Looks like Wayne's e-mail has been hacked.
DO NOT open the link in the e-mail.
As usual, NEVER click on links in cryptic messages such as this one.
When in doubt, throw it out, notify the sender in a seperate "clean" e-mail,
or better yet, call him/her.
Best,
Jim
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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 *
* james(a)brewingnews.com James.Ellingson(a)StThomas.edu *
Oregon's '08 Pinots have a vintage year. Really.
Jon BonnéSunday, September 26, 2010
Rows of grapes line a hillside in the Yamhill-Carlton Dis... Still-ripening Pinot Noir grapes hang on the 15 acres of ... Left-right: 2008 Alchemist Cellars Willamette Valley Pino... Left-right: 2008 Aubin Cellars Verve Stoller Vineyards Wi... More...
Of course we'd heard the hype. When a vintage gets touted with zeal, a wine writer's inner nag is tripped.
The 2008 vintage from Oregon? Well, sure it's just that stupendous. And yes, I did just see a unicorn prance by. Also, my cellar is guarded by a leprechaun and the 2009 Bordeaux are absolutely worth the money.
On Oregon's '08s, at least, I'm happy to report there's no suspension of disbelief required. The wines are gorgeous, as we discovered in our recent panel tasting.
Quite simply, it has been several years since we had such winning results. I was joined by Eric Railsback, sommelier at RN74 in San Francisco, and Debbie Zachareas, owner of Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant, both of whom sell an awful lot of Pinot. Of some 48 wines tasted, we wound up with 20 to recommend.
So these wines are a pleasure. I rather like the description from Harry Pederson-Nedry of Chehalem Wines, one of Oregon's senior winemaking voices, of what '08 yielded: "a perfect spherical wine." In other words, a wine whose elements feel complete and harmonious.
That's doubly good news because Oregon Pinots have largely avoided the price inflation that has befallen the grape. The wines aren't cheap - excellent Pinot never is - but only three of our 20 recommendations exceed $40, and there are plenty at $30 and less with cellar potential.
The '08s are marked by an elusive combination: They taste fully ripe and brim with fruit - yet achieve that with alcohol levels that rarely top 14 percent. It was a dominant theme in our tasting; as I went back to check alcohol levels, I saw an abundance of fleshy, ripe wines that landed just above 13 percent.
Yet, restraint in the wines doesn't necessarily mean delicacy. The more traditional the winemaking, the more the wines are still slightly knotted and in need of time. But the flavors are transparent and clear, mostly unhindered by too much new oak.
And there is more. If grapes were modest in their sugar levels, their flavors developed fully and slowly. That elusive mix is the signature of ageless Pinot - powerful flavors without undue weight.
"There's a lot of stuff packed into them," says Steve Doerner of Cristom, whose use of whole grape clusters and indigenous yeasts yields some of the Willamette Valley's most long-lived wines.
"It'll be fun to taste those wines in five, 10 years, because all the complexity will be able to show itself a bit more."
An easy glide
Indeed, the 2008s are generally so good that it is difficult to go wrong in choosing one. You get the feeling that Oregon vintners are almost weary of the praise; they'd rather talk about the challenge of the brittle 2007s or the robust 2009s.
Tough luck. When you find a year like this, you break out the cymbals. The 2008s are just plain gorgeous. And if Pinot is that most hair-pulling of grapes, the '08s were an easy glide.
"We didn't have to work as hard," says David Paige, winemaker at Adelsheim Vineyard. "The '08s had real structure and classic Pinot Noir body and complexity whether you knew how to coax that out of the grapes or not."
Thing is, winemakers fretted for most of the year. The season began with cool temperatures and then a heat spike, leading to a very late fruit set, in which the vine develops nascent berries and seeds. That in turn led to drastically reduced crops. Peterson-Nedry got less than 2 tons per acre versus a more typical 2.5.
So there was less fruit to work with, which of course means there won't be quite as much of the '08s around.
The year didn't seem particularly auspicious through the summer, either. But in September, during a spate of moderately warm, clear weather, typically finicky Pinot fruit pulled off a hat trick: Flavors matured while crucial acidity remained and sugars stayed in check.
A happy ending
Then came October. Those sunny, slow-ripening conditions endured well into the latter half of the month, which allowed vintners to hold off at a time when the threat of rain usually hastens the harvest.
"We were all on pins and needles wondering if it was going to be too late," says winemaker Lynn Penner-Ash of Penner-Ash and Alexiana.
That is the stuff of classic vintages, and indeed similar conditions - a late harvest with a slow, easy finish - have been the hallmark of great Oregon years like 1993 and 1999.
If there's any complaint with the '08s, it's the wound-up, reticent quality some currently show. We encountered plenty of ebullient fruit, but I suspect we would have had even more wines to recommend a year from now.
That's not actually a bad thing; on balance this vintage should endure beautifully in the cellar. But, says Peterson-Nedry, "it does take longer than big flashy quarterback and cheerleader vintages, like 2006, to open up."
Outlook for '10 vintage
One final thought: The tale of 2008 - a fretful wait, with redemption in late September as sugar levels stayed in check and a long, slow, glorious October endgame - seems to be setting itself up in Oregon again this year.
For that matter, many California Pinot vineyards are in similar shape after a worrisome wait through the cool summer. Flavors are developing without sugars rising too high. If good weather holds into October, that could mean a banner 2010 vintage in both states - at least for winemakers who want to make restrained, transparent Pinot.
So fret not. After years of watching Pinot mutate into an outsize creature, this is a year for fans of its classic lines to take heart.
2008 Acrobat Oregon Pinot Noir ($20): Acrobat is King Estate's affordable second label, and while the 2009 is already out, you can still find the '08 in good supply. Great ripe flavors for the price, with soft-edged cherry, a tobacco accent and solid citrusy highlights.
2008 Adelsheim Willamette Valley Pinot Noir ($32): This longtime Oregon name offered its best releases in years with the 2008 vintage, showing a coiled-up power at low alcohol levels (13.5 percent or less). This more affordable blend is taut with leather and huckleberry aromas. As it unwinds, a darker mineral edge will provide a great underpinning to ripe fruit. The 2008 Elizabeth's Reserve ($50) is even more dramatic and unique, with edgy blue fruit flavors, great acidity and classic dried-leaf accents.
2008 Alchemist Cellars Willamette Valley Pinot Noir ($25): Ryan Harms and his Union Wine Co. are better known for their Kings Ridge value wines. But this new higher tier shows off a classic, juicy Oregon expression with aging potential. There's restraint in the ripe cherry flavors, edged with bright red berry and a subtle musk and nutmeg spice. Remarkable nuance for the price.
2008 Alexana Dundee Hills Pinot Noir ($38): This is the Oregon project from the owner of St. Helena's Revana label, with the wines made by longtime talent Lynn Penner-Ash. Big and ripe, with lots of generosity. Marked by a loamy edge to its strawberry jam character, with lots of tense mineral on the palate and a raft of brown spice and birch bark.
2008 Amity Estate Willamette Valley Pinot Noir ($35): Under winemaker Darcy Pendergrass, Myron Redford's pioneering label has produced a classic 2008. Accented by scents of fennel seed and moss, there's lots of racy but rich fruit - raspberry and watermelon skin, with a refined tannic edge. Very much in Oregon's more restrained style, and harnessing mid- to late-October harvests.
2008 Anam Cara Cellars Nicholas Estate Chehalem Mountains Pinot Noir ($29): Nick and Sheila Nicholas maintain their own estate site on a southeast-facing slope near Newberg. This spicy, expressive take is full of bright, tenser notes (perhaps from nearly 40 percent use of the more structured 667 clone). It's an energetic wine, heady with fennel, toasted spices, moss, bright raspberry and a lemon-peel edge. Layers of bright Pinot fruit deliver immediate pleasure, but clearly have potential to evolve.
2008 Andrew Rich The Knife Edge Willamette Valley Pinot Noir ($45): With a wide array of wines, Rich is one of the Northwest's most omnivorously talented winemakers. This limited release shows a muscular style, but there's still terrific restraint to it, with more fresh strawberry fruit and plum skin-like grip. The very pretty, refined tannins show Rich's ability to offer finesse in a great year.
2008 Aubin Cellars Verve Stoller Vineyards Willamette Valley Pinot Noir ($30): Jerome Aubin brings fruit from one of Oregon's most successful vineyards to Oakland for this appealing bottle, due in October. Beautiful woodsy scents of birch bark and dried mushroom, with ripe strawberry and a bright, tangy finish. A raft of dense tannins adds to its appeal with food.
2008 Benton-Lane Estate Willamette Valley Pinot Noir ($25): Winemaker Chris Mazepink took advantage of the late growing season to craft a winning profile for this larger production blend from one of Oregon's long-established producers. A curious profile of brambly berry, lily and menthol, with a racy edge. There's a bite to the finish, but that will give it added character with food.
2008 Brandborg Benchlands Umpqua Valley Pinot Noir ($22): Most Pinot is in northern Oregon, but Terry and Sue Brandborg continue to impress with their parcels in the Umpqua Valley, several hours south. We've liked the Benchlands before, and the '08 is a study in subtlety: softer sweet berry and watermelon, with bright mineral highlights and a certain finesse. Tangerine and thyme accents round out the high-toned fruit. Pretty and thoughtful.
2008 Broadley Vineyards Shea Willamette Valley Pinot Noir ($50): The Broadleys tend toward a deep, opulent style for their single-vineyard bottles. Add in the nonpareil Shea vineyard and the vintage and you have a weighty effort that succeeds in finding an oak-edged sweet spot. Dark, chewy and bursting with blackberry and black cherry notes. Powerful stuff.
2008 Brooks Willamette Valley Pinot Noir ($25): Winemaker Chris Williams found just the right balance of robust cherry fruit and a raspberry-like brightness in this sleek, aromatic blend, harnessing 35 percent new oak. Heady nutmeg and tree-bark scents. A minty, almost camphor-like accent and minerally tangerine kick lift the fruit. Keep an eye out for the musky Janus ($35) when it arrives next year.
2008 Chehalem 3 Vineyard Willamette Valley Pinot Noir ($27): This popular bottling from Harry Pederson-Nedry and his team is blended from three of their top sites (Stoller, Ridgecrest and Corral Creek). At just 13.4 percent alcohol, it's a model of the subtle power of the 2008s, showing off its classic Oregon profile: a tangy orange edge and earthy tree-bark notes that give depth to strawberry and ripe plum-skin flavors. Vibrant and simply delicious.
2008 Cloudline Oregon Pinot Noir ($19): Cloudline is less a second label for Domaine Drouhin Oregon than a leveraging of winemaker Veronique Drouhin-Boss' talents to craft an affordable table wine. It's a perfect meeting of great vintage and great price. Light on its feet, with tightly wound huckleberry fruit, dusty ripe cherry and a proper grip.
2008 Cristom Mount Jefferson Cuvee Eola-Amity Hills Pinot Noir ($30): Steve Doerner latest release of the Mount Jeff is a standout of a wine that remains one of the best deals in Oregon. The '08 is elegant and spicy, with aromas of black tea, tangerine peel and the matsutake mushroom note that always seems to mark this wine, balanced by an innate brightness - gorgeous raspberry and mineral, with fine, broad tannins that provide terrific length.
2008 Domaine Drouhin Willamette Valley Pinot Noir ($40): Drouhin is the most evident link between Oregon and Burgundy, and in a year like this, Veronique Drouhin-Boss' more traditional winemaking (just 20 percent new oak) yields an effort that will be rewarded with at least a couple of years in the cellar. Dark and brooding, with a Pommard-like tone edged by aromas of damp forest leaves. Gorgeous raspberry and beetroot highlights, with a refined tannic presence that shows its aging potential.
2008 Penner-Ash Willamette Valley Pinot Noir ($45): Lynn Penner-Ash extended her growing season almost into November for this blend of a dozen vineyard sources. There's lots of barrel power from 35 percent new oak for a dark, wood-inflected profile full of brooding cherry fruit and the potential to flourish with a few years' aging.
2008 Seven of Hearts Willamette Valley Pinot Noir ($24): Byron and Dana Dooley have crafted this approachable, early-drinking take in a generally wound-up vintage. Lots of ripe fruit here - a slightly jammy, soft-edged strawberry presence, with a charming lemon-peel bite on the finish.
2008 Sokol Blosser Dundee Hills Pinot Noir ($38): The Sokol Blosser family first planted vineyards in the Dundee Hills in 1971, making them among Oregon's early Pinot pioneers. Their benchmark cuvee is shining in such a great vintage; it's big, wound up and full of potential. A forest-floor note amid opulent cola, nutmeg and deep, ripe cherry, with a good bit of tannic guts.
2008 Solena Estate Grande Cuvee Willamette Valley Pinot Noir ($25): Laurent Montalieu's label typically focuses on individual sites, but this affordable blend shows a deeper, richer style evident in its dark cherry flavors. There's a winning, earthy bite that reveals its bigger size.
Jon Bonnés The Chronicle's wine editor. Find him at jbonne(a)sfchronicle.com or twitter.com/jbonne.
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/09/26/FDBG1FI9JN.DTL
This article appeared on page J - 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 *
* james(a)brewingnews.com James.Ellingson(a)StThomas.edu *
Hope you're all staying warm.
C,
J
August 30, 2010
Freeing Muscadet From a Pigeonhole
By ERIC ASIMOV
THE subject today is Muscadet, so let.s dispense with the obvious right away: oysters. Most people, if they know one important thing about Muscadet, know that oysters are its natural partner.
True, true, true. Oysters and Muscadet are glorious together, the briny, mineral-laden quality of one enhancing the other. You could say the same thing, though, about Chablis, and about Sancerre, and if the issue may not be quite so cut and dried about blanc de blancs Champagne, who ever is going to complain about being saddled with oysters and blanc de blancs?
The truth about Muscadet is that its virtues extend well beyond oysters. Many seafood dishes would go well with Muscadet, as well as light poultry preparations and pasta dishes, too, if you are willing to break the ethnic boundaries that channel so many wine choices.
Apart from food pairings, Muscadet is just plain delicious, providing you are open to what it does best. Muscadet, like Chablis and Sancerre, is not a gobs-of-fruit sort of wine. Yes, one can often sense citrus qualities in Muscadet. But more often, it is a stony, mineral sensation . felt as much as tasted . along with herbal, saline and floral aromas that characterize Muscadet.
Texture, I think, is a vastly underrated quality in a wine, and texture is an essential quality of good Muscadet. It.s what impels you to take sip after sip, simply because it feels so good.
For all of Muscadet.s assets, the best of all might be its price. Given the high quality of the top Muscadets, made by dedicated small producers, they are insanely cheap, rarely more than $20 for current vintages, and often less than $15. Finding the good ones is the problem. A lot of mediocre bulk wines in the marketplace have contributed to Muscadet.s reputation, in some circles, as dull, anonymous and overly lean.
That.s why the wine panel is here, of course, to help identify the good ones. And in a tasting of 20 bottles of Muscadet from recent vintages, we found many wines we could happily recommend. Florence Fabricant and I were joined for the tasting by Pascaline Lepeltier, the wine director at Rouge Tomate on the East Side of Manhattan, and Byron Bates, a sommelier and consultant.
.Great to taste, great to drink, great to pair with food, at a great price,. said Pascaline, who, even if English is not her first language, showed an impressive grasp of sloganeering. She pretty much summed it up for all of us.
Muscadet is made on the western end of the Loire Valley from the melon grape, which can be rather thin and neutral. To give the wine added richness and texture, most good Muscadet producers allow the wine to rest for months on the lees, or sediment, that accumulate during fermentation. This process, indicated by the French .sur lie. on the label, softens the wine and gives it greater depth. It can also result in trapping a little carbon dioxide in the wine, which can give it a bit of sparkle.
Not content with the sur lie treatment, some producers are doing even more, fermenting their wine in barrels, or stirring the lees as the wine rests, in the manner of many chardonnay and white Burgundy estates. Apparently, these producers are not using new oak barrels, as we did not find a problem with oaky wines. So far, I would have to judge these experiments as successful.
Our favorite was the 2008 Andre-Michel Béeon, which was fresh and tangy, qualities we prize in young Muscadets, and had the rich texture and pronounced mineral flavors that characterized our favorites. At $14, it was also our best value.
Fifteen of the 20 bottles we tasted were from the 2009 vintage, and the remaining five were .08. Good Muscadet ages exceptionally well, sometimes taking on the kerosene flavor of older rieslings, and developing a surprising complexity. But unless you are buying from a store that specializes in Loire Valley wines, I.d be skeptical of bottles older than a couple of years. Chances are they.ve been sitting around in storage conditions that are less than the best.
Our No. 2 wine was the 2009 Châau des Fromenteaux Clos du Poyet from Famille Luneau, and in that mouthful Luneau is the most important word. Pierre Luneau-Papin is one of the region.s top growers and producers, and makes a half-dozen or so Muscadets under his own name, generally differentiated by vineyard or the type of soil in which the grapes were grown.
This wine comes from a property owned by Mr. Luneau-Papin.s daughter (hence the name Famille Luneau), but Mr. Luneau-Papin himself makes the wine, which we found rich, deep and precise.
His 2008 Pierre de la Grange, made under the Luneau-Papin name, also made our list at No. 8. This is his entry-level Muscadet, and is fresh and alive, though without the depth and nuances of the wines we rated higher. But really, just about any wine bearing his name is going to be very good.
I could say the same about Muscadets from Jo Landron.s Domaine de la Louvetrie and Marc Ollivier.s Domaine de la Péè. Each offers a range of bottlings, from the simple and cheap to the complex and slightly less cheap. The Landron Fief du Breil, our No. 3 wine, was lively and complex, with floral and apple flavors, while the Ollivier Gras Mouton was bright and richly textured, with flavors more on the herbal side.
These are among the most important names in Muscadet. One name not in our tasting, but well worth seeking out, is Domaine de L.Éu by Guy Bossard, who offers multiple bottlings based on soil types.
All of the Muscadets that made our list offer plenty of pleasure, and rarely more so than when served with, you guessed it, oysters. As undeniably fine a pairing as that is, I urge you not to typecast Muscadet in the limited role of oyster wine. Imagine if Bogie were only permitted to play gangsters, or if Clint Eastwood had been stuck in westerns. Fun, yes, but we.d have missed out on an awful lot. Give a wine a chance to grow.
Tasting Report: Good Buys Everywhere, Even at the Top
BEST VALUE
Andre-Michel Bréon, $14, *** ½ Muscadet de Sèe et Maine 2008
Tangy, fresh, deep and long, with savory, heavily mineral flavors. (Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, Calif.)
Famille Luneau Muscadet de Sèe et Maine, $19, ***
Châau des Fromenteaux Clos du Poyet Vieilles Vignes 2009
Rich, deep and precise with floral, mineral aromas and flavors. (Petit Pois, Moorestown, N.J.)
Jo Landron Muscadet de Sèe et Maine, $20, *** Domaine de la Louvetrie Le Fief du Breil 2008
Fresh and lively with aromas and lingering flavors of flowers, minerals and apples. (Martin Scott Wines, Lake Success, N.Y.)
Marc Ollivier Muscadet de Sèe et Maine, $17, ** ½ Domaine de la Péè Les Gras Mouton 2009
Bright, crisp and fresh with stony, herbal flavors and a rich texture. (Louis/Dressner Selections, New York, N.Y.)
Domaine de la Pinardiè, $14, ** ½ Muscadet de Sèe et Maine 2009
Floral, herbaceous and savory with a wonderfully inviting texture. (Baron Françs, New York)
Bonnet-Huteau Muscadet de Sèe et Maine, $12, ** ½ CuvéLa Levraudiè 2009
Deep and well-balanced with bright, chalky aromas . smells like oyster shells. (Weygandt-Metzer, Unionville, Penn.)
Luc et Jéme Choblem Muscadet, $12, ** ½ Cô de Grandlieu Clos de la Séigerie 2009
Fresh and tart with steely citrus and mineral flavors. (Michael Skurnik Wines, Syosset, N.Y.)
Luneau-Papin Muscadet de Sèe et Maine, $13, ** ½ Domaine Pierre de la Grange 2008
Meadow-fresh with tart citrus, floral and apple aromas and flavors. (Louis/Dressner Selections)
Domaine de l'Auriè, $9, ** ½ Muscadet de Sèe et Maine 2009
Floral and stony, with lingering flavors and an inviting texture. (Fruit of the Vines, Long Island City, N.Y.)
Châau la Noë$10, ** ½ Muscadet de Sèe et Maine 2009
Creamy and gentle, with soft aromas and flavors of herbs, flowers and minerals. (Nicolas Wines, Westport, Conn.)
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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 *
* james(a)brewingnews.com James.Ellingson(a)StThomas.edu *
"Chill it and kill it."! Not so fast.
C,
J
California nonvintage bubbly built to last
Jon BonnéSunday, August 29, 2010
Bottles of old nonvintage Roederer Estate Brut, a well-cr...
It's hard to talk about California sparkling wine without drawing comparisons to certain other regions, including a certain particular part of northern France.
Over time, the finest vintage examples of California fizz - Schrams- berg's J. Schram, Roederer Estate's Hermitage and lately Domaine Chandon's Etoile - have demonstrated the aging potential and durability to rival fine Champagne.
That's why it's easy to overlook how much work and quality goes into more simple bottles of nonvintage bubbles. These are wines made to compete in the marketplace, often under $20 and certainly under $30; they require winemaking at scale - large tanks and vast quantities of grapes.
Yet even most nonvintage California bubbly is still mostly based on a single vintage, often with a bit of reserve wine aged from previous years added to build extra complexity.
Most of these nonvintage efforts are made to vanish as soon as market shelves can clear them - "chill it and kill it," as one sparkling winemaker put it. But that doesn't quite do credit to the tremendous skill and effort, and often long aging, that goes into a wine that is around $20 on the shelf.
For counterpoint, I recently ran into 2007 Chronicle Winemaker to Watch Arnaud Weyrich of Roederer Estate, the Anderson Valley offshoot of Champagne Louis Roederer. The California outpost of Roederer is always fine-tuning their approach, as most sparkling houses are, and Weyrich had recently been experimenting in the cellar.
He was toting along a lineup of old bottles that had been open about a day - not the vintage wines that are known for their age potential, but nonvintage efforts from years past, marked with their year of production. He was curious how they had held up.
The answer: Astoundingly well. This doesn't help make the case for the many vintage bubbly efforts on the market, but it's a good lesson in why we should value the nonvintage bottles.
Mind you, these weren't unfinished wines sitting on their lees to get extra complexity. These were complete nonvintage wines, disgorged (the lees removed), given a final dosage of sweetness to balance the wine and bottled with a cork. Because the purpose of nonvintage sparkling wine is consistent flavor - in practice this rarely happens, but that's the theory - Weyrich called them "variations on the same tune."
The Roederer nonvintage made in 2002, disgorged in 2004 after two years aging, had as much precision and focused green apple flavors as the winery's vintage 2002 Hermitage, with hints of toffee and almond to show its slight age.
A bottle from 1996 was the ripe vintage of the lot, approachable in a rounder, more tender way and full of toast and coffee bean and toffee notes, signs of a bubbly in mid-evolution. A distinct creaminess made it seem about at the limit of age, but after 14 years that's no mean feat.
Back we moved, to a bottle from 1989, full of floral and ripe golden apple, hazelnut and toast. Here was a fully evolved wine, as evolved as all but the most austere Champagnes of equal age, but holding great acidity and showing distinct opulence (plus a slight taste of wood from about 17 years sitting on a cork).
A 1989 nonvintage Roséas even better, full of ripe butterscotch and dried roses. In both, the freshness was memorable.
Needless to say, these wines had the benefit of aging through the years in cool cellars in Philo - never moved or subjected to hot store shelves or months atop a kitchen counter. But considering that the price of most California nonvintage fizz has barely risen over the years - from perhaps the mid-teens two decades ago to the low $20s, it's a tribute both to the Champagne-style method, and to the talents of sparkling winemakers here, that such examples can endure.
I've been buying and saving magnums of nonvintage California brut for several years now, marking the date of purchase and aging them to make the wines just a bit more interesting. Weyrich's experiment adds evidence that the desire not to rush is rewarded. So feel free to keep those nonvintage bottles around (if well stored) for a while; the common wisdom may dictate drinking them quick, but these wines really are built to last - in California as well as in Champagne.
Jon Bonnés The Chronicle's wine editor. Find him at jbonne(a)sfchronicle.com or twitter.com/jbonne.
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/08/29/FDIA1F2QTC.DTL
This article appeared on page K - 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 *
* james(a)brewingnews.com James.Ellingson(a)StThomas.edu *
Fall colors have just begun on the south shore of Lake Superior.
Bring bug spray.
Cheers,
Jim
The Chronicle Recommends: Muscadet
Jon BonnéSunday, August 29, 2010
2009 Clos de la Chapelle Muscadet Sevre Et Maine Sur Lie ... 2009 Harmonie cuvee Muscadet Sevre Et Maine Sur Lie in Sa... 2008 Domaine Pierre de la Grange Muscadet Sevre Et Maine ... 2009 Domaine Du Haut Bourg Muscadet Cotes de Grandlieu Su... More...
Both because it's the time when San Franciscans finally get a dose of sunshine, and because September's arrival means full-bore oyster season, let's dwell for a moment on Muscadet, the Loire's minerally wonder wine.
How such a neutral grape as Melon de Bourgogne can become an expression of site and depth is a tribute to the soils and determination of the farmers of the Nantais.
Oysterwise, there are plenty of other options, of course. Sauvignon Blanc has been a rising star, though when we recently considered diving into the realms of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumés part of a larger Loire consideration, we realized that Sauvignon Blanc is, price-wise, in an odd place.
For Muscadet, 2009 is one of those wonder vintages, beautifully ripe, enough so to win over skeptics.
Top producers made dramatic and age-worthy bottles in 2009, words not generally attached to a wine often destined for a simple carafe. So these remain some of the best values in wine. Enjoy as you seek out a long-awaited dose of sun.
2009 Gilbert Chon Clos de la Chapelle Muscadet Sevre et Maine Sur Lie ($13): The Chon family has been working this part of the Loire since the early 1700s, and Gilbert Chon finds an unusual intensity in the Melon grape. So young it still has a bit of spritz, and a distinctly lemony, fresh profile, with more edge than leesy richness. Precision and a minerally, salty kick provide focus. Clean and stony, with ripeness from the vintage and a depth that evokes far more complex grapes. (Importer: Winewise)
2009 Herve & Nicolas Choblet Domaine du Haut Bourg Muscadet Cotes de Grandlieu Sur Lie ($15): Herve took over his family's property in 1993 in the lesser-known Grandlieu region, southwest of the Sevre et Maine area, with richer soils and often riper wines. A classic salty Muscadet, with peach-like ripeness toward the end and a firm, dark-stone mineral edge. More muscular and rich, with a gush of lemony acidity to finish. (Importer: Beaune Imports)
2009 Louis Metaireau Domaine du Grand Mouton Carte Noire Muscadet Sevre et Maine Sur Lie ($18): The Metaireaus have become major players in the region, with some 75 acres in vine. This classic effort from their Grand Mouton property opens with a distinct flintiness, more ripe flavors of pear and Meyer lemon, and a jasmine tea accent. Slightly later harvesting gives it a bit of extra weight, and just a bit more stuffing on the palate. (Importer: Martine's Wines)
2009 Michel Delhommeau Cuvee Harmonie Muscadet Sevre et Maine Sur Lie ($13): Michel and Nathalie Delhommeau get this cuvee from a single parcel of older vines grown on lava-based rock. A lean, steely profile, with its leesiness showing at the end amid a burst of ripe guava. The mineral notes are chalky and salty, and there's an immediate refreshment to it. (Importer: Jean-David Headrick Selections)
2007 Luneau-Papin Le L d'Or Muscadet Sevre et Maine Sur Lie ($24): Luneau-Papin often holds back its top-end L d'Or bottling, mostly because it is one of those Muscadets that can easily evolve and improve for a decade. Still showing a young leesy richness right now. Accents of lavender and sea salt mark a sort of pillowy, ethereal presence on the nose. But as it gets a bit of air, its full mineral-packed power comes into clear view. Will keep improving. (Importer: Louis/Dressner Selections)
2009 Marc Ollivier Domaine de la Pepiere Muscadet Sevre et Maine Sur Lie ($14): The classic white bottling of Ollivier remains a benchmark for Muscadet. The ripeness on the nose shows off like salted apricots, with lavender, hay, citrus and a soapstone mineral quality. Ripe, focused and absolutely packed with mineral fulfillment. For even more depth, seek out Ollivier's Clos des Briords ($17) from 1930-era vines planted on schist; one of the best deals in white wine, it routinely improves over several years. (Importer: Louis/Dressner Selections)
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/2010/08/29/FDLN1F38B0.DTL
This article appeared on page K - 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 *
* james(a)brewingnews.com James.Ellingson(a)StThomas.edu *
B-Bob's fascination w/ many things French further explained.
Cheers,
Jim
Chardonnay, when unoaked, has a place at the summer table
By Dave McIntyre
Special to The Washington Post
Tuesday, August 17, 2010; 3:48 PM
When the humidity sucks the air from our lungs and our clothes stick to us like Velcro, our tendency is to reach for light, refreshing wines. Roséand crisp whites such as sauvignon blanc, Portugal's vinho verde or assyrtiko from Greece fit the bill nicely. We find ourselves avoiding bigger wines, those with bold fruit, low acidity and copious oak. In other words, ixnay on the chardonnay.
But we would be wrong to turn our backs on chardonnay altogether. True, chardonnay has more heft than most other white wines, but sometimes we need a wine with a little more structure to pair with bolder-flavored foods. And not all chardonnay is made in the low-acid, barrel-fermented style. Unoaked chardonnay (which marketers call "naked") has become a fad in recent years wherever the grape is grown, from Australia and New Zealand to California, New York and Virginia.
Unoaked chardonnay is not new. The French have been making chardonnay without barrels for centuries, especially in the northern and southern reaches of the grape's homeland, Burgundy. In Chablis to the north and the Maconnais to the south, unoaked chardonnay is the norm.
So what's wrong with using barrels to ferment and age chardonnay? Nothing. But barrels add tannin and wood flavors to the wine that make it bigger and heavier, fine for richer foods but inappropriate for summer heat.
Chardonnays from Chablis and the Maconnais have another advantage: They are lower in alcohol - typically 12 to 13 percent - than those from warmer climes such as California and Australia, which are usually 14 percent or higher. In winter, that may not matter, but in summer it makes for a more refreshing wine.
This week, I will focus on the mainstay chardonnays from the Maconnais, which are labeled Macon or Macon-Villages. We'll save the more serious Chablis for next week.
The Maconnais lies at the southern end of Burgundy, just north of Beaujolais. But more important, it is where France makes its leisurely transition from the rainy north to the sunny, Mediterranean-influenced south. The wines reflect this shift; they are neither as demanding nor austere as the great chardonnays of the Cote d'Or, such as Meursault or Puligny-Montrachet. Yet their structure and minerality make them undeniably Burgundian. Best yet, they are affordable.
The Maconnais has five appellations: Macon, Macon-Villages, Saint Veran, Virélessénd Pouilly FuisséThe latter three tend to be higher in quality and price, while basic Macon is often simple table wine. The most interest and the best values can be found in Macon-Villages. These wines are usually labeled as Macon with the name of the particular village. So you might see a Macon-Uchizy or even a Macon-Chardonnay, from the commune that supposedly gave the grape its name. Each village has its own terroir.
Older-style wines may have a hint of oxidation that gives them an exotic tropical flavor that reminds me of Juicy Fruit gum. The 2008 Macon-Lugny from Maison Louis Latour, a major Burgundy wine shipper, is a prime example and a steal at $13. Many domaines now limit the wine's exposure to air, yielding a slight citrusy nature and emphasizing the wine's minerality. The 2008 Macon Solutréouilly from Domaine de la Chapelle ($20) is a nice example of this modern style; focused and powerful, the wine continues to evolve in the glass and tastes even better the day after opening.
Macon-Villages chardonnay can be delicious by itself, but the wine's acidity and minerality make it an excellent foil for a variety of foods, especially grilled chicken and fish. The key is to be receptive to a style of chardonnay that may be unfamiliar if you are accustomed to New World wines.
Recommended chardonnays
Tuesday, August 17, 2010; 3:55 PM
Christophe Cordier Macon-Charnay "Vieilles Vignes" 2008 Burgundy, France, $23
Superb focus and minerality draw your attention to your glass, where you'll find some really nice chardonnay.
Kacher/Washington Wholesale: Available in the District at Calvert Woodley, MacArthur Beverages, Pearson's; on the list at Adour and Marcel's.
Domaine de la Chapelle Macon Solutre Pouilly 2008 Burgundy, France, $20
It's big for a Macon, with great focus and intensity, plus a structure that unfurls with time in the glass; it tastes even better the day after it is opened. This is a white wine that might benefit from decanting about a half-hour before dinner.
Weygandt-Metzler/Potomac Selections: Available in the District at Ace Beverage, Weygandt Wines; on the list at BlackSalt. Available in Maryland at the Wine Source and North Charles Fine Wine & Spirits in Baltimore; on the list at B Bistro in Baltimore. Available in Virginia at Whole Foods Market Arlington.
Raphael Sallet Macon Uchizy "Les Maranches" 2008 Burgundy, France, $13
(Great Value)
This is focused and rich, with surprising intensity for the price.
M Touton Selection: Available in the District at Bacchus Wine Cellar, Cleveland Park Wine and Spirits, Paul's of Chevy Chase, S&S Liquors. Available in Maryland at Old Farm Liquors in Frederick. Available in Virginia at Balducci's in Alexandria, Whole Foods Market Vienna, various Wegmans locations.
Vincent Girardin Macon-Fuisse "Les Vielles Vignes" 2008 Burgundy, France, $18
Ripe and rich, it almost mimics a New World chardonnay, but the minerality at its core keeps it decidedly French.
Vineyard Brands/Bacchus: Available in the District at Zola Wine & Kitchen; and on the list at Againn, Chef Geoff's, Chef Geoff's Downtown, the Oval Room. Available in Maryland at Town & Country Wine Liquor Etc. in Easton, the Wine Bin and Pine Orchard Liquors in Ellicott City, Cranbrook Liquors in Cockeysville, Wells Discount Liquors and Pinehurst Wine Shoppe in Baltimore, Mays Chapel Wine and Spirit Shop in Timonium.
Celine et Laurent Tripoz Macon-Loche 2008 * 1/2 Burgundy, France, $18
This wine, Demeter-certified as biodynamic, is a bit of an outlier. It is decidedly riper than the others, suggesting a cut apple that has been left on the table awhile. After a few minutes in the glass, it begins to reveal additional complexity, and it continues to gain interest for some time after that.
Elite Wines: Available in the District at Cleveland Park Wine and Spirits; on the list at Johnny's Half Shell and the Willard Room. Available in Maryland at Chesapeake Wine Co. in Baltimore; on the list at Jean-Michel in Bethesda and Woodberry Kitchen on Baltimore. Available in Virginia at Balducci's and Cheesetique in Alexandria, various Whole Foods Market locations.
Maison Louis Latour Macon-Lugny "Les Genievres" 2008 Burgundy, France, $13
(Great Value)
For the price, this wine is tough to beat. It offers crisp acidity and rich tree-fruit flavors of peach and apricot, with a hint of something more exotic.
M Touton Selection: Available in the District at Ace Beverage, Burka's Wine & Liquor, Calvert Woodley, Chevy Chase Wine & Spirits, Circle Wine & Liquor, Cleveland Park Wine and Spirits, MacArthur Beverages, Paul's of Chevy Chase, Pearson's, Wine Specialist and Yes! Organic Market. Available in Maryland at Silesia Liquors in Fort Washington, Adega Wine Cellars in Silver Spring, Rodman's in White Flint, Franklin Liquors in Ijamsville, Wine Cellars of Annapolis, Bay Ridge Wine & Spirits in Annapolis, Old Farm Liquors in Frederick, the Wine Shoppe in Waldorf, Rosewick Wine & Spirits in La Plata. Select Wines in Virginia: Available at various Giant Foods, Total Wine & More and Harris Teeter locations, and Wegmans in Fairfax and Lake Manassas.
Key
*** Exceptional ** Excellent * Very Good
Prices are approximate. Availability information is from distributors and might not reflect current inventory; call wine stores to verify, or ask a favorite store to order through a distributor.
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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 *
* james(a)brewingnews.com James.Ellingson(a)StThomas.edu *
August 10, 2010
Txakolina, a Tongue-Twisting Name for Simple Pleasure
By ERIC ASIMOV
FYI,
Not sure how to pronounce this. Ask Annette Peters next time we see her.
OTOH, I'm thinking about re-wording Carmelita to Txakolina.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carmelita_%28song%29
Txakolina
Txakolina, so much tighter
I think I'm drinking down
I'm all strung out by humidity
On the outskirts of town
Carmelita by Warren Zevon (actually Murray McLauchlan)
I hear Mariachi static on my radio
And the tubes they glow in the dark
And I'm there with her in Ensenada
And I'm here in Echo Park
Carmelita hold me tighter
I think I'm sinking down
And I'm all strung out on heroin
On the outskirts of town
Well, I'm sittin' here playing solitaire
With my pearl-handled deck
The county won't give me no more methadone
And they cut off your welfare check
Carmelita hold me tighter
I think I'm sinking down
And I'm all strung out on heroin
On the outskirts of town
Well, I pawned my Smith Corona
And I went to meet my man
He hangs out down on Alvarado Street
By the Pioneer chicken stand
Carmelita hold me tighter
I think I'm sinking down
And I'm all strung out on heroin
On the outskirts of town
Carmelita hold me tighter
I think I'm sinking down
And I'm all strung out on heroin
Cheers,
Jim
August 10, 2010
Txakolina, a Tongue-Twisting Name for Simple Pleasure
By ERIC ASIMOV
GETARÍ, Spain
IN the terraced vineyards on a steep hillside overlooking this Basque town on the southern edge of the Bay of Biscay, it.s hard not to feel a powerful thirst. With a salty breeze blowing in off the Atlantic, bright sunshine pouring down and a panoramic view that stretches along the twisting shoreline all the way to Biarritz, the mouth begins to tingle in anticipation of fresh seafood and cold white wine.
This is the land of Txakolina, the bracing, refreshing, often fizzy white wine that is enjoyed throughout Basque country. In restaurants and pintxos bars, on terraces overlooking the ocean or in dark, rustic wood-and-stone cellars, you can.t help but notice Txakolina everywhere, especially as it is often poured in an exuberant arc from a bottle held high above the shoulder into tumblers to create a burst of bubbles in the glass.
.In San Sebastiá you wouldn.t believe how much Txakolina is drunk in the month of August alone,. said Ignacio Ameztoi Aranguren, whose family.s winery, Ameztoi, is a leading Txakolina producer. .Here in Basque country, they drink it year-round. They drink it with meat, too. That.s the culture..
The vast proportion of Txakolina is consumed in Basque country. You find it virtually nowhere else in Spain, except in Basque restaurants, and very little is exported around the world, with one major exception: the United States.
Surprisingly, given its tongue-twisting name, this wine . made from virtually unknown grapes in a light, simple, low-alcohol style . is becoming more and more popular in the United States. As recently as 2001, barely 1,000 cases, or 12,000 bottles, of Txakolina were exported to the United States, according to Wines From Spain, a trade organization. By 2006, that figure had shot up to 76,000 bottles, and by 2009, it was more than 111,000 bottles. Almost all of it is drunk in the summer months, mostly in restaurants where enthusiastic sommeliers preach the culinary benefits of zesty, high-acid whites.
.They.re simple, they.re fresh, they.re easy, and I think that people are starved for something like that,. said Andréamers of De Maison Selections, the leading American importer of Txakolina.
Yet, as with so many things Basque, Txakolina is nowhere near as simple as it may seem, beginning with the identity of the wine itself. In Basque it is mostly rendered as Txakolina (pronounced chock-oh-LEE-nah), but almost as often it shows up as Txakoli (CHOCK-oh-lee). Sometimes you.ll see both words on the same wine label. You might even see it referred to by its Castilian guise, Chacolí
The fresh, lightly fizzy wine made in the Getaríregion of northern Spain . the appellation is Getariako Txakolina . is the most familiar expression, but other Txakolinas are made as well, all worth exploring. In the neighboring appellation of Bizkaiko Txakolina, centered on Bilbao, the wines are less fizzy and a bit fuller and rounder. Bizkaiko Txakolina has many variations, even a little bit of delicious red, made by Doniene Gorrondona, from vines more than 100 years old in the town of Bakio. A third, tiny appellation, Arabako Txakolina, was established in 2003 in the inland region around Áava.
But it is the lightly carbonated Getariako Txakolina that forms the impression many people have of the wine. Txomin Etxaniz, officially established in 1930, but with records dating to 1649, is the granddaddy of Txakolina producers. With nearly 100 acres of vines, it is also the biggest.
Ninety percent of its vines are hondarrabi zuri, a white grape grown virtually nowhere else but in Basque country. The rest are hondarrabi beltza, a red grape that is blended into the wine. The grapes that are grown on terraces overlooking the ocean benefit from the sea breeze, a natural ventilation that helps to prevent mildew and disease in this humid, rainy environment. The vines on flatter areas are trained high on overhead pergolas, and workers constantly trim the vigorous foliage so the grapes will be exposed to the air.
.The grapes have to see the vista,. said Ernesto Txueka, whose family has run Txomin for generations.
Txomin and Ameztoi, and most Txakolina producers, for that matter, are surprisingly high-tech operations. At Txomin, the grapes are hand-harvested and delivered to the winery, where they are immediately chilled down nearly to freezing and blanketed with nitrogen, an inert gas that prevents oxidation, a process that preserves freshness, juiciness and tangy acidity.
The wines are then fermented with native yeasts in steel tanks, also kept cold and blanketed to capture carbon dioxide, which accounts for the fizziness. The carbonation is entirely natural, though it is widely suspected that less scrupulous Txakolina producers illegally inject their wines with carbon dioxide.
Standing on a catwalk in the spotless Txomin winery, one person can monitor the progress of the wines by way of a computer screen. A visitor in July, though, had to use the imagination. After the fall harvest, the first wines are ready to ship by December, and by June, the entire production of 300,000 bottles is sold out. For wine tourists accustomed to seeing last year.s production aging in barrels and the previous year.s settling in bottles, it.s a remarkably swift process, and profitable as well.
The 2009 Txomin Etxaniz is fresh and tangy, with a slightly chalky mineral and lemon flavor. It goes beautifully with the ubiquitous Basque snacks of anchovies and preserved tuna.
If it.s not exactly the image of Old World artisanal craftsmanship, that.s because the Txakolina industry is a relatively recent phenomenon. Wine production was a way of life for centuries in Basque country through the end of the 19th century. Much of the wine back then was red, with some rosé But phylloxera wiped out the vines around the turn of the 20th century, and the industry was slow to recover.
Not until the 1960s did winemaking stage a comeback, said Andoni Sarratea, one of the principals at Doniene Gorrondona.
.The Basque government encouraged planting vineyards as a way of keeping people from leaving for the cities,. he said. .They pushed for white wines so as not to compete with Rioja..
While the vast majority of Txakolina today is white, some producers are experimenting with reds and rosé Gorrondona.s old-vine red, Mr. Sarratea said, was inspired by his study of history. .The real Txakolina of the region is red,. he said. .The old people drink it because it.s what they remember..
Perhaps. But almost all of the deliciously spicy, herbal, raspberry-scented red goes to the United States, where Mr. Tamers, of De Maison, parcels it out in small quantities around the country.
Similarly, Ameztoi revived the tradition of making a Txakolina rosé few years ago. This gorgeously zingy, fruity wine was met with indifference in Basque country.
.This is a town that doesn.t like rosé Mr. Ameztoi said. .We sell it all to New York.. Mr. Tamers got 14,000 bottles this year, yet the crushing demand for it means he can allocate only a few bottles to a customer.
Despite the output at places like Ameztoi and Txomin, Txakolina has a few artisanal producers as well, like Roberto Ibarretxe Zorriketa of Uriondo, which made about 15,000 bottles of Bizkaiko Txakolina last year in a valley south of Bilbao. Here, on an idyllic south-facing slope amid apple trees and conifers, Mr. Ibarretxe grows not only hondarrabi zuri but txori mahatsa and mune mahatsa, the local names for sauvignon blanc and folle blanche respectively.
The apples distract the wild pigs from the grapes, but do little to dissuade foxes from threatening the vines, said Mr. Ibarretxe, a gentle, precise man dressed in a pale blue shirt and dark blue pants. He wears a Panama hat and has a blue cheesecloth scarf around his neck. A pair of white leather gloves poke out just so from a rear pocket.
.Even if I lose a few vines, I have to let the magic of the forest happen,. he said, speaking quietly but intently. .You can.t treat a vineyard for tomorrow, you have to treat it for the day after tomorrow..
In his winemaking facility, really just an expanded garage next to his house, he chills the grapes just a bit, not nearly as much as at Txomin or Ameztoi, and he handles them .tranquilo, tranquilo,. as gently as possible.
The wine itself is smooth and mellow . fresh, of course, as Txakolina must be . but tranquilo, like the man, lovely and dry with tangy, long-lasting citrus and mineral flavors.
Txakolina has come a long way in the United States since 1989, when the importer Jorge Ordoñintroduced the wine, bringing in 200 cases of Txomin Etxaniz. Even four years ago, Ron Miller, general manager of Solera, a Spanish restaurant on the East Side of Manhattan, spelled the wine phonetically on his list so people could order it.
Mr. Tamers occasionally fears that American demand for the wine will have to wane. Mr. Ameztoi, however, has no such doubts.
.We.re confident that anybody who tries this will enjoy it,. he said. .A lot of white wines use the same grapes and the same style, and they.re all the same. This is distinctive..
Can You Say Txakolina?
HERE are some recommended txakolinas. The wines are at their best when young and fresh . stick with the 2009 vintage except for experimental purposes.
AMEZTOI GETARIAKO TXAKOLINA Tart, tangy white ($19); superb rosécalled Rubentis ($20). (De Maison Selections, Chapel Hill, N.C.)
DONIENE GORRONDONA BIZKAIKO TXAKOLINA Spicy Tinto is a rare red txakolina ($28). (De Maison Selections)
GURRUTXAGA BIZKAIKO TXAKOLINA Crisp white ($19) and floral rosé$19). (De Maison Selections)
TALAI BERRI GETARIAKO TXAKOLINA Pleasing, lingering white ($21). (Spain Wine Collection, Congers, N.Y.)
TXOMIN ETXANIZ GETARIAKO TXAKOLINA The crisp, refreshing archetype ($24). (Fine Estates From Spain, Dedham, Mass.)
ULACIA TXAKOLINA GETARIAKO TXAKOLINA Apple- and citrus-scented ($17). (Europvin U.S.A., Van Nuys, Calif.)
URIONDO BIZKAIKO TXAKOLINA A mellow, thoughtful wine ($17). (De Maison Selections)
XARMANT ARABAKO TXAKOLINA Lovely, light and delicious ($15). (De Maison Selections)
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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 *
* james(a)brewingnews.com James.Ellingson(a)StThomas.edu *
