Vinfolio Blog

      Yesterday afternoon Robert Parker tickled the imaginations of posters on eRobertParker.com’s Mark Squires’ Bulletin Board. He promised an announcement forthcoming “that will shake the fine wine world.” Less than one day later, the sale of Chateau Montelena to Cos d’Estournel owner Michel Reybier was announced. Although this is significant news, Mr. Parker may have overstated its impact, as suggested by others, including Alder Yarrow, author of the blog Vinography. Following the sales of Duckhorn, Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, and Budweiser to European companies, Montelena is simply the latest surrender of the dollar to the almighty euro and it will not likely be the last.

However, I must admit that more interesting than the news itself is the speculation put forth by posters on Squires’ Board. Given time to speculate what this earthshaking news would be, their guesses ranged from thoughtful and astute to lewd and slanderous; entertaining is the best word to describe the banter of these contributors. Among my favorites are “Screaming Eagle’s new boxed wine ‘Bird In A Box,’” “Elvis is ALIVE and making wine in Healdsburg,” and, of course, the heated debate over attractive international news reporters. (My vote is for Melissa, by the way.)   

After a solid 19 pages of contributions and more than a few horse laughs, perhaps the shrewdest comment was “It’s  bound to be anticlimactic now.” And so it was. Even though posts moved on to important matters of quality and pricing, a staggering 55.02% of users still voted they “Don’t Care.” 

                  

Could things be worse for Mendocino County? This growing season got off to an ominous start when frosts hit vineyards in Anderson Valley, causing up to 70% loss in extreme Deep End sites. And now, with Northern California experiencing one of its worst fire seasons in recorded history, things are only getting worse. Blazes in Mendocino are troubling for a number of reasons, not the least of which is horrible air quality with particulate counts above 200. The fires pose other threats, as explained here in Wine Spectator.

Of immediate concern are conditions for workers, threat of actual fire in vineyards, and a delay in harvest dates as smoke blocks out the sun (obviously needed for the fruit to reach maturity). Winemakers, though, are concerned with longer term effects, including one familiar to their Australian counterparts. “Smoke taint” is essentially flavors of smoke in finished wines made from vineyards that had been subjected to extended periods of smoky air. Most growers and winemakers are hopeful that conditions will improve by harvest, and that there will be no taint in the ‘08s.

Unfortunately, since smoke taint isn’t a term normally thrown about in California, there is an element of fear among winemakers. Companies that make, and sensationally market, chemical additives/corrections/whatever you want to call them, are seizing on winemakers’ concerns. Already, these companies are bombarding winemakers with promises of miracle fixes for any and all “off” flavors or aromas. This is nothing new; winemakers routinely use these products to adjust for everything from high alcohol to VA to…you name it. Is this just another challenge for modern winemaking technology? It will certainly be interesting to find out if smoke taint does in fact make it into some of these wines, and if anyone will notice. I, for one, am eager to find out. In the meantime, let’s hope that these tragic fires can be contained, homes and lives can be saved, and that California will no more have to fear the term “smoke taint”. 

Here's an update from our Importer on the current Brunello situation: 

No doubt you have all already heard about the rift between the US and Italian governments regarding Brunello di Montalcino. To recap, it seems that the Italian government has accused certain producers of using grape varietals other than Sangiovese in their Brunello. To prevent fraudulent sales of mislabeled Brunello to American consumers, the US government demanded that the Italian government release the names of those producers. The Italians said "no", not wanting to implicate producers that have not yet been proven guilty (or innocent).
 
As a result, as of June 23rd, there has been a blanket ban on the importation of "undocumented" Brunello into the United States from ANY source. The US government has insisted that any Brunello arriving at our ports must be accompanied by proof via laboratory analysis that the wines are 100% Sangiovese. If the wine does not have that document attached, the wine will be seized and destroyed.
 
All Brunello waiting in the UK or on the Continent will remain there until the issue has been resolved. We have no ETA but will keep everyone updated of any changes as they occur.

It honestly amazes me how so many wines get left in the lurch because of the most inane reasons: 1) funny label, 2) scored below 90, 3) obscure country, 4) weird name, 5) customers are afraid to ask questions, etc. What amuses and confuses me most (in a sad, pitying sort of way) are the absolute tons of wines out there that languish on shelves and in floor stacks because someone - be it the salesperson or the client - didn't have the presence of mind to make a left instead of a right.  Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of times that I've grabbed a bottle, willing it to be the next "American Idol" of the "under-$20" contingent and been sorely and unrelentingly abused. But that doesn't mean I don’t ever take the plunge again! Part of the intrigue and greatness of wine is the fact that time and time again - despite some swing-and-misses - the overall sense that I get is that there are more and more quality wines being made that do not sacrifice the buyer to mediocrity. With that in mind, I would like to introduce a few of the misunderstood players of the "square peg in the round hole" posse.

2003 Raventos i Blanc – Cava Gran Reserva (WA 91, $35): OK. Most people think of Cava as the demon spawn of sparklers, maybe because for the longest time the frosted Hades-black Freixenet bottle dominated the market. Though, to give it its due, it's not that bad…I think Cook's or Tott's takes that 'prize.' Back to the aforementioned wine...this is going to make you a believer in the power that 'un'-Champagne grapes CAN make superb bubbles. Xarel-lo, Macabeo and Parellada - the heavenly trio of Cava grapes - join the ranks of a small amount of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Rocher des Violettes Montlouis: There are two dry options here - "La Negrette" (VF 93, $24) and "Touche-Mitaine" (VF 91, $17), both of which will go far in demonstrating that it is not only Sancerre that is Loire Valley royalty. This is Chenin Blanc at its shiny, happy best. Xavier WEISSKOPF went to school in Chablis and Beaune, trained with Louis Barroul at Saint Cosme and is set to make this 22-acre property the gem of Montlouis. These are substantial, dry Chenin Blancs capable of satisfying the most particular of white wine lovers, and will rival the stars of Vouvray, just across the river.

Henschke Semillon "Louis" (IWC 90, $18.95): Another grape that seems to get lost in the fray the moment it steps out of Bordeaux is Semillon. We drink Chardonnay from oodles of regions, Cabernet, too. Even Malbec and Grenache. What did this poor little white grape do to deserve this disrespect? So, join the SSB (Semillon Support Brigade) and swipe up a bottle of this lovely Australian version. And keep an eye out for more of this grape - mono and in blends - from South Africa and New Zealand, too.

CHANGE...is that a four-letter word, or what?! Sometimes the best change is one that is forced upon us (famous words of wisdom from my maternal unit.) Sometimes it's sly and weasels its way into the fabric of our life and all of a sudden "Wham!", we’ve got a new way of looking at or thinking of things. So it goes in the wine world. It's a many-forked path and I find that summer is the best time to be easy and breezy and just let 'change' be our friend.

In my case, it's finding all the weird, ethnically or varietally-challenged wines that nobody even gives the slightest of nods to when passing them down the aisle. But thrust one of these tasty whites, reds or rosés into an unassuming individual's hands and they will be amazed. Having just celebrated the 4th and anticipating some warmer BBQ and patio-slouching weather, here are a few favorites that will 'change' your views on summer sippers. Trust me; I’m a wine expert... ;)

2006 Bolgnani Moscato Giallo, Trentino - Italy

2007 Pampelonne Rosé, Provence - France (VF 92, $16) 

2006 Amisfield Pinot Gris, Central Otago - New Zealand (VF 91, $21)

2007 Cabriz Colheita Seleccionada Branco, Douro – Portugal ($11) : OMG! I just bought a case after tasting this. Definitely THE white of summer and will launch the word ‘change’ into the same glorious stratosphere as “Choo” or “Blahnik” does in the shoe world…with nary a pinch to your pocketbook!

2006 Valentin Bianchi Malbec "Famiglia Bianchi", Mendoza – Argentina (IWC 89, $16)

2003 Ligneres "Les Vals Rouge", Corbieres – France (VF 91, $21)

2005 Greppi 'Greppicante', Tuscany – Italy (VF 92, $24)

Lovers of Pinot Noir had the golden opportunity to take part in the 4th Annual Pinot Days Festival in San Francisco during the end of June. Winemaker dinners, workshops and seminars were held on the days leading up to the last weekend of June. The Grand Festival Tasting was on Sunday, July 29th at the Ft. Mason Center’s Herbst Pavilion in San Francisco. This is where all the big daddy tastings occur like Family Winemakers of California, Rhone Rangers and the ZAP (Zinfandel Advocate & Producers). Within four short years Pinot Days has soared in popularity, mainly based on the commercial and marketing success of the varietal, but also due to the efforts and marketing genius of the founders. For "Pinot Geeks" and for those who want to learn more about this misunderstood varietal, Pinot Days is a must to mark on the calendar for next year. 

The Grand Festival Tasting is worth the admission to get a snapshot of the category in California, Oregon, New Zealand, Australia, France and Germany. With over 170 producers on hand, it’s not hard to grasp the diversity of this finicky varietal. What’s amazing is that Pinot Days is a non-profit with the commitment to raise money for those in need.

I had the opportunity to attend this year's Grand Tasting and am relieved to report back that I was still walking at the close of the event. Spitting should be mandatory because such a large crowd can get unruly! Large venues like this kind of remind me of sporting events where energy and tipsiness go hand in hand! Like any organized sport, you need a game plan to chart out who you want to see, but leaving room for make new discoveries.

I welcome your comments on your top picks, new darlings, overall impressions and disappointments. Below are my thoughts on the following categories.

Impressed by
- The check-in process for the trade was smooth in comparison to other venues of its size.
- Crowd circulation was relatively smooth with tables that were not too overcrowded.
- An amazing array of winemaker dinners, workshops and seminars were billed!
- A nice array of Pinots was poured in the mid-price range of $30 to $45.

Disappointed by or unimpressed by
- The lack of quality vintners from around the world! This needs to be a focus for next year!
- Samples were great, but the selection of more substantial food choices was limited. 
- There were not many value priced Pinots offered!
- I’m not into smear campaigns, but any new label charging $50 for five leaf, young vine Pinot. It’s not just about a business plan!

Favorite Winery Lineups (The whole range of wines poured was of excellent quality.)
Ancien Wines (Napa/Sonoma), Arcadian (Central Coast), Auteur (Sonoma/Oregon), B. Kosuge (Carneros, Sonoma), Benovia Winery (Russian River), Black Kite (Anderson Valley), Calera (Pinnacles), Copain Wines (Anderson Valley/Sonoma), Dutton Goldfield Winery (Sonoma), Flying Goat (Central Coast), Fort Ross (Sonoma Coast), Freeman (Russian River), Hartford Family (Sonoma), Hirsch (Sonoma Coast), Londer Vineyards (Anderson Valley), Peay Vineyards (Sonoma Coast), Robert Stemmler (Russian River), Scherrer Winery, Talisman Cellars (Sonoma/Carneros), W.H. Smith (Sonoma Coast) and Zepaltas Wines (Sonoma)

Most improved wine from initial release
I tasted the 2005 Donum Estate, Carneros (VF 94, $65) back in the early Spring 2008 and it was clumsy and closed. I re-tasted it at the event, and wow, like night a day with a hedonistic nose and sexy dark red fruit. Yum-yum!

Turnaround winery
Robert Stemmler has been reinvented with the 2006 releases and new ownership under Donum Estate Owner and Viticulturist, Anne Moller-Racke.

Best in Value (Unfortunately there were no $15 darlings, but the options opened up in $30 range.)
- Scherrer Winery Russian River Valley 2006
- Copain Wines - Tous Ensemble, Anderson Valley 2006

Winery to watch out for (Time to make a call to get on mailing list!)
Benovia Winery - The whole lineup. Owners have recently purchased the Cohn Vineyard. Sorry Kosta Browne!

The most Burgundy-terroir influenced lineup
Josh Jensen’s Calera Ryan and Mills bottlings came up in spades. It’s about the limestone baby. Don’t hesitate to age any of the Calera top crus; they will not disappoint after five years or so.

Most Fruit-Forward Lineup
Belle Glos (Central Coast)

My Top Picks
2006 Ancien, ‘Mink Vineyard’, Napa Valley
2007 Auteur, ‘Ophelia’, Oregon and Washington Blend
2006 August West, ‘Rossella’s Vineyard’, Santa Lucia Highlands
2006 Benovia Winery, ‘Cohn Vineyard’, Russian River
2006 B. Kosuge, ‘Manchester Ridge’, Mendocino
2005 Donum Estate, Carneros (VF 95, $42)
2006 Flying Goat, ‘Dierberg Vineyard’, Santa Maria Valley (VF 92, $42)
2006 Freeman, Russian River Valley (VF 93, $42)
2006 Londer, ‘Paraboll’, Anderson Valley
2006 Hartford Family, ‘Fog Dance Vineyards’, Green Valley
2006 Robert Stemmler, ‘Nugent Vineyard’, Russian River Valley
2006 Stephen Test, Russian River Valley
2006 W.H. Smith, ‘Marimar Estate Vineyard’, Green Valley

That’s my snapshot! I look forward to your comments. Keep the Pinot flowing! Cheers!

How many times have you been out to dinner and not ordered from the wine list because the markups were outrageously high? How many times have you ordered wine by the glass and paid the same for that glass as the entire bottle would cost at retail? Well that happens to me more frequently than I would like. It’s not that I’m cheap or don’t have the money to afford the wine, or that I feel restaurants aren’t entitled to make money through their wine program, because they are – it’s that I don’t like the feeling of being gouged, and I assume you don’t either. I’m obviously not the only person with restaurant wine pricing on the mind, based on the 90 responses to James Laube’s blog post "Help Wanted: What’s Fair with Restaurant Wine Pricing" on Wine Spectator online. Restaurants today routinely do themselves a huge disservice by charging too high of a margin per bottle, when they could easily make up the difference in volume with lower margins. They just don’t get it. 

Luckily I live in California where there is the option to bring your own wine to restaurants and pay a corkage fee. Savvy wine people here can do their homework, look at the wine list and menu prior to dining out, and decide whether or not to bring their own wines to the restaurant. This isn’t a luxury that most states allow, so the typical diner is held hostage by the restaurant’s wine list and exorbitant markups. Neither alternative is optimal in my opinion. In most cases, if the wine list is interesting and varied, I would much prefer to sample the restaurant’s offerings, than to bring my own. Furthermore, I would be much more inclined to order a second bottle if the price was reasonable (not more the 2 to 2-1/2 times retail). Dining out is one of life’s great loves for me, and in most cases I prefer the accompanying beverage to be wine – not a beer or cocktail…but steep markups are taking that fun away from me.  

Here are a few names of restaurants in the San Francisco Bay Area that have great, eclectic wine lists at very reasonable markups: Plumpjack, A16, NOPA, and Park Chow.

Remember Z Cavariccis? I laid down 70 bucks for my first pair and wore them all through the winter of ‘91 matched with uber-trendy Birkenstocks…with socks. There was a hot guy at school who owned a pair for every day of the week and I had such a crush! Please tell me it wasn’t just a Fresno thing. Trends are powerful; somehow wearing balloon pants with tight ankles seemed like such a good idea then. Clothing trends are the easiest to spot and single out for ridicule, but trends in wine are fairly obvious too. White Zin (still hanging on in my hometown – FresYES!) was a good one, “The Movie” made Pinot the hot ticket, and animals on labels, be they hopping, dancing, or…screaming, are all the rage. Having done a fair bit of wine research in the past few months, I’ve had the chance to visit a huge number of winery websites and so have taken notice of an insidious trend in the world of winery website writing.

There is a sneaky French word that has burrowed its way into the American wine lexicon, a word oft written in italics to flaunt its exotic, mysterious nature, since alas there is no true English translation. You know it well: terroir. Suddenly it’s everywhere, like those damn Cavariccis, trying to make my wine taste like dirt and wet stone and animale, whatever that is. It seems the new goal of every former CEO-turned-winemaker is to create “wines that accurately express the site”, have a “sense of place”, “mirror the terroir”! But does terroir matter? And to what extent? And further, do wines claiming to “express terroir” really do so?

I made a small, very small, batch of wine from my father’s “vineyard” outside of Fresno. I swear, I used only “traditional winemaking techniques” (another insidious linguistic trend, but for another day). A year later, the “wine” tasted like soy sauce. So, I think I’ve got this straight, Fresno tastes like something I want to dip my sushi in. Really? 

 

 

It’s the time of the year when many wine drinkers revert to white wines and cut back on red wine until there is frost in the air again. Don’t get me wrong, I fully support the enjoyment of white wines. So often they get written off as not having enough complexity or depth, when in fact there are many interesting white wines from throughout the world that excel at being a great pairing with food or fantastic on their own.
Now back to those reds. I just finished reading an article on this very subject in the NY Times entitled “Reds on Ice?  It’s not Heresy” that reminded me of how red wine doesn’t always get its just due in winter or summer because of its serving temperature. The point of the article is that are many red wines that taste great chilled and are very refreshing in the summer months. It emphasizes that when chilling red wines, you’ll have greater enjoyment if they are lighter fruitier wines like Beaujolais and Italian Barbera, or a nice Cabernet Franc from the Loire Valley. I completely agree; however, it brings me back to a personal pet peeve that most red wine is served too warm throughout the year.
This reminds me of a talk I heard by Anthony Giglio, a wine writer from New York, at the Aspen Food and Wine Classic several years back. He was incensed at going to top restaurants and paying top dollar for wine and that was served too warm!

So he proceeded to visit the top restaurants in New York City, all with names that started with “The” or “La”, with his handy dandy thermometer in tow. Bottom line, each restaurant that served red wine above 68 degrees was included in his article on this very topic. To further exemplify this point and how red wine should be served, he did a wine demonstration at a large party where quite a few wine aficionados were in attendance. Basically, each person was given 3 red wines to sip and told to respond to what they liked. Most everyone liked #3 the best. What they didn’t know was that it

was the same wine in all 3 glasses. The 1st glass was at room temperature (72 degrees), the 2nd glass

was from a bottle that had been on ice for 5 minutes, and the wine in glass #3 had been on ice for 15 minutes. Needless to say, there were a few folks that felt tricked by thinking it was 3 different wines, but I’m sure no one will forgot it; I certainly haven’t.

Giglio also points out that, of course, you don’t ever want to serve any wine, white or red too cold because it will lose most of its aromatics. Don’t fall for the opposite: the typical temperature we drink red wine at, 72 degrees, is just too warm!

Some of the most affordable Syrah of excellent quality in the world comes from the finest producers of red Crozes-Hermitage in the Northern Rhone.  Yes, there are lesser Crozes but I am talking the likes of Graillot, Delas-Freres, Belle, Chapoutier, Jaboulet, and Colombier to name a few.  I pulled corks on two wines to show some friends “why” this past weekend and raised more than a few eyebrows. I watched the rest of these bottles walk out the door with a smiling request to work on more Rhone for them (I never seem to do as well on these “trades”).  Crozes-Hermitage sits on the eastern bank of the Rhone enveloping Hermitage.  As expected, Crozes is much the little brother to Hermitage but shows the classic medium to full body of Syrah with smoky, peppery, cassis, black cherry, plums, and the signature aroma of herbes de Provence.  Pair Crozes with fuller bodied meat dishes so that the wine doesn’t overpower your meal.  

2003 Delas Freres Crozes-Hermitage le Clos    $29
Opaque color, more fruit driven with gobs of black cherries, plum, earth, lavender and rosemary. Very good concentration and mid-palate with moderate structure.

2005 Alain Graillot Crozes-Hermitage     $27
Opaque color, classic Graillot; this wine is bulletproof.  I double decanted (into the decanter and back into the bottle) the day before.  This is a very complete and powerful wine and it’s just a baby.  Smoke, leather, minerals, scrub, spice, jerky, and cassis. Very compact on the palate.  Needs time.

Click here for a link to Vinfolio's current selection of Crozes-Hermitage

It's amazing how certain wines continue to resonate many months after tasting them.  People, like wine, also leave an indelible mark on memory, and when an experience includes both memorable people and wine, it is all the more unforgettable. Such was the case when I visited Chiara Boschis, owner and winemaker of the Azienda Agricola E. PIRA & Figli estate in Piedmont, and tasted her 2003 and 2004 Barolo Cannubi.

Last October Chiara was kind enough to spend the day with me at the Borgogno and E. Pira estate.  I remember the excitement and passion in her voice as she spoke about her family's history, her personal story and approach to winemaking. Her fervor is clearly reflected in the quality of her 2003 and 2004 Barolo Cannubi wines. Bypassing traditional winemaking with which the Borgogno name is synonymous, Chiara is part of a group of young winemakers responsible for making Barolo internationally popular by employing modern winemaking, technology, and marketing. This group of modernists is often referred to as the "Barolo Boys." As Chiara is the only female participant, she is known as the "Barolo Girl."

Although recently there has been an increase in the number of female winemakers in Barolo, Chiara is still the "Barolo Girl" who single-handedly operates the E. Pira estate.  She oversees everything from vineyard management, winemaking, and bottling, to marketing. As glamorous as that may sound, being the owner/winemaker of your own estate, and the daughter of the Boschis family, is hard work. It requires dedication and sacrifice; there is little time for vacation during the growing season because every day is important. Chiara is there every moment, watching the vineyard out of her bedroom window, with barriques filling an area most would consider her living room. A petite woman, perhaps 5'4" at most, it is hard to picture her getting dirty and lugging barrels around, but she does it...happily, seriously, and with a great sense of humor, too. She jokingly referred to her climate-control system in her barrel ageing room as Obi-Wan "Cannubi." The device looked more like R2-D2, but still, the reference was funny.

If you meet Chiara Boschis in person, you will find that she not only funny, but also confident, charming, and ambitious. She is an amazing person who, like her wines, will leave a lasting impression. I highly recommend picking up any of Chiara's selections: Barolo Cannubi, Barolo Via Nuova, Barbera d'Alba, or Dolcetto d'Alba. You will not be disappointed. Featured below are two vintages of E. Pira Barolo Cannubi, of which annual production stands at a mere 650 cases.

The 2003 Barolo Cannubi E. Pira is an extraordinary wine for such a warm vintage. It is structured with a floral nose, has ripe, cherry and plum fruit complimented by sweet spice nuances, and firm tannins not found in many 2003s. This wine is quite accessible now, but will benefit from additional bottle ageing.

The 2004 Barolo Cannubi E. Pira, like the 2003, is superb. It has everything you would want in a great bottle of Barolo: musky aromas, rich layered fruit, and notes of mint and eucalyptus, among other spices. For the boldness and depth of this wine, it is balanced, elegant and filled with subtle nuances that reflect the terroir of the Cannubi vineyard.  The finish is long-lasting and suggests that the wine will surely improve with several years' ageing.

2003 Pira, Enrico e Figli - Barolo Cannubi (WA 90, WS 90,  IWC 87) $59.95        
 
2004 Pira, Enrico e Figli - Barolo Cannubi  (WA 95, IWC 87) $83 / 750 ml or $197 / 1.5L