Return of the Rhone

The Rhone tasting calendar has been pretty quiet this fall.  Budget cuts?  An effect of the impending global wine shortage? (I'm not kidding, read about it in this Huffington Post article). Whatever the reason, there hasn't been a huge promotional push this season and I only conducted one tasting.  But, here are three for your Rhone portfolio.  Try them before France runs out of wine.

E. Guigal Cote du Rhone Blanc, 2011 (approx $15)  - The sole white in the tasting smelled of golden delicious apple, lemon zest and a hibiscus note to add a floral intrigue to the nose. On the palate, the citrus fruits, particularly line, brought a zesty freshness to the round and lush orchard.  Medium bodied and noticeably acidic, this wine brought something interesting to each sip.

Delas Saint-Esprit Cote du Rhone, 2011 (approx $13) - Sometimes simple is good.  Case in point: this easy, uncomplicated red. Bright strawberry and cherry were dominant right away, but a bit of white pepper gave it a spicy edge that kept it from being a total juice bomb. The body was on the lighter side but moderate acidity kept it in check.  There was a ping of bing cherry on the finish, just for fun.  This was very easy drinking and was light enough to be a good summer red (file that away!).  Food need not apply.

Famille Perrin Cote du Rhone Village, 2010 (approx. $14) - This last red was a fun contrast to the Delas.  Immediately, you could tell a difference in the fruit - tighter, small berried fruits, such as blackberry, were dominant on the nose, as opposed to the cheery cherries on the other. Earth and animal came through in a big way, along with some vegetal funkiness, and black pepper added a kick to the profile. On the palate, the tannins were much more prominent than in the Delas, as well as the acidity. There was almost a chewiness to the wine, but wasn't quite chewy as it was still a medium body rather than uber-full. 

Keep tasting, friends...

Health Check: My Collection

After a harrowing tasting of one of my bottles the other week, I've been very concerned about the state of the others.  Did I royally fuck them up via poor storage? Nervously, I brought two bottles over to my friend's apartment as refreshments for a photo shoot.  One white, one red.  How'd they fare?

Hermann J Wiemer, Magdalena Vineyard, Dry Riesling, Finger Lakes, 2011 - Yee-haw, this Riesling was just as amazing as when I first tried it over the summer.   It was all about the peach and apricot upon first sniff, but then limes and grapefruits came through, quickly followed by slate.  On the palate, it was like bushelfuls of orchard fruits had been dumped into the glass, but again, citrus to the rescue to keep it zesty.  Although it was classified as a dry Riesling, I did sense more residual sugar than anticipated. The high acid and viscous body gave it depth and interest and I'm sad that my sole bottle of this wine is gone. 

Domaine Anne & Jean-Francois Delorme, Mercurey, Burgundy, 2009 - This pinot noir started tight; I faintly detected blackberry, raspberry, a bit of plum and while the scents of soil and earth were apparent, the alcohol was rather prominent on the nose.  The first few sips didn't do much to boost my confidence; the alcohol was giving off some major heat and the whole thing tasted a bit flat.  Fuuuuuuccccckkkk. Luckily, it just needed a bit of time and air. As it evolved it became more lush and round on the palate.  The tannins and acid found they groove, giving the flowering fruits a richness to their flavor. I breathed a massive sigh of relief. 

I think they're going to pull through, but fingers crossed….

Arrigoni Private Wine Tasting

Forget April showers, the month was awash with tasting events. I capped off a busy week at the end of the month at a private tasting of wines by the producer Arrigoni. I met the very charming Davide at a Chianti tasting earlier in the week and he followed up with an invite to a private tasting a few days later. In addition to the reds featured at the grand tasting, they showcased some of their whites.  In total I tasted 6 wines but wanted to highlight 4 in particular and examine a pure Vermentino varietal to a blended one, as well as a classic Chianti to a 100% Sangiovese expression.

Colli Di Luni Vermentino DOC "La Cascina Dei Peri"
This Vermentino, blended with 5% Pigato, was a simple but accessible wine. Pear, kiwi and a ripe grapefruit appeared in this crisp white.  I've always felt Vermentino was overshadowed by the Pinot Grigio marketing machine; it is a very good Italian white that deserves more recognition.

Colli Di Luni Vermentino DOC "Vigna Del Prefeto"
This one is 100% Vermentino and one of my favorites from the tasting. The flavor profile was similar to the previous one but it showed a bit more complexity. There was a roundness and depth to it that kept me interested while sipping. The crisp acidity was still present but overall this wine had a few more embellishments than its simplified precursor.

Chianti Colli Senesi DOCG
A blend of Sangiovese, Malvasia Nera and Canaiolo (also known as petit verdot), this wine was exemplary of Chianti.  Ripe berries, licorice, earthy, and a little bit green. Fairly high in acid with pronounced, but integrated tannins, this was a very enjoyable red.

Chianti Colli Senesi DOCG "Poggio al Vento"
The final wine in the tasting was 100% Sangiovese. Cranberry, ash and oak were all immediately present, but the oak was not as well integrated as it should be and muscled through the crowd of tasting notes to become the dominant factor. Obviously, this wine was undeniably tannic, which might have held up well with some food but in this context, felt rather unbalanced in the glass.

Arrigoni currently does not have distribution in the U.S. but hopefully will get picked up soon. I'd love to have that Vigna Del Prefeto on the table for an alfresco summer dinner.

Keep tasting, friends...

An Ode to La Spinetta

One of wine's most important elements is its ability to evoke memories. We tend to gravitate towards particular wines not only for the way they taste but for the way they can transport one to a particular moment. You may remember that beautful bottle that was served on your birthday and now, whenever you see it on a menu, you may smile with recollection.  Or what about that bottle of rose that you drank at dinner on a beach vacation, overlooking the ocean?  I'm sure you are more apt to select that bottle over any other in a wine store.

La Spinetta wines hold that special memory for me.  With that first sip, I'm instantly transported to our first dinner on the patio at La Villa, our hotel in Piedmonte, on what was to become a pinnacle trip in my burgeoning passion for wine.  Sitting amongst the vineyard-covered hills, the setting sun alighting the mountain peaks like small volcanoes, I felt an ease and fluidity in my being I had never experienced before. The marriage of land and wine became a crystalized concept and I knew this was the beginning of a passionate journey.

Now, at a crossroads in my life, La Spinetta brought me back to a place of peace. Recently, Eataly hosted a tasting of four La Spinetta wines, including a first vintage rose. Tasting through these, I was transported to that moment of happiness, felt in its purest form
.

Langhe Bianco, Sauvignon Blanc, 2009 ($46.80)
This was a gorgeous, old-world style sauv blanc, a must-drink alternative to the popular Italian pinot grigio. A bit pricey, yes, but it oozed character. Green apple, citrus and a brisk minerality announced themselves right away on the nose and palate. The acid, high and bright, was somehow tempered by a softness and roundness that is often found in Sancerre. I adore this wine.

Il Rose di Casanova, 2012 ($14.80)
This was their premier effort at rose and I hope they continue production. This wine came from their Tuscany estate and was 50% Sangiovese/50% Prugnolo Gentile. More Provence in style than the full-bodied deep Rosatos of Italy, this one had fresh-picked wildflowers, light cherry, strawberry fields and an overall brightness. Again, there was a good amount of acid on this fresh vino. Summer, where are you already?

Ca' Di Pian, Barbera, 2009 ($27.80)
Looking back at old posts, I'm shocked I haven't written about this one yet, considering it's offered by the half bottle at many wine bars in the city and I drink it all the time. At any rate, this is what I consider to be a textbook example of a good Barbera. On the nose, black cherry, plum and violets give way to cherry, raspberry and a solid earthiness on the palate. Again, acid is very prominent and some moderate tannins. Classic, classic, classic.

Vigneto Bordini, Barbaresco, 2005 ($53.80)
This was a lighter, refined style of Barbaresco. Violets, cranberry and an almost strawberry note wafted in the glass, layered with tones of chocolate. On the palate, the cranberry was even more noticeable, along with well-structured tannins and acidity. This is a barbaresco that I think could be sipped on by itself, along with being a great food wine.

Dedicated to S.P.

Lebanese, Please

By now, I've preached my most fundamental tasting mantra, "drink what you like," enough times to put an om-chanting yogi to shame.  However, in times when I'm exploring an unfamiliar wine region, "pair like with like" and matching a wine with its country of origin is a great gateway to something new.

A recent dinner brought my friend and I to Almayass, a Lebanese/Armenian restaurant with branches across the the Middle East.  I'm not very familiar with Lebanese wines but this seemed like an opportune time to give one a go.

Ksara Blanc de Blancs, Sauvignon Blanc. Semillion, Chardonnay blend, Bekaa Valley, 2011

(head shot)

 The first thing that struck me about this wine was the fluted bottle.  Based on presentation alone, I wondered if this wine would resemble a Riesling, which is traditionally bottled in this shape.

(full body shot)

Riesling?  Not quite. Instead, this medium-bodied white had a honeysuckle, floral and almost honeycomb-like nose, balanced by some tropical fruit.  Very faint but still present was a bit of minerality, most likely due to the soils in the vineyard, a nice counterbalance to the luscious topnotes.

On the palate, much of what came through on the nose also appeared, but there was an unctuousness that I found very appealing, while still being rather elegant. I really dug this weird vino.

Hummus, let me introduce you to your new friend...

Philanthropically Drinking

(This post is a little delayed, let's call it fashionably late)

"Fuggedaboudit." "Get outta hee-ah."  "No soup for you!"

New Yorkers have notorious reputations for being brusque, abrasive and downright rude.  However, in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, the entire city took on an attitude of "How can I help?" At its  core, New York is really a series of small towns: communities bonded through proximity, hobbies, or vocation.  When your neighbors suffer, you want to provide relief and restore a sense of normalcy.

The restaurant and bar industry immediately mobilized to help establishments that were felled by the Hurricane.  Among the benefits and fundraisers, one in particular caught my eye.  Ardesia, a favorite wine bar, was offering a taste of 6 of their favorite wines for $30, all proceeds benefiting Liftsall.org, a nonprofit organization.  In addition, they were donating a proceed of sales of their NY-style soft pretzels to the nonprofit.  Their craveworthy pretzels and a wine tasting?   Calendars marked!

The Whites
Jurancon Sec, Chant des Vignes, Domaine Cauhape, Jurancon France 2011
The wine opened with peach, white blossoms and honeysuckle on the nose.  However, the palate showcased green apple, lemon and quite a bit of minerality.   I don't often drink such floral, aromatic wines as my nose tricks my brain into thinking I'm going to end up sipping a bridesmaid's bouquet, but this wine had a decent amount of acid and a dry finish, making it really enjoyable.

Albarino, Valdemonxes, Rias Baixas Spain 2011
I adore Albarinos and this one was no exception. It smelled of lime and slate with notes of  green apple, mineral, and lemon peel revealing themselves as I sipped. It was smooth, despite the noticeable acid, and even my friend, who almost exclusively drinks red wine, praised this one.

Ribolla Movia, Brda Slovenia 2008
Slovenian wines are completely uncharted territory for me so this was going to be an adventure.  The wine was slightly orange in color, not as deep as the "orange wines" that have been gaining popularity, but definitely outside of the deep-gold-to-pale-lemon spectrum.   Green apple and baking spices appeared immediately but were joined, almost overwhelmed, with butter and oak.  It reminded me of those bold California chardonnays that I dislike and I had a hard time getting through this glass.

The Reds
Marcel Lapierre "Raisins Gaulois" Vin de France 2011
What November wine tasting would be complete without a Beaujolais? This one was a classic, straightforward example.  Light bodied and fruit-driven, cherry and plum played around in the glass on on the tongue.   It's like conversational small talk: simple, easy and comfortable.

Tinhof "Blau+Red" Burgenland Austria 2009
This wine, a blend of Blaufrankisch and Zweigelt,  was a delicious and intriguing pour.  Cherry, plum, earth and a bit of green pepper aromas appeared on the nose.  First sips juicy sips gave way to spinach and tobacco notes, with a long finish that seemed to circle back to black cherry.  I kept going back to this one as I kept discovering something new as the wine opened in the glass.

Shiraz/Grenache/Mourvedre-Kaesler "Stonehorse" Barossa Valley Australia 2008
What happens when a Cote du Rhone blend goes on a beach vacation?  You get this New World red.
Up front, it was super jammy with scents of blueberry and stewed fruits, along with chocolate and  tobacco.  In the mouth, fig jam and stewed fruits were balanced with pronounced but well-integrated tannins and tobacco.  This wine had a lot of heft and body and was a delicious conclusion to the tasting.

The Home Depot of Tasting Flights

In general, I'm not very DIY.   I'm in awe of the Etsy culture and the general level of skill many people possess when it comes to crafting.  Woodwork, jewelry making, print making - definitely not my forte.  The expansion of store chains like Lowes and Home Depot has me confounded.  Home renovation projects?  Forget it.

However,  one of our favorite neighborhood bars offers various tasting flights that rotate on themes throughout the year.  Even better?  They offer all their wines by the glass as a "taste" pour, which lets me build my own tasting flights. Now THIS is definitely something I can create.  Am I feeling like I want to dig deeper into New World whites?  I can build a flight for that!

Side observation: In general, flights are built around a tasting of three different wines.   I find it rather funny and also ponder why,  given the opportunity to build my own flight, I stay within the psychological constraints of three tastes, even though the options are limitless. However, I'm not aware of any standards regarding the number of flights I order (I jest, I jest).

On this visit, I didn't have any particular agenda in mind and built my flights based on whatever looked intriguing:

Flight #1
Dirler-Cade,"Cuvee Vielles Vignes" Sylvaner, Alsace, France, 2010 -  Strong notes of minerality, slate, pear and citrus announced themselves on the nose and followed through on the palate.  Refreshing amounts of acid gave this opener some zing. This was a great start to the flight.

Cantina Ericina, "Erice," Nero D'Avola, Sicily, Italy, 2009 - Blueberry and other berry fruits came through, along with earth and black pepper spice.  Tobacco notes  finished off this medium bodied southern Italian red.  I think this one will really shine with a little bit of aging.

Cadence, "Coda," Bordeaux Blend, Red Mountain, Washington, 2009 - Concentrated with deep berry fruits and intensely earthy, this was definitely a heavy-hitter. Along with all the soil,  black cherry and almost Robitussin-like notes came through on the lengthy finish.  I'm fascinated that  this blend came from Washington State and wish I had a French Bordeaux for a compare-and-contrast exercise.

Flight #2 
Jean-Philippe Fichet, Bourgogne Aligote, France, 2011 - Aligote is a minor player in the Burgundian landscape and is often used to produce sparkling wines rather than flat wines.  Seeing one on the menu definitely piqued by interest.   Slate, minerals and citrus all shone in the palate.  It was actually reminiscent of the Domaine Faiveley Montagny I wrote about previously and although there was something a bit simpler about the Aligote, it was still highly enjoyable.

Katogi Averoff, Thessaly, Xinomavro, Greece, 2007 -  Red berries were countered with twiggy notes and a little bit of ash, but the berries flowed throughout the entire sip.   Medium body with a bit of acidity, this showcased how Greek wines are truly evolving in quality.

Mourre du Tendre, "Classique," Rhone Blend, Cote du Rhone, France  2005 - Still on a Cote du Rhone kick, I had to add one to the flight.  It was a classic Rhone with blueberry, raspberry and plum fruits. Earthiness and green pepper  rounded out this medium-bodied, easy drinking wine.

Bonus
Lingot-Martin Cerdon de Bugey, Savoie, France, N.V.   This one was actually part of my boyfriend's flight, but I couldn't resist writing a note about it. This sparkling wine was a ruby color and rich, mousse-y bubbles were in the Champagne style of sparkling wines.  What immediately came to mind?  Yep, Ruinart Rose. On the palate, however, this was a completely different wine.  It was akin to eating a basket of raspberries and instead of finishing dry, a fruit sweetness lingered.  I see this as a good apertif to a meal.

Keep sipping....

24 Hours of Cote Du Rhone - Part 1

Unfortunately, not 24 hours IN Cote Du Rhone.  I'm still in Manhattan, trying to navigate the post-Sandy city.   There is a huge divide at 40th Street, where downtown is living in apocalyptic darkness and chaos while uptown buzzes about nearly unperturbed. Beyond more crowding in bars from the influx of downtown refugees and some transportation challenges, life hums along in northern Manhattan. As comfortable as I am at my friends' place, the gridlock, stalled subways and gas shortages (read:  no taxis) is starting to wear on me.

(photo courtesy of New York magazine)

I was scheduled to conduct a wine tasting on Saturday and luckily was able to pick up a last-minute job for Friday as well.  The tastings were for Cote Du Rhone wines so I immersed myself in the region for a couple of nights.  Let's just call it vacation in a bottle.

Like any good vacation, you want to prolong your time, so let's linger on the first day.  Friday's tasting showcased 3 wines:

Gallician Prestige Rose Costieres de Nimes 2011
This bright rose had strawberry and cherry on nose and the fruit followed through on the palate with a long, dry finish and a good amount of acidity.  It was a more robust, medium-bodied rose than the pale pink or salmon sippers that appear in everyone's glasses during the summer, making it ideal for the cooler weather.  This one can stand on its own but wouldn't get lost if paired with food.

Cote du Rhone Vidal Fleury 2007
This grenache/syrah/mourvedre blend, a pretty classic Cote Du Rhone composition, had ripe raspberry, strawberry and cherry aromas that lead the way for the same berry juiciness up front on the palate, followed by spicy black pepper, earth and a bit of tobacco.  Like many Cote du Rhones, it was a rather light-bodied red. This guy had quite a bit of acidity and was a bit more astringent than I usually like, but it was still quaffable.

Domaine Galevan Cote du Rhone 2010 
Grenache/mourvedre/carignan - no syrah here! - was a fun comparison to the Vidal Fleury.  It started again with that ripe berry bouquet but unlike the Fleury, it was rounder in the mouth with softer tannins.  There were more pronounced tones of earth and tobacco, but the absence of the spiciness was noticeable.

Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures, so for now, let's just pretend the airline lost my luggage with my camera....

Greek, Dry and Sweet

Hurricane Sandy's wrath relocated me from power-poor downtown to the Upper East Side.  Air mattress and significant other in tow, we hunkered down at our friends' apartment for a few days until lights and heat were restored.  Four people for one bathroom can definitely be a challenge and we wanted to thank them for their generous hospitality, so we took them to dinner at Yefsi, a Greek restaurant near their place.

I think Greek wines are highly underrated. There are some really great winemakers out there creating some very interesting dry wines, not to mention the caliber of dessert wines that are produced.  Excited to share this region with friends, we opted for an Argyros Assyrtiko Atlantis 2011.   Notes of lemon, lime, pineapple and mineral aromas swirled around in the glass.  With the first sip, this dry white brought the same flavors to the palate, while the high acidity felt crisp and tingly on the tongue.  Medium bodied, the wine held up to the food but was still easy to sip in between courses.

Empty bottles, empty plates.  We were getting ready to pay the bill when the hostess brought over a surprise treat - four glasses of Samos Kourtaki dessert wine.  This Muscat delighted all of us, even the ones at our table who claimed an aversion to sweet wines. The full, but not syrup-y, body dripped with honey and ripe peach juices while essences of almond, vanilla and orange blossom exhibited different layers and forms of sweetness.  My inner dessert fiend, previously lamenting the lack of dessert on our order, was immediately silenced with each sip.

Completely satiated, we headed out into the (well-lit) night, grateful for our wonderful friends and everyone's well-being.

Spain's Great Match Event

Wednesday night brought Spain's Great Match to NYC.  This was truly one of the better wine events I've been to with good producers and wines being offered along with the one aspect that tends to be lacking at these tastings - food!  There were about 10 restaurants offering tastes and in the tradition of Spanish cuisine, I had a great "tapas dinner" comprised of the little plates from places like Casa Mono, Tertulia, Socarrat, Baracca, Boqueria and other NYC favorites.  But, onto the wine...

There was a few familiar favorites being poured along with some great new discoveries.  After tasting through the tables, here are some of the highlights:

Best Sparkler

Sabartes Brut Rosado, Bodegues Sumarroca, DO Cava

This deeply pigmented cava has the same mousse-y texture as my beloved Ruinart Rose champagne.  However, on the palate, this wine has prominent berry notes and is more fruit-driven then the Ruinart.  Strawberry, cherry and raspberry all strongly sing on the tongue. What you sip is what you get, though; this wine is fairly straighfoward and lacks complexity, but it's very juicy and refreshing.  

Best White

Serra Da Estrela Albarino, DO Rias Baixas

This Albarino is a bit lighter in body than other Albarinos I tasted, but there was a slight effervescence that was reminiscent of a Vino Verde.  Crisp, with green apple and grassy notes, balanced with a little bit of pear, this wine makes me long for a summer day on the beach.

Best In Show

Luis Canas Reserva Seleccion de la Familia 2004, DOCa Rioja

Ooooh baby, come to mama.  I could drink this Rioja for days.  On the nose there was notes of blackberry, ripe raspberry and hints of stewed, almost jammy fruits with some oak and earthiness coming into play.  On the palate, this full-bodied stunner has the same prominent fruit notes that were on the nose, but pronounced and round tannins gave this wine body and balance.  A long finish is like a lingering look from a lover and makes you want to return for more. 

The entire Luis Canas portfolio was actually pretty spectacular: 

Not a dud in the bunch and I think it's safe to say this table was best in show. 

Keep sipping.....

My Kind of Chardonnay

I don’t drink a lot of Chardonnay.  Because it’s one of the most widely planted white varietals, it’s often a crapshoot finding a terroir or viniculture technique that produces a Chardonnay I really like.  To oak or not to oak?  Honestly, I don’t always want to taste it to find out the answer. 

However, I was recently introduced to a Chardonnay that I’ve nicknamed The Game Changer.  The time: A Thursday night. The place: A new neighborhood wine bar.  The wine: Domaine Faiveley Montagny.

 My palate was a bit bored from all the rose I had been drinking over the summer and I wanted to venture out. 

“Chardonnay?”  I replied skeptically when the bartender offered me a taste.

“Just try it,”  was the response.

Well, hey now.  This was quite something else.  A white burgundy, green apple and pear on the palate with the slightest bit of nuttiness or biscuit on the nose.  On the palate it was clean and crisp, rather acidic and with good minerality.  There was still a bit of pear, but is that a bit of a citrus fruit I’m getting as well?  Now this was a revelation!  All those tree-licking oaky chardonnays and their butter-churning siblings are running scared.  

I’m still a Chardonnay skeptic (there have been a few chardonnay mishaps since), but after tasting this wine, I’m intrigued by what else this grape is capable of.  

Keep tasting….