It seems like everyone in the Bay Area is a fan of the Billecart Salmon Brut Rose, and for good reason. At around $75, it's a consistently delicious sparkler that goes well with food and, let's be honest, is just really pretty in the glass. Billecart also makes a non-vintage Blanc de Blancs and a regular Brut Reserve, which we opened yesterday for our tasting. This probably was the consensus favorite of our group; not surprising as many of us have enjoyed this wine for years. At under $50, the current release is fresh and vibrant, somewhat floral on the nose, with layers of pear and citrus.

If you haven't tried the Tarlant Champagnes yet, they need to be on your list. The two we have in stock - the Brut Zero and the Rose Zero - are no dosage examples that clearly reflect the region's chalky soils. The Brut was showing particularly well yesterday, with brioche and apple tart on the nose leading to a palate of pear and apple peel. This was a really clean wine that didn't show any of the bracing nature of some no dosage Champagnes. For the price, this gets my vote! 

One day I’d like to do a whole tasting series on vintage s in the shadows of the greats, if only to make myself feel better about the fact that many of the “greats” carry price tags exceeding my drinking budget. Fortunately, there are Burgundies from vintages such as 2008, which before it even had a chance to take hold, was overshadowed by the hype surrounding 2009.

We pulled two 2008s from inventory, just to see how they doing after resting for some time in our warehouse. Allen Meadows reported that “like 2007, [2008] is a very good to sometimes excellent but highly variable vintage...in short it’s a classic Burgundian vintage.” (Issue 41)  

If you enjoy terroir-reflective Pinot Noir, then here are a couple you might like, from excellent producers Perrot-Minot and Domaine Dujac. Perrot-Minot’s village level Gevrey Chambertin has a nice clean balance of earth, mineral, and cran-raspberry. It’s on the lighter side, and we all agreed it would make a fine pairing with food. Drink this one over the next couple of years.

Dujac’s village level Morey St Denis shows a bit more depth and complexity. After some initial Pinot funk on the nose, which blows off after about 15 minutes, the darker fruit, floral  and spice notes pick up and complement the characteristic iron scent on the nose. I would have liked to revisit this one the next day, but where did that bottle go…?

An opportunity to open bottles of Leflaive is always welcome around our office, since we all know that even the “entry level” Bourgogne Blanc is a guaranteed winner from this exceptional producer. It was again this time, as we popped and poured first the 2009 Bourgogne and then the 2009 Puligny-Montrachet villages. Silence followed as everyone took their time on the nose, and then…our Collector Services expert, Jeannie Lacombe, said “How can you not love white Burgundy?" to which we all just nodded.

                         

Domaine Leflaive is truly a reference standard for Puligny-Montrachet, from villages to grands crus. The family-run estate is farmed bio-dynamically, with low yields and close attention to detail in the vineyard and cellar. The 2009 vintage was notoriously warm, resulting in wines of accessible fruit flavors. The straight Bourgogne showed this off readily and at the moment, it is a pleasure to drink. The Puligny Montrachet showed the additional complexity and verve that one sees when moving up the quality ladder in Burgundy. It’s somewhat reserved at this point, but the material is clearly there for a lovely villages level wine to emerge. So again, with wines like this, how could you NOT love white Burgundy?

Pride is one of those producers we too often take for granted. Something about years and years of high scores and great reviews have perhaps become old hat, not as exciting as the latest cult craze. But when we think “trusted California producer,” we always go back to these classics – the Dunns, Spottswoodes, and Prides of the wine world. From experience we know that while each of these is stylistically unique, they have in common the ability to age well. Which is why we were excited for the opportunity to taste back vintages from Pride’s well-known mountaintop property.

For comparison, we opened the 2004 Merlot Mountaintop, the 1999 Cabernet Napa Valley, and the 2004 Cabernet Reserve. Of the 3, the Merlot was showing the best for near term enjoyment. The 1999 Cabernet is a nice mature example of mountain fruit and the 2004 Reserve is one for the cellar and, definitely a wine whose structured tannins will benefit from a few years of further development.

You can read full tasting notes from these and all of our tastings in the Community Tasting Notes section for each individual wine in the Vinfolio Wine Store.

We had been wanting to try a bottle of the 2008 Serene as a group since we first brought this in a few months ago. The critical praise of the 2008 vintage has come from all corners:  “the best vintage Oregon has ever produced…” (Harvey Steinman), “The 2008 vintage for Oregon Pinot Noir is superb.” (Eric Asimov), “…these were the finest wines in many a year…” (Jay Miller).

Before describing this particular wine, let’s confront the one most common criticism of Domaine Serene. Is it pretentious to buy advertising in Wine Spectator claiming your wines beat out DRC in blind tastings? Yes. Ok, now that that’s out of the way, a bit about the wine.

The Jerusalem Hill Vineyard is located in the Eola Hills and is part of the Serene estate. It’s a dry-farmed, sustainable property that averages just under 3 tons per acre. For 2008, the wine was aged for 20 months in French Oak, 82% new.

The sweet new oak is apparent but not overbearing in this expressive Pinot, which shows off ripe red fruit balanced by loamy earth and a backbone of bright acidity. While it’s certainly approachable now, it will definitely benefit from a few years in the cellar. Pinot fans would do well to pick up a few bottles of this classy wine and any other 2008s they find.

I try to drink rosé year round, I really do. Buried under multiple layers of long sleeves, sweatshirts, and down vest, sitting in the pervasive fog, I will open a bottle and imagine I’m instead on a patio somewhere, soaking up the summer sun. Of course that’s the scene in June around here. I do the very same thing in January, though, wearing pretty much the same layers, looking out over pretty much the same fog.

No doubt about it, there’s something about rosé’s light shades of pink that scream warm weather, light foods, and sheer happiness. Two French roses tasted this week were great examples and one in particular stood out as an especially great value.  We opened both of these mid-afternoon, popped and poured.

The 2010 Margerum Rose VdP - on sale now! - is sourced from just outside the Rhone Valley and made by Santa Barbara-area winemaker Doug Margerum. As consulting winemaker for Chene Bleu, he was able to use Grenache from the property to make a rosé under his own label. The resulting wine is immediately accessible with white peach and stone fruit on the nose, and bright tart cherry on the palate.  

While the Margerum is definitely enjoyable, the 2010 Triennes Rose, at just $14.95, was the real show stealer. The Cinsault is from a property in Provence joint-owned by Jacques Seysses (Domaine Dujac) and Aubert de Villaine (DRC). This is a clean, refreshing rosé that impresses with focused acidity and a minerally structure. Nectarine and bright strawberry balances things out nicely for a delicious, complete rosé at an excellent price.

Our regular Wednesday afternoon wine tasting featured three domestic Sauvignon Blancs we have in stock: 2009 Cade from Napa Valley, 2010 Capture Tradition from Lake and Sonoma Counties, and 2009 Margerum Sybarite from the Santa Ynez Valley. We’re all hopeful that one day soon summer will come to San Francisco and we can enjoy these whites in the warm sun.  

Since Sauvignon Blanc tends to be popped and poured, that’s exactly what we did. The Cade’s handy screwcap made the job easiest; this is an obvious take-along wine.  No simple white, this Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc showed refreshing citrus and wet stone on the nose. The palate followed with tropical fruit balanced with refreshing acidity and a long, clean finish.

Next up was the 2010 Capture Tradition, a sommelier favorite since its inaugural release last vintage.  Floral and slightly herbal on the lively nose, this blend of Lake and Sonoma County fruit is an easy drinking white perfect for warm weather. The 2010 Pionniers bottling is another favorite, and represents a slightly “geekier” version - more mineral and less upfront fruit - from this up-and-coming producer.

We finished up the tasting with the 2009 Margerum Sybarite, which showed considerably more weight on both the nose and palate. Citrus pulp and rind balanced smoky mineral notes for a more serious Sauvignon Blanc.

Any of these three would be great choices for a relaxing summer day. Try a few and let us know what you think!

After reading a thread on Wineberzerkers entitled “Which of these Early Pioneering CA Wineries is Best Living Up to its Legacy Today?” I started ticking off which I had visited and which were still on the list. Mt. Eden, Montelena, Ridge, of course BV and Mondavi; these I had been to. But one in particular I was missing: Stony Hill. Time for a visit.

A good friend is a Napa vineyard manager and this being something of a slow season, we decided to make some tasting appointments. Lauren had actually brought in a mature Stony Hill Chardonnay to a tasting when she worked at Vinfolio. We served it blind alongside other Chardonnays and it was mistaken for a younger white Burgundy – good sign!

It was perfectly sunny after a few days of rain and the fall leaves were brilliant red, orange and gold as we headed up Spring Mountain from Hwy 29 to climb a few miles to Stony Hill. There we met with Willinda McCrea for a tour of the dry farmed vineyards and a walk down to the crush pad and barrel room. Compared with their neighbors in the Valley, the winemaking facilities here are “rustic”; the press isn’t shiny and new, and the barrels don’t smell of freshly toasted oak. In fact, with the large, mature foudres in the corner, it reminded me a little of a home cellar in Alsace, in a good way.

As it turns out, Alsacian varieties are part of the Stony Hill portfolio, as there is old vine Gewurztraminer and Riesling planted along with the Chardonnay and Semillon.

Heading back up to the house, Willinda briefed us on the history of the property: Eleanor and Fred McCrea’s purchase of the property in 1943, the vineyards planted in 1947, and the winery’s first vintage in 1952. Winemaker Mike Chelini and his wife Kathy arrived in 1971, and Mike continues as winemaker today. Willinda and her husband Peter have been proprietors at Stony Hill since 1991; this is truly a small-scale family operation.

Our tasting included the new release 2008 Chardonnay, just a baby now. It’s structured and balanced with a long life ahead. I picked up the 2008 and a 2007 for comparison, though I’m not sure I’m patient enough to test their ability to age for decades. I also took home a bottle of 2009 Riesling, as I'd yet to find a domestically produced version that I enjoyed. Within a week I'd enjoyed it with the first dungeoness crab of the season. It's a fun wine, not overly complex but pretty, with noticable minerality, and excellent with the sweet crab.

Next time you're in the Valley, make an appointment at Stony Hill, or any of California's historic, family owned wineries.

Everyone knows that the best way to understand a wine region is to visit. The best way to learn about a producer is to go, see the vineyard, taste the wines and – if you’re lucky – talk to the people who grow the grapes and make the wine. The opportunity to sit and talk to a producer about the vineyards, the wines and their business is rare, but it builds a bond and an understanding – and ultimately a greater appreciation of the wine when you enjoy it years later.
At Vinfolio, we want to make that distance between producer and consumer just a little bit smaller by bringing you that experience as we talk to select producers and ask the questions you would ask. 
We recently enjoyed a visit in our San Francisco offices from Giorgio Rivetti from La Spinetta and were able to ask him about his wines and his business – including the proverbial “what keeps you up in the middle of the night?” I had been expecting an answer along the lines of cash flow or any number of things that could go wrong when you expand a family business, but his answer was “quality”. Nothing else seemed to matter but quality, as if all of the worries of running a business in this current economic climate were trivial in comparison.
Watch our full interviews with Giorgio here and don't miss newly available La Spinetta wines available in the wine store.

 

                                   

                       

Friday was the second installment of our blind tasting series here at the Vinfolio offices. We sampled six different bottles of Chardonnay which were provided by the staff as examples of how this versatile variety can express itself. As is becoming our new format, a bottle of debatable provenance was also included to test the tasting abilities of our wine experts.

The procedure for this tasting was that although the bottles were hidden in numbered brown bags, the names of the wines were provided (listed in random order) on score sheets which we handed out. We asked the staff to match the correct wine name with the correct numbered bag and then provide feedback on whether or not they liked each bottle and if they had any additional comments (flaws, notes, etc.). After everyone had tasted all six wines, we tallied the results and revealed the bottles. Interestingly, the wines with the highest and lowest respective release prices (excluding the flawed bottle) received far and away the greatest number of “like” votes.

Wines tasted (listed in order of positive votes):

2005 Gagnard, Jean-Noel – Chassagne-Montrachet Les Caillerets 1er Cru (5 votes)

2008 The House of Independent Producers (Hedges Family Winery) – Chardonnay Columbia Valley (5 votes)

2004 Kumeu River – Chardonnay Mate’s Vineyard (New Zealand) (4 votes)

2008 Eric Kent – Chardonnay Russian River Valley (3 votes)

2008 Qupe – Chardonnay Santa Maria Valley (2 votes)

1996 Jadot, Louis – Puligny-Montrachet (0 votes) – This was the flawed bottle.

 

                

                               

Two weeks ago the Vinfolio staff gathered together for a blind tasting of Pinot Noirs from around the world. The Friday afternoon tasting was conducted with staff members providing wines from their own private cellars with the goal being to highlight different vintages and regions. Along with a few “ringer” bottles from well-known producers and excellent vintages, there were a few test bottles thrown in as well, including a bottle which had been stored improperly and was known to be flawed (the labels were removed to protect the producer’s identity). Occasionally the staff will do this in order to self-check our abilities to identify flaws.

Of the 12 brown-bagged wines we tasted, several bottles were universally panned (including the flawed one), and a handful were lauded as being standouts. In particular, the 2000 Brick House – Pinot Noir Willamette Valley was enjoyed by many members of the staff. Most importantly however, we had a wonderful time as a group, trying wines we hadn’t had before and comparing tasting notes and opinions.

If you’ve had any of the wines we’ve tried, or have recently tasted wines from the same regions in the same vintages, we’re interested in hearing your thoughts. Please post your responses in the comment section of this post as we’re always looking for suggestions for new wines to try and we plan on conducting similar tastings on a regular basis moving forward.

1.    2000 Brick House – Pinot Noir (Willamette Valley, Oregon)
2.    2007 Becker Estate – Pinot Noir (Pfalz, Germany)
3.    2007 Coldstream Hills – Pinot Noir (Yarra Valley, Australia)
4.    1997 Unknown Producer - Nuits St Georges (Burgundy, France)
5.    2006 Woodenhead – Pinot Noir  (Russian River Valley, California)
6.    2005 Unknown Producer - Givry 1er Cru (Burgundy, France)
7.    2007 Seven of Hearts – Pinot Noir (Dundee Hills, Oregon)
8.    1999 Williams Selyem – Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley, California)
9.    2006 Magnien, Michel - Chambolle-Musigny Les Sentiers 1er Cru (Burgundy, France)
10.   2007 Papapietro Perry - Pinot Noir Charles Vineyard (Anderson Valley, California)
11.   Unnamed Flawed Bottle
12.   2005 Villaine, A et P de - Mercurey Les Montots (Burgundy, France)

Amy's notes: With all the excitement here around the launch of the new Vinfolio, our tasting notes from Saturday’s La Paulee were delayed a few days. I’ll admit I did a “power tasting” approach – marking wines I liked but not making detailed notes. Bottom line - I spent much more time on the whites than the reds, given their pretty aromatics and fruit. Overall standouts for me, here in their jumbled glory, included the whole lineup from Ramonet, especially the Batard Montrachet (too obvious?); Niellon Clos St Jean; Perrot-Minot Charmes Chambertin and especially the Combe d’Orveau; the Colin-Morey Meursault Perrieres (what a nose!); and Roumier’s Morey St Denis Bussiere and Chambolle Musigny Cras.  My only disappointment was with the Dujac 2007 reds. I found them a bit thin and weedy, and tight on the nose; perhaps I went in with elevated expectations or am prematurely judging, but I found more to like with other producers. Find of the day was the Allan Meadows recommendation Patrick Piuze Chablis lineup. A new negociant label from a talented young winemaker, these are classic Chablis with beautiful fruit to balance the mineral.  

Levi's Notes: Overall, I found the quality of the wines from last weekend to be high, with the scales tipping significantly towards the 2007 and 2008 whites. The reds where all solid, yet there were very few wines that I found truly mind-blowing. Of the Pinots that excited me, the unusually "white wine-esq" nose on the 2007 David Duband – Echezeaux was enthralling, evoking fresh passion fruit flowers. I was also captivated by the dark blackberry bramble and citrus spritz of the 2007 Domaine Dujac – Clos de la Roche which had interesting baking spice and pepper on the mid-palate, leading into a long creamy finish. For me, two of the stellar whites of the day had to be the 2007 Domaine Leflaive – Puligny-Montrachet Les Pucelles 1er Cru and the 2007 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey – Meursault Perrieres 1er Cru. The Leflaive was enticing, smelling of fresh cut button mushrooms and sand with skyscraper-like structure in the mouth, all supported by endlessly tight and driving acidity. I cannot reproduce much of my Colin-Morey tasting note here because it is laced with so many profane superlatives, suffice to say that just thinking about the epic nature of the sliced starfruit I found on both the nose and palate, along with the wine’s awesome acidity, is still making my mouth water a week later.

                                  

La Paulee de San Francisco is fast approaching and, happily, we have our Grand Tasting tickets in hand! Created as an homage to the La Paulee de Meursault - a post-harvest celebration that brings together wine-growers, critics, and guests for 3 days of shared wine and food - the American version recreates the tradition each year in New York or San Francisco. This Saturday, March 13, we’ll be heading to this Burgundy extravaganza to sample the wines of top producers like Faiveley, Colin-Morey, and Dujac, in a line-up heavy on 2007s, along with a few ‘06s and ‘08s.  We’ll post our notes and impressions from the Grand Tasting and look forward to your comments as well.

Our VP of Sourcing and Sales, Ann Feely, will be representing Vinfolio at Saturday evening’s Gala Dinner, where guests pop the corks on trophy bottles tucked away for just such a “competitive” occasion. Live vicariously through her notes on the wines tasted, coming next week.

At the 2010 Tre Bicchieri tasting last week, Levi and I made sure not to miss a Tuscan rarity, the 100% Merlot Petrolo Galatrona. The 2006 version set the bar high, with 95- and 96-point ratings from The Wine Advocate and Wine Spectator, respectively. As 2006 was an extraordinary vintage for the region, this is not surprising. 2007 was a bit more challenging, but, according to Antonio Galloni’s vintage profile, the top producers came away with generous, approachable wines. In general, although they won’t have the long-term aging potential of the 2006s, they represent an excellent follow-up for more immediate enjoyment. Levi’s immediate impressions at the tasting really emphasize the wine’s youth. We look forward to trying it again upon release!

                                    

The 2010 Gambero Rosso Tre Bicchieri tasting, held last Wednesday, February 24th at Fort Mason in San Francisco, proved again why this is the don’t miss Italian wine event of the year. More than 100 of Italy’s finest producers were in attendance, pouring wines deemed worthy of “Three Glasses,” Gambero Rosso’s highest ranking. Representing the country’s many diverse regions, the featured wines offered the chance to taste side by side the 2005 and 2006 red vintages, and 2008 white vintage. Levi Hensel and I did the arduous work of sipping, tasting, and video blogging all afternoon, and bring you our overall impressions and favorites.

Vintage Impressions

2005 Amarone: Less extracted and lower alcohol than past vintages. Generally round mouthfeel without harsh tannin or excessive sweetness. Pleasant wines that will have wide appeal.

2005 Barolo: Great aromatics on the wines we tried. Floral, elegant and seductive; entirely different from the 2004s, whose concentration and strength were obvious from the start. On the palate, youthful tannins and higher acidities show promise for in-bottle development.

2006 Tuscany:  While some wines were a little closed or restrained, the quality here was obvious.  Great balance of concentrated fruit and structure, with remarkable persistence on the finish. 

Look for specific wine reviews and tasting videos coming later this week!

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!

   

I often get asked the question, “How do I learn more about wine?” The first thing I suggest is tasting as much as possible. Developing excellent sensory evaluation skills is paramount in wine education. Of course, the ideal scenario would be to travel to a noted wine region, make arrangements to visit an array of wineries, meet the winemaking staff, taste their selections and ask questions.

Unfortunately, many of us don’t have that luxury. However, your friendly retailer can offer the opportunity to expand your palate with regularly scheduled tastings. Boutique retailers and tasting bars are popping up everywhere, with all different specialties. With all these new opportunities, keeping yourself busy with tastings is a breeze!

Most retail tastings are open to the public and are quite reasonable on the pocketbook. Sampling a variety of wines in one venue is usually much more affordable than ordering a flight at a “shee shee” wine bar or restaurant. As a bonus, you get to take home a little education and in many cases have the opportunity to meet the import representative, winemaker or winery owner. If you’re lucky, the retailer might have a sampling of finger foods, cheese, bread and perhaps charcuterie.

May 1, 2008 marked an exciting new development for Vinfolio, Inc. as we launched our first in a series of public tasting events. This is not revolutionary, but for an online wine retailer, it is stepping out of the “e-box”, so to speak. Being exclusively online, we don’t often have the chance to meet and interact with our clients. This was the perfect setting to thank everyone for their loyal patronage.

Our downstairs neighbor, Coffee Bar, teamed up with us to co-host a “Global Discoveries”-themed event, featuring favorites from Cyrille Hanson’s “Tales of the Vine”. Twelve attractively priced gems from Europe and the Southern Hemisphere were showcased, generating tremendous excitement from attendees. It was the first time many had ever tasted an Italian Grechetto; Tempranillo from Toro, Spain; or a Montepulciano from Abruzzo, Italy, and senior staff members were on hand to field questions. Our first event was so successful that Coffee Bar’s upper lounge was packed to the gills; not surprisingly, everyone wanted to know when the next event would be.

We’re already busy setting up a more events for 2008 and the next tasting is coming up soon. Bay Area locals, save the date! We hope to see you on Thursday, June 12th for a tasting of California and Oregon Pinot Noir. More details to follow, but Doug Wilder, our California and Oregon buyer, will put together a lineup showcasing some of the brightest stars working with this ever-popular varietal. To learn more about the upcoming Pinot Event, contact David Ruvalcaba, Vinfolio Marketing Manager, at druvalcaba@vinfolio.com.

The Vinfolio Team hopes to see you at one of our tastings soon. In the meantime, don’t forget to exercise your palate on a regular basis!

The mind tends to wander towards Burgundy when thinking about 30 year old Chardonnays; divine Montrachet or Corton-Charlemagne is evoked. There are few opportunities in California for the same experience. At a tasting a few years back, a small group of wine junkies and aficionados had the opportunity to try 32-year-old California Chardonnay and Pinot in a three-decade vertical tasting. The event was hosted by the dedicated staff of Hanzell Vineyards and Winery in Sonoma, led by Winemaker Emeritus Bob Sessions and wife Jean Arnold.

The vineyards of this enduring and historically important wine estate were first planted in 1953. It took four leaves (years of vine growth) before the fruits of labor came forth to set a new standard for California whites. The first release of Hanzell Chardonnay was in 1957, long before boutique hand-crafting was identified as a necessity for honed finesse and refined maturity.

So, back to the tasting. I enjoy youthful Hanzell, young here defined as having spent only 10 years in bottle. A 10-year-old Hanzell shows medium gold hue with floral and often complex tropical notes, and is full-bodied with great acidity and balance. These wines are big. After 20 years, looking at an ’86, the Hanzell Chardonnay still retains floral hints and more ripe tropical notes, taking on more concentrated butterscotch and honey on the nose. At 30 years, specifically in the ’75, the wines are still full and rich, with tropical notes and more toasted hazelnut and butterscotch. A richer, more lengthy finish also rewards the patience of a true collector, with the ’75 still showing. It doesn’t get any better than this. Contact the winery before your next trip to California Wine Country. The property is breath-taking.   

The 2005 Hanzell Chardonnay ($65) is now on pre-arrival at Vinfolio. We anticipate receiving four cases at the beginning of May. Enjoy!!

    

 

Wow…two GREAT tastings in the span of 4 days.The first, La Paulee San Francisco – Grand Tasting, a Burgundian extravaganza, was held on Saturday, March 1st. This tasting showcased some of the top producers of Burgundy and their wines, mostly from the outstanding 2004 (white) & 2005 (red) vintages. The wines were sublime – definitely worth seeking out for your collection. The wine was poured by top sommeliers from around the country, and the food prepared by the who’s who of the San Francisco dining scene. I’ve already made my reservations for La Paulee next year when it returns to New York. I can’t recommend this tasting highly enough if you’re a fan of Burgundy wines or just want to learn more about them. My standout red of the tasting was the 2005 Domaine Jacques Frédéric Mugnier – Musigny.  It was showing beautifully in its youth, but I can only imagine what this wine will evolve into over the next 10-30 years.  My favorite white was the 2005 Domaine Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey - Corton-Charlemagne.  My tasting notes were simple – Intense, Rich, Apple, Vanilla, Lime, Mineral – awesome now…long life ahead.

                                       

 

Four days later, on Wednesday, March 5^th, Gambero Rosso put on a tasting event of current release Italian wines at the Herbst Pavilion-Ft. Mason in San Francisco. The vintages covered 2000 through 2006. I’ve tasted many wines from the Tuscany and Piedmont regions from the great 2000 and 2001 vintages, and have been more than impressed with the overall quality. I was extremely excited to taste the 2004s and see firsthand if they measured up to the hype. Short answer…THEY DID! The 2004s that I tried had incredible structure and balance, and they should not be missed!  Some of my favorites that Vinfolio currently stocks are:

2004 Felsina Berardenga - Chianti Classico Rancia Riserva, IWC 95 ($37)

2004 Felsina Berardenga - Fontalloro, IWC 94 ($44)

2004 Pupille - Saffredi, WS 97 ($109)

2004 Querciabella - Camartina,WA 95 ($87)

2004 Sette Ponti - Oreno,WS 95 ($65.95)

The premise of the tastings is to better educate the press, trade and the public on the state of Italian wine, and the great strives that have been made in the last decade. The events will be conducted in an open walk-around fashion with seminars led by industry experts. The upcoming San Francisco tasting will mark my fourth "Tre Bicchieri" event I have attended, although this year marks the first ‘Roadshow.’ The venue has become much better attended with an expanded regional representation. Furthermore, the sheer number of wines to be poured has doubled. This is a must-attend event to really appreciate the menagerie of native varietals from unknown regions. Classic regions such as Tuscany, Piedmont and Veneto will be showcased, but you will also expand your horizons by tasting wines from ancient growing regions from all corners of the country and neighboring islands. Expect to taste wines with regional personality that display a whole lot of soul and pedigree, from easy sipping value whites to limited reserve wines that are rarely poured stateside, and are highly allocated to the American market. I don't know any other Italian tasting that will be more informative and flavorful than this event.

San Francisco Tre Bicchieri Tasting
Wednesday, March 5th 2008
Herbst Pavillon - Fort Mason Center
Doors open for Press at 3:00 p.m.
General Admission 4:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Vinfolio has showcased several noted ‘Tre Bichieri’ winners in the past. Like Gambero Rosso’s mission, we also strive to secure and promote the best from Italy. A barrage of wineries has won multiple times over the years, and we are committed to sourcing these estates from both private collections and the Western European market.   

Below is a list of estates that we have had the pleasure of showcasing both their older and more recent releases.  

Piedmont: Gaja, La Spinetta, Elio Altare, Dominco Clerico, Giacomo Conterno, Matteo Correggia, Roberto Voerzio, Conterno Fantino, Aldo Conterno and Bruno Giacosa.

Tuscany: Fattoria di Felsina, Marchesi Antinori, Poliziano, Tenuta San Guido, Tenuta Fontodi, Isole e Olena, Tenuta dell’Ornellaia, Querciabella, Casanova di Neri, Castello dei Rampolla, Montevertine and Tua Rita.

Veneto: Allegrini, Romano Dal Forno and Giuseppe Quintarelli.

Last night Food & Wine celebrated the 10th anniversary of its American Wine Awards at the de Young Museum in San Francisco. Awards honored participants in the following categories: Winery of the Year (Long Shadow), Best Wines $20 and Under (seven selections), Wine Importer of the Year (Kermit Lynch), Best Wines Over $20 (eight selections), and Winemaker of the Year (Robert Foley). The event also featured food pairings from local restaurants and top chefs.

My favorite two wines of the evening were the 2006 Westerly Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc ($19) from Santa Ynez Valley and the 2003 Calera Pinot Noir Selleck Vineyard ($60) from Mt Harlan. The Sauvignon Blanc was among two white wines awarded in the category “Best Wines $20 and Under,” while the 2003 Calera Pinot Noir Selleck Vineyard was one of six red wines awarded in the category “Best Wines over $20.” Below are some of my notes as well as F&W’s recipes for suggested food pairings:

2006 Westerly Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc
This Sauvignon Blanc really impressed me for its intensity and complexity of the nose; it has a strong minerality and vibrant grapefruit aromas that might lead one to mistake it for Sancerre. The grapes here are sourced from the Happy Canyon in the southern portion of Santa Barbara’s Santa Ynez Valley. The wine’s vibrancy is likely derived from the Canyon’s contrast in diurnal temperatures, warm days and cool nights, which create a concentration of flavor in the grapes. The acidity on the palate gave me a pleasurable pucker as well as the long lasting flavors of citrus, limestone, and floral notes. This well-priced Sauvignon Blanc would pair excellently with the following foods:  

    * Grilled Antipasto with Garlicky Bean Dip
    * Frisée Salad with Baked Goat Cheese and Bacon
    * Provençal-Style Lemon Sole

2003 Calera Pinot Noir Selleck Vineyard
Josh Jensen’s Pinots never fail to catch my attention. This Pinot was no exception with its subtlety on the nose and palate, as well as its multi-layered texture displaying bright red fruits (cherry, plum, and currant) and sweet spice (cinnamon and cloves). As I have found with so many of Calera’s Pinots, this wine will surely age well for over a decade providing increased nuance and complexity to its bouquet as it develops over time. Below are F&W’s recipes for food pairings, my favorite being the Roast Guinea Hen. I think a Calera Pinot-Guinea Hen combination would be a great alternative to the typical Thanksgiving turkey dinner. Let me know if you try it!

    * Fresh Shell Bean Soup with Pistou
    * Roast Guinea Hens with Cumin-Date Sauce
    * Grilled Broccoli with Anchovy Dressing

On Saturday, June 9th I attended the fourth annual Golden Glass tasting event at the Fort Mason Herbst Pavilion in San Francisco.  This lively wine tasting event featured seventy Italian producers showcasing 130 Italian indigenous & regional wines, complimented by culinary delights from leading Bay Area restaurateurs and food producers. This educational event was a fundraiser for the Slow Food USA organization promoting biodiversity and the campaign to “Buy Fresh, Buy Local.”

Once inside the tasting, my tasting options were quite daunting. I, however, attempted to explore the room according to traditional tasting order beginning with sparkling wines, followed by the whites, and finishing with the reds (a method which was often foiled, of course, by sudden discoveries, but I can say that at least I tried). What I found most refreshing was that most of the producers were unfamiliar to me and thus provided lots of opportunity to try something entirely new. The four tables represented 17 of Italy’s wine regions grouped by the North East, North West, Central, and the South & Islands.

After considerable tasting, the following wines were my noted favorites:

• 2006 Pedres Vermentino di Gallura Jaldinu (Sardegna) – A crisp white that refreshes the palate and would a great starter to a summer meal. A good value too!
• 2005 Cantine Gran Furor Ravello Bianco (Campania) – Perhaps I am biased because I honeymooned on the Amalfi Coast, but this local blend of 60% Falanghina and 40% Biancolella really caught my notice. It was both elegant and simple, displaying flavors of citrus, green apple and almond.
• 2001 Fornacina Brunello Di Montalcino Riserva (Toscana) – In additional to the riserva, their regular Brunello was also excellent. Both wines showed classic Tuscan Sangiovese characteristics including dark cherry fruit, earthy tones and a long finish. The riserva had me coming back for more.
• 2001 Castello del Terriccio Lupicaia (Toscana) – This classy Supertuscan combined Terriccio’s best Cabernet and Merlot grapes to create a high caliber blend. The sensual, velvety texture of wine on the palate was riveting as well as the rich, dark berry fruit. The flavors here justify the existence of “cult” wines.
• 2004 Oasi degli Angeli Kurni (Marche) – This was an ultra dark, dense red wine made from old vine Montepulciano grapes grown in the Marche region. The flavors were more complex than expected from what is often considered a “rustic” grape. I was impressed by the wine’s concentration and amused by the name “Angel’s Oasis.”
• 2001 Milziade Antano Sagrantino di Montefalco “Colleallodole” (Umbria) – What first caught my attention was the drama of two Italian men pouring their dark wine through multiple decanters to make the flavors just right.  This kind of aeration makes sense since Sagrantino is known as one of the most tannic varieties found anywhere in the world. When finally able to take my first sip, I knew that I had found something special. The flavors were complex with definite blue chip appeal and a tannic structure to allow for long aging.

It would be remiss to ignore the alluring flavors from the local restaurants. These three were my most memorable treats:

• Kuleto’s warm, freshly made mozzarella balls drizzled in olive oil, with a salt garnish. – Wow, this cheese just melted in your mouth! This bite-sized starter was definitely a crowd pleaser, reminding me of the power of simple, but authentic Italian cuisine.
• A16’s roasted pork – A perfect pair with the red wines and scrumptious in its flavor.
• Quince’s peach soup – This dessert-like “soup” had the purest fruit flavor that I have ever tasted. It was the perfect palate cleanser and an excellent example of high quality flavor extracted from local fruit.

In conclusion, despite finding quality in all parts of the tasting, my favorite wines came from Italy’s central and southern zones - a kudos to the upcoming South! Furthermore, if after reading these wine reviews, you wish to continue your exploration of Italian wines, you can try some of the comparable selections I have chosen from Vinfolio’s inventory (by regions central to south):

Toscana
    2001 Banfi - Brunello di Montalcino ($50)
    2001 Poderina - Brunello di Montalcino Poggio Banale ($95)
    1990 Antinori – Tignanello ($199)
    2004 Brancaia - Il Blu ($72)
Umbria
    1998 Caprai, Arnaldo - Sagrantino di Montefalco 25 Anni ($74)
    2001 Fiorita Lamborghini – Campoleone ($49)
Lazio
    2005 Monastero Suore Cistercensi – Coenobium ($15)
    1998 Falesco – Montiano ($49)
Abruzzo
    2003 Ronchi, Umani - Montepulciano D'Abruzzo Jorio ($15)
Campania
    2001 Feudi di San Gregorio – Serpico ($79)
    2001 Montevetrano ($82)
Basilicata
    2003 Notaio - Rosato di Aglianico del Vulture Il Rogito ($17)