19
Dec
2013
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Brit lit that fits

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Some vinous offerings from a few lions of British literature:

“Wine is the milk of Venus.”  — Ben Jonson

“There are two reasons for drinking wine … when you are thirsty, to cure it; the other, Peacockwhen you are not thirsty, to prevent it … prevention is better than cure”  — Thomas Love Peacock (left)

“Alonso of Aragon was wont to say in commendation of age, that ‘age appears to be best in four things — old wood best to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read.’ ” — Francis Bacon

“The juice of the grape is given to him that will use it wisely, as that which cheers the heart of man after toil, refreshes him in sickness and comforts him in sorrow. He who so enjoyeth it may thank God for his wine-cup as for his daily bread; and he who abuseth the gift from heaven is not a greater fool in his intoxication than thou in thine abstinence.” — Sir Walter Scott

19
Dec
2013
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Sampling odds & ends: 12-19-13

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Frog-kissing has been the primary order of the day at the Ward sampling table of late, with way more mediocre or crummy wines than good ones getting sipped and then dumped down the drain.

Among the highlights and lowlights:

• There has been a lot of chatter about the problematic 2011 vintage in northern California, including this post from the tireless and always interesting Steve Heimoff. I had not noticed much moldiness or other flaws in the pinot noirs I’ve been tasting, but a set of $15-$25 cabernets I just tried showed funk in some and no expressiveness whatsoever in others (one of my notes: “null set”). Clearly, a lot of producers had little idea what to do with one of California’s coldest vintages in decades.

• Paul Hobbs (below) has still got it. After wading through a buttload of Argentinian malbec that hobbslacked fruit, anything in the midpalate, or both, I finished with his 2012 Felino by Vina Cobos Mendoza Malbec. Juicy red fruit, a deft touch with the oak, just enough earthiness and a longish finish later, I had recovered from the spate of overblown and often way-over-smoky malbecs that preceded it.

• A few years ago, Doug Shafer of the estimable Shafer Vineyards told me that he was “almost ecstatic every time we pulled up a sangiovese vine” from the winery’s disappointing foray with “Firebreak.” Shafer switched to syrah, a much better fit for Napa anyway, and last year its “Relentless” was Wine Spectator’s Wine of the Year. During Shafer’s transition, the so-called Cal-Ital movement appeared to be comatose.

Thankfully, others hung in there with sangiovese, and most of the ones I’ve tasted recently have been stout efforts, including the vibrant Midnight “Starlight” from Paso Robles and the Graziano Family’s lovely, balanced Monte Volpe bottling from Mendocino. In recent years, I also have enjoyed two delicious sangioveses coming out of the Dry Creek Valley: Ramazzotti and Unti. Viva Cal-Italia, I say.

18
Dec
2013
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Wines of the Week: Dec. 16-22

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Everyday: It’s rare to find a middling albarino that makes it to these shores, but the best La Canaones are exemplars of harmony and energy. The 2012 Bodegas La Cana Rias Baixas Albarino ($16) is just such a masterwork, with bracing minerality undergirding a whole lotta ripe peachy and tropical goodness. This Spanish gem has one of the longest finishes I’ve encountered in a white in a good while, and being able to savor it is a nice antidote to wanting to quickly gulp down some more. Pork and moderately spiced Asian dishes are among the better pairing options, but this baby also loves it some seafood.

Occasion: In much of the U.S. of A., the weather outside is ice-ful, so why shouldn’t what Inniskillin 2we’re imbibing inside reflect that? The 2008 Inniskillin Vidal Ice Wine ($98/375 ml.) is one of those nectar-from-heaven deals, lush but with nice edges, its brilliant stone-fruit flavors lingering almost endlessly. This Canadian delight showcases the amazing versatility of ugni blanc (a parent of Vidal, with Seibel), which is also the main grape used in a markedly different after-dinner drink, Cognac. You’re welcome to serve this with most any dessert short of super-sugary ones (the wine should always be sweeter than the dessert) but I prefer to make it the dessert.

14
Dec
2013
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Wines of the Week: Dec. 9-15

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Everyday: Since malbec supplanted merlot as the go-to under-$20 red wine for millions Puntoof Americans, imports of the Argentinian red have increased mightily. And most of it has been decent enough. But the 2012 Punto Final Malbec Classico ($12) is much more than that, performing like something twice the price with its dusty but ripe dark-berry fruit and beautifully integrated tannins. The grapes are culled from different altitudes and climates around Mendoza, so a master hand is at work in making the blend. The long finish is especially satisfying and ramps up its affinity for grilled slabs of beef or lamb and spaghetti amatriciana or puttanesca.

Occasion: Every time pink bubbles glide through my mouth, I wonder why the #%^& I Gratiendon’t drink this more often. Part of the reason, of course, is the cost, but the Alfred Gratien Rosé Brut Champagne is a stone-cold bargain at $51. Its glorious red-berry flavors seem to levitate on the palate (that thing we cork dorks call “lift”), and there’s a lively tingle-iness all the way through the near-endless finish. A fantastic accompaniment to appetizers, from chips ‘n’ dip to caviar, this blushing beauty also is right at home with most seafood and chicken dishes. Yum.

9
Dec
2013
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Sampling odds and ends

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So I’ve been taking some antibiotics that set me even further behind on my sampling. But like the wine stores that finish the year with a blitz, I’m aiming to clear them all out by Jan. 1, a pre-New Year’s resolution. And that has brought a few observations, some surprising and others not so much:

• I can assure you that one premise of this article is a steaming pile of ca-ca: that “technology has made poor plonk a thing of the past.” Exhibits A-plus: a pinot noir from Bolla, cabs from Cupcake and Red Rock, a JFJ almond sparkling wine (whose idea was that?!?), several offerings from Picket Fence and something called Spin the Bottle. Yeesh, yecch and yuck. People ask why I don’t write more about under-$10 wines; the answer: because most of them are not well made wines. Same goes for too many bottles priced in double figures. On the other hand …

• The inexpensive California chardonnays I’ve sampled of late have been surprisingly well-Gnarlymade, more “honest” and balanced than some of the spendier ones. Geyser Peak California, Gnarly Head, Coppola Votre Sente and McManis River Junction — all under $15 — offered up clean, pure fruit and just enough acidity. Meanwhile, some of the over-$25 stuff has been a bit of a mess, with uneven ripeness and not-so-deft touches with the oak and the malo.

• I’ve wondered for a while if Patz & Hall has entirely different winemaking operations. Not divided by varietal or locale, but by approach. Most recently, the Hyde Vineyard Pinot and Dutton Ranch Chardonnay were glorious, letting the fruit shine and play with the acidity, while the Sonoma Coast Pinot and Hudson Vineyard Chard were overripe and overoaked. A few others fell in between on the spoolulated front. It’s the biggest Labdichotomy I’ve encountered from one vintner between wines that reflect terroir and wines that taste like they were made in a lab.

• I enjoyed a set of solid pinot noirs from La Rochelle, especially the 2010 Deer Meadows Vineyard from Anderson Valley and the Saralee’s Vineyard from the Russian River Valley. I wasn’t as enamored with the Sonoma Coast bottling, but for some reason, instead of dumping it (as I do with most samples), I kept it around. Three nights later, I poured a bit and had a “wowser” moment. The wine was heartier, earthier and more balanced, and it had developed much more structure; it somehow had become the best wine of the lot. I had seen syrah do that but not pinot. Alas, since I barely passed every science course I ever took, I have no explanation.

7
Dec
2013
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Write on, you vinous scribes

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Some well-said stuff from some gifted wine writers:

“There is no money, among that which I have spent since I began to earn my living, of the Saintsburyexpenditure of which I am less ashamed, or which gave me better value in return, than the price of the liquids chronicled in this booklet.  When they were good, they pleased my senses, cheered my spirits, improved my moral and intellectual powers. — George Saintsbury (left), “Notes on a Cellar Book”

“I remember three constant frequenters of the docks … who used to express themselves in their peculiar oracular way, so authoritatively, that I resolved to put their judgment to the test … I used to tell the cooper to draw two glasses from the same pipe, and to hand them as if they were from different numbers.  I may say that the trick upon them was invariably successful, for they were sure after tasting, and re-tasting, and much profound thought, to pronounce the verdict that, although similar, one possessed rather more of this, or that, than the other.  I kept my own counsel, but was convinced … that in wine-tasting and wine-talk there is an enormous amount of humbug.” — T.G. Shaw, “Wine, The Vine and the Cellar”

“I know never to take a wine for granted. Drawing a cork is like attendance at a concert Asheror at a play that one knows well, when there is all the uncertainty of no two performances ever being quite the same. That is why the French say, There are no good wines, only good bottles.” — Gerald Asher (left)

“A typical wine writer was once described as someone with a typewriter who was looking for his name in print, a free lunch and a way to write off his wine cellar.  It’s a dated view. Wine writers now use computers.” — Frank Prial, New York Times

3
Dec
2013
0

Sonoma travel tips: Logistics logistics logistics

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Some tips on getting – and staying, and noshing (for sit-down meals, go here) – around Sonoma County:

Getting around
This is one big, sprawling wine region. Unless you’re a wiz with a tablet map, buy a paper one, DC Roadpreferably with wineries tagged on it. Use it to find a base. Santa Rosa is right in the middle of the county but has little character for visitors; it basically could be any California city. I much prefer the areas around Healdsburg or Guerneville – for wineries, restaurants and scenery – but the town of Sonoma works if Carneros or Kenwood wineries are targets, and for easy access to the south end of Napa.

Driving tips: There’s always a lot of traffic in and around Santa Rosa, but no way to detour around its edges, so just allow for extra time … Dry Creek and West Dry Creek Road are different (but nearby) routes, both narrow and gorgeous; on the snaky, rail-thin latter byway, you’ll really feel like you’re in farm country. … As for Eastside vs. Westside Road, don’t ask because I can’t tell.

Lodgings
Places that I can personally tout include the more-than-serviceable Best Western Dry Creek Inn in Healdsburg, Zinscape in the Dry Creek Valley (attached to a home)  and River’s End in Jenner. All are reasonably priced and good values. The last one is a remote gem, completely off the grid with no TV or cell-phone coverage, where the Russian River glides into the ocean. We’ve also found great places at nice prices through Vacation Rentals by Owner.

For those with the moolah, the Hotel Healdsburg is well worth a splurge, a casual-chic enclave with wonderful service and all the comforts. Plus a stellar restaurant helmed by the estimable Charlie Palmer.

Eating “out”
Many of Sonoma’s wineries have picnic areas, and there’s no shortage of fabulous stores Jimtownfor stocking up. In Alexander Valley, the Jimtown Store (6706 Hwy. 128, Healdsburg) is retro but not kitschy — unless you consider bubble-gum cigars kitschy — with lots of grab-and-go options; don’t miss the spicy olive salad. (One great nearby non-winery destination for your noshing: the hills above Lake Sonoma.)

Downtown Healdsburg has an outpost of Napa’s classic Oakville Grocery (124 Matheson St., 433.3200), more upscale than the original but packed with gems. Down in Sebastopol lies one of my favorite food marts in the world, Andy’s Market (1691 Gravenstein Hwy., Sebastopol), with an astounding produce selection, beautifully chosen wines and dry goods out the yin-yang.

And if you’re down Sonoma way, do not miss one of the planet’s greatest cheeses, the dry Jack at Vella Cheese Company (315 Second St. E., Sonoma).

3
Dec
2013
0

Wines of the Week: Dec. 2-8

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Everyday: One of the challenges of reviewing is touting wines that are made in a style Wither Hillsthat’s not to my liking, but that fits many consumers’ wheelhouses. I used to love New Zealand sauv blanc, but the wines – and probably my palate – changed, and now … well, it’s a lot easier when there are wines such as the 2012 Wither Hills Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc ($13) around. It’s cleaner (especially on the finish) and less acidic than most of its brethren (sistren?) but is unmistakably Marlborough sauv blanc, with tasty, just-bracing-enough grapefruit and grassy notes and a vibrant mouthfeel. Quaff it with some shrimp scampi or tempura or chicken salad.

Occasion: Could a wine from Minnesota possibly be worth $25? Abso-tively, in the case Voyageurof the Alexis Bailly Voyageur ($25), an earthy, tasty, dare I say lusty (of course I dare say lusty) red blend. Herby and hearty with very expressive red fruit and more than ample structure for aging, this is winemaker Nan Bailly’s masterwork. It’s made with “lesser” cold-hardy French grapes such as Marechal Foch and Leon Millot (much of it planted by Nan’s father David when he started Minnesota’s oldest winery in 1973) and frontenac, a 1996 release from the University of Minnesota operation that also brought us the honeycrisp apple. Enjoy it with winter braises or cassoulet.

1
Dec
2013
0

Making the most of the Mosel

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It doesn’t take long to be impressed with Barbara Rundquist-Muller. She’s warm (especially for a German), smart (but not intimidatingly so) and direct (always a big plus with moi).

BarbaraSo when the owner of Weingut Dr. H. Thanisch talks about sustainable farming and painstaking work in the winery and the uniqueness of riesling, it sounds like anything but a well-practiced platitude.

Frankly, she had me at “My aunt gave me [the winery] as a Christmas present when she was 91.” But it’s what Rundquist-Muller did after that 2007 “gift” that impresses, both in words and the glass:

“I had 30 years marketing wine, so suddenly I’m producing it. I took a close look and decided that those old walls could use a fresh look.

“The old vineyard manager retired, so I hired a very young estate manager, a very passionate guy [Maximilian Ferger]. That turned out to be a match made in heaven. He brought in fresh wind, new ideas. We’re now all sustainably grown, as close to nature as feasible. We don’t use artificial fertilizer or insecticide, only fungicide as needed. Our vines were planted 100 years ago, and if we don’t use fungicide, we could lose it all in 24 hours.

“Our vineyards have a 60-percent grade so we hand-work the canopy management and Vineyardwe go through each vineyard three or four times to ensure optimum ripeness, physiological ripeness. The pips are brown because with green pips you get unripe acidity and give people heartburn.”

“We also brought that philosophy to the cellar. It’s all hand-worked. We bring in grapes, squeeze them carefully, let them sit 12 hours and let natural enzymes and natural yeasts go to work. It’s dangerous, and takes a lot longer. There are many strains, so fermentation comes and goes. We ferment mostly in stainless steel, plus 1,000-liter oak barrels that don’t give off any flavor.

“A lot of producers go for instant pleasure, with dominant fruit, almost reductive. We want to be beautiful when young with character but also the personality to mature and be more interesting.”

As she talked and I sipped the wines crafted by Edgar Schneider, a phrase from childhood popped into my head: no brag, just fact. The Dr. H Thanisch wines are gorgeous, complex and elegant, paragons of Mosel riesling. The “entry-level” just-under-$20 Estate 2011 is juicy and layered, a great intro to the genre. Again, Rundquist-Muller is merely being factual in pointing out that “Our Estate wine is so dry that people who do not like sweet wine find it appealing but people who like riesling also find it appealing.”

One of her new crew’s earliest decisions was making the Trocken wine “on the Spatlese level body-wise. Kabinett was too light in style, Auslese too alcoholic, 14-plus.” The 2011 is ripe but minerally, with a surprising touch of citrus and a fruity but dry finish, a bargain at $25.

But it’s the wines from the storied Berncasteler Doctor vineyard that showcase how Thanisch 3profound this varietal can be, as well as how much Dr. H. Thanisch is kicking’ it. Local
lore has it that Berncasteler Doctor got its name in 1360 from Archbishop Boemond II of Trier, whose doctor declared him terminally ill until, lo and behold, he quaffed some juice from the vineyard and regained his health.

What’s beyond dispute is that Dr. H. Thanisch owns one of the vineyard’s 3.24 hectares, 100-year-old vines with original rootstock and, in Rundquist-Muller’s words, “tons of character and expressiveness.”

The 2010 Kabinett was one of the most delicious wines I’ve tasted all year, and Spatleses from ’05 (silky, rife with character), ’07 (voluptuous, endless) ’09 (soft, almost spritely) and ’10 (spicy, supple) showcased the quality of the terroir and the spectacular way that the best rieslings evolve. All for around $40. Amazing.

“Rieslings are unique in the way they change,” Rundquist-Muller said, “from fruit-driven, lively wine that has some elegance, they become more elegant with beautiful acidity.”

No brag, just … well, you get the picture.

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