?rm=view_prospect_detail&prospect_… FIND THIS WINE ONLINE: Look for vendors and compare prices for Fidelis Aglianico del Taburno on Wine- Searcher.com: http://www.wine-searcher.com/find/Fidelis%2bTaburno/-/-/-/USD/A?referring_s… ________________________________________________________________________ TALK ABOUT WINE ONLINE If you have questions, comments or ideas to share about today's article or wine in general, you're always welcome to drop by our online WineLovers Discussion Group, the Internet's first and still the most civil online community. To find our forums, click: http://www.wineloverspage.com/forum/village/index.php Discussions are open for public viewing, but you must register to post. Registration is free and easy; we ask only that you join following our Real Names Real Format system, using your real name in the format "John Doe" or "John D". Anonymous, cryptic or first-name-only registrations are discarded without notice. Once your registration has been approved, which usually happens quickly, you'll be able to participate in all our online wine, food and travel forums. To contact me by E-mail, write wine(a)wineloverspage.com. I'll respond personally to the extent that time and volume permit. ________________________________________________________________________ SUBSCRIPTIONS AND ADMINISTRIVIA Unsubscribe: We're sorry if you must leave us, but simply click the "unsubscribe" link at the bottom of your Email edition to be instantly removed from the mailing list. Subscribe to this Email edition (free): http://www.wineloverspage.com/wineadvisor WineLoversPage.com RSS Feed (free): http://www.wineloverspage.com/rss/ Wine Advisor Archives: http://www.wineloverspage.com/wineadvisor2/archives.php Sponsorship Opportunities: For information, E-mail wine(a)wineloverspage.com ________________________________________________________________________ To Unsubscribe, please click here : http://www.wineloverspage.com/12all/box.php?funcml=unsub2&nl=2&mi=23&email=… ----- End forwarded message ----- -- ------------------------------ * 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 *

16 years, 2 months

[wine] [fpetters@celinecompany.com: Vandalia Street Press goes to the Midtown Market]

by Jim L. Ellingson

FYI, Fred and Kim at the MTGMarket. ----- Forwarded message from Fred Petters <fpetters(a)celinecompany.com> ----- User-Agent: Microsoft-Entourage/10.1.4.030702.0 Date: Thu, 10 Sep 2009 19:07:15 -0500 Subject: Vandalia Street Press goes to the Midtown Market From: Fred Petters <fpetters(a)celinecompany.com> To: first mondays at the commodore <fpetters(a)celinecompany.com> X-Spam-Score: 0 () X-Scanned-By: MIMEDefang 2.57 on 128.101.142.227 Vandalia Street Press goes to the Midtown Market Saturday September 12. It¹s true. We¹ll be there selling our letterpress greeting cards. We have several new cards this week, that no-one, and I mean no-one has seen yet. Except for Kim and me. Also, we¹ll be selling little notebooks, hand made by Kim. Black covers, ultra cool. Stamped on the cover. Think of these as sort of a small journal. In addition, a very good reason to go to the market is because it was written up last week in the big Minneapolis paper as being one of the top markets in the country. I would agree. This time of year, the market is flush with all kinds of wonderful things: summer squash; zucchini¹s of all sizes, shapes and colors; tomatoes big, small, organic & heirloom; potatoes; apples; corn; beans; peas; carrots white, purple and of course carrot colored carrots; berries; honey; eggs; lamb; beef; pork; chicken; red bells, green, purple and yellow too; bread -- the best bread in town by far; onions; leeks; different varieties of garlic; herbs for your buddy Herb and you; and it goes on like that. And it is all fresh, fresh, fresh and grown and produced by local folks. So, it is with great enthusiasm I look forward to seeing some of you. At the very least stop by to say hello. Sincerely, Fred ps there has been much confusion about where the Midtown Market is. For sure, it is not the Midtown Global Market in the old Sears Building on Lake and Chicago. No it is not. It is the Midtown Farmers Market held outdoors on the SW corner of Lake and Hiawatha right next to the light rail station. For directions and more information: http://www.midtownfarmersmarket.org/index.html -- Celine Countryman Vandalia Street Press 984 Saint Clair Ave Saint Paul, MN 55105 US 866/981-0980 toll free US 651/294-0980 local 651/641-0980 fax celinecountryman.com ----- End forwarded message ----- -- ------------------------------ * 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 *

16 years, 2 months

[wine] Norton

by Jim L. Ellingson

"Screw ZAP, Go NAP!" She's Just Wild About Norton A Forgotten Grape Wins a Champion By Catherine Cheney Washington Post Staff Writer Wednesday, September 9, 2009 The first time Jennifer McCloud tasted a wine made of Norton grapes, "it blew my mind," says the owner of Chrysalis Vineyards in Middleburg. "And when I found out it was native to Virginia, I thought, 'Oh, man. I have got to be a part of this.' " Now her vineyards are home to the largest amount of Norton acreage in the world, and McCloud, 55, who trademarked the phrase "Norton, the Real American Grape!," is working to restore this grape to a position of eminence. There's just one problem with McCloud's campaign: These days, Norton is not universally beloved. Virginia winemakers are growing Norton grapes, either because they enjoy the deep red color and fruity, Spanish-red taste or because they appreciate how well they grow despite tough climate and soil conditions. But others argue that Norton should not be the marketing focus of Virginia wine country because, as the basis of a love-it-or-hate-it kind of wine, it lacks the widespread appeal and international recognition of, say, Viognier. There was a time when Norton was better received. After Daniel Norton (1794-1892) first grew the grapes on his Richmond farm, his wine won such awards as Best Red Wine of All Nations at the 1873 World's Fair in Vienna, according to the London Gazette. But Virginia's Prohibition, which preceded the nation's by several years, brought Norton production to a halt. "Then, after Prohibition, it was like they had a list. 'Norton: Tough to start, slow to grow. All right, next!' " says McCloud. "And it got left out, which is a shame." Norton gained popularity and acreage in Missouri, where it was designated the official state grape. "We need to give Missouri credit for keeping it alive," McCloud says. Along with other varieties, she planted six acres of Norton in 1998; now Norton vines cover 40 acres. But McCloud wants to spread the word that Norton's true roots lie in Virginia, not Missouri, and that the native grape is uniquely American. "That's why 'Real' is italicized" in the slogan, she said as she made the rounds at her vineyard on a hot summer weekend in August, checking on her grapes, including the Nortons in the nursery. "It's kind of a little dig on zinfandel. Norton is the real American grape, not the impostor." McCloud says zinfandel, a European grape, tends to have very high sugar development, as do many in California. In her opinion, that results in unbalanced and awkward wine with high alcohol content. She talks about her "cheeky" idea to create a Norton lovers' group modeled after the Zinfandel Advocates and Producers (ZAP). It would be called NAP, with this potential marketing slogan: "Is zinfandel putting you to sleep? Try Norton." Because Norton is native to Virginia, it is resistant to many of the diseases that threaten other varietals, and the vines can thrive without the drainage other grapes demand. "It's an absolute joy in the vineyard," she says. Under a tasting tent, which sat outside the tasting room where numerous awards for her Norton and Viognier wines were on display, McCloud took a lingering sip of her Sarah's Patio Red, a 100 percent Norton wine with a deep red color. She is a powerful, confidant woman with an outsize personality, prone to wearing wide-brimmed hats and monitoring the vineyard with a few of her 30 dogs (from the pound or rescue groups) trailing behind. "Norton grapes produce wines with pronounced character that are going to be out of the norm or off the experience chart for most people," she noted as the guests sniffed, sipped and swished from their Chrysalis wineglasses. Early-20-somethings who had come with their parents liked the earthiness of the 2005 Norton Locksley Reserve even after identifying themselves as white-wine fans. Tasters noted the fruitiness of the Patio Red; they could see serving it chilled with burgers or hot dogs. And that is just what some winemakers and drinkers dislike: the strong (some would say too strong) fruity character. John Delmare, owner of Rappahannock Vineyards in Huntly, calls Norton "unbalanced." "Cotton candy, bubble gum and earth don't necessarily sound like they should be in the same product together," he said. "I think Virginia winemakers make the best Viogniers in the world, so if I'm going to spend time and energy nationally and internationally, I'm going to focus on the Viognier." Jim Law, owner of Linden Vineyards in Linden, said that although Norton "makes for a nice story," most people in the wine business -- himself included -- turn up their noses at the mention of it. "Frankly, I don't like Norton," he said. "I think the aromas are real bubble gummy and tutti-frutti, and the tannins are real green and hard, and the acidity is out of balance." Kristin Heydt, tasting room manager at Barrel Oak Winery in Delaplane, says the flavor combination in Norton wines reflects the American heritage. "It is truly an American palate," said Heydt, who added that those who prefer white wine tend to enjoy Norton wine. "Ours has a confectionary sweet aroma, like toasted marshmallows, and it is smoky at the same time." Barrel Oak makes a red wine and a port, which Heydt said makes for a better use of Norton. McCloud said she aims to create Norton converts out of people who are hesitant to try the wine. "One soul at a time," she said, pouring a taste of her favorite grape into the five wineglasses at the tasting table and preparing to tell its story. -- ------------------------------ * 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 *

16 years, 2 months

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