Island Wines: Long Island Edition

Posted on September 7, 2015 by Tracy

There is something special about visiting an island. The discrete borders, the intimate setting and the separation from the mainland all conspire to conjure images of a serene paradise. It’s why “Island Getaway” makes a much better headline than “Landlocked Getwaway”!

This summer, I had the pleasure of visiting several different islands, either in body (Long Island) or in spirit (Sicilia and Santorini), open to their charms through the lovely wines that are produced on each.

Close to home (aka New York City), Long Island provides a welcome refuge for city dwellers, with its beaches, farms and vineyards. We returned to the region after a two-year, accidental hiatus, stopping at some of our favorites for a brief refresher and to stock up our cellar, which we were about to deplete as a consequence of hosting our Meet, Meat & Merlot dinner, featuring a selection of aged Long Island Merlots.

The four-course dinner, held at our apartment, was an excellent opportunity to see how Long Island Merlot can develop with time. All of the wines, from the youngest at 12 years old (2003) to the oldest at 23 (1992), proved the point in spades. Between the chaos of cooking an elaborate menu and hosting 11 guests, I admittedly did not take notes on the wines, but the menu and wine selection are listed below.

Tasting notes for the various wines we tasted during our two-day visit to both the North Fork and The Hamptons AVAs are also included below.

Meet, Meat & Merlot Dinner Menu & Wines
Amuse Bouche: Frico Cheese Crisps with Hungarian Paprika

Wild Caught Salmon Sliders with Sage on Crispy Potato “Buns”
Shinn Estate Vineyards Estate Merlot 2003, North Fork of Long Island, USA
Shinn Estate Vineyards Six Barrels Reserve Merlot 2002, North Fork of Long Island, USA

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Coq au Vin 8 Hands Farm Organic Chicken Breast with Cipollini Onions & Mushrooms Lenz Estate Selection Merlot 2001, North Fork of Long Island, USA
Lenz Estate Selection Merlot 2000, North Fork of Long Island, USA

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Beef Wellington Organic Beef Tenderloin with Mushroom Duxelles and Foie Gras in Puff Pastry served with North Fork Squash and Sugar Snap Peas
Macari Vineyards, Bergen Road 1997, North Fork of Long Island, USA
Rivendell, Merlot 1990, North Fork of Long Island, USA
Rivendell, Merlot 1992, North Fork of Long Island, USA

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Dessert
Briermere Farms Raspberry & Peach Pie and
Briermere Farms Gooseberries and Wickham’s Farm Cherries

MACARI VINEYARDS
Macari Sauvignon Blanc 2014, North Fork of Long Island (NY), USA, $23.00
This wine is fresh and bright, with crisp citrus, a hint of green apple and long length.

Macari Dos Aguas Blanc 2013, North Fork of Long Island (NY), USA, $27.00
A blend of Chardonnay, Riesling, Viognier and Sauvignon Blanc. The intense nose displays aromas of lush pear and tropical fruit, both of which persist on the palate.

Macari Sauvignon Blanc No. 1 2013, North Fork of Long Island (NY), USA, $27.00 Macari has been actively experimenting with the use of concrete eggs and 60% of this wine was fermented in one. Compared to the regular Sauvignon Blanc, it was much rounder with lots of orange peel aromas and flavors.

Macari Cabernet Franc Lightforce 2013, North Fork of Long Island (NY), USA, $N/A
This wine was also fermented and aged in a concrete vessel. It was fresher and lighter than regular Cabernet Franc, but still very Cab Franc in its characteristics, with beautiful earth and mushroom notes.

Macari Merlot Reserve 2010, North Fork of Long Island (NY), USA, $36.00
From the near perfect 2010 vintage, this wine is absolutely gorgeous with rich notes of coffee and black cherry, culminating in long length.

LENZ ESTATE
Lenz Estate Blanc de Noir Rosé 2013, North Fork of Long Island (NY), USA, $22.00
A light and pleasing rosé with fresh strawberry and slight herbal notes on the nose and palate.

Lenz Estate Old Vine Gewürztraminer 2010, North Fork of Long Island (NY), USA, $30.00
More floral than spice, this dry Gewurztraminer is quite elegant with nice acidity.

Lenz Estate Malbec 2011, North Fork of Long Island (NY), USA, $35.00
With intense and concentrated aromas of smoke, mulberry and blue fruit, this wine is more restrained on the palate, with elegant flavors of spice and blue fruit.

Lenz Estate Old Vines Cabernet Sauvignon 2002 North Fork of Long Island (NY), USA, $NA
This wine was showing some development with complex aromas and aromas of red fruit, black fruit and some meatiness. On the dry palate, it displayed ripe and concentrated flavors of blackberry, coffee and slight cedar; lovely.

McCALL WINES
McCall Pinot Noir 2012, North Fork of Long Island (NY), USA, $28.00
This wine offers fresh, bright fruit with notes of cherries, herbs and earth.

McCall Pinot Noir Hillside 2013, North Fork of Long Island (NY), USA, $39.00
This Pinot Noir is more complex and intense than the entry-level wine, with more meaty and spice notes.

McCall Merlot Reserve 2010, North Fork of Long Island (NY), USA, $30.00
This pretty and elegant wine displays rich black cherry aromas that pervade the palate as well.

McCall Ben’s Blend 2010, North Fork of Long Island (NY), USA, $54.00
Bringing together, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, this Bordeaux-style blend provides velvety tannins and nice complexity with gorgeous black fruit aromas and flavors.

CHANNING DAUGHTERS
Channing Daughters Tocai Mudd Vineyard 2012 North Fork of Long Island (NY), USA, 24.00
A combination of minerality and salinity greet the nose, while the palate is rewarded with apple and mineral notes and long length.

Channing Daughters Rosato di Refosco 2014, The Hamptons (NY), USA, $20.00 This rosé is distinctly herbal with sour cherry and a hint of salinity that lingers throughout the finish.

Channing Daughters Envelope 2011, The Hamptons (NY), USA, $42.00
Produced from 62% Chardonnay, 28% Gewurztraminer and 10% Malvasia Bianca, which were co-fermented with ambient yeast on the skins, this wine offers up pronounced aromas of floral and spice. This wine is rich, with concentrated fruit flavors of floral and pear on the palate.

Channing Daughters Ribolla Gialla 2013, The Hamptons (NY), USA, $35.00
This wine displays rich aromas of honey and marzipan. Its palate is dry with flavors of honey and white flowers.

Channing Daughters Sculpture Garden 2011, The Hamptons (NY), USA, $30.00
A blend of Merlot, Teroldego and Blaufrankisch, this wine spent 22 months in oak and 18 months in bottle before release. It has soft tannins, with notes of cherries, cocoa, and spice, which persist through the long finish.

NB: While I don’t have precise tasting notes, we absolutely adored Channing’s range of VerVino Vermouths.

WÖLFFER ESTATE
Wölffer Estate Noblesse Oblige Extra Brut Sparkling Rosé 2011, The Hamptons (NY), USA, $54.00
This elegant sparkling wine was very yeasty on the nose, with flavors of berries and cream on the palate.

Wölffer Estate Rosé 2014, Long Island (NY), USA, $18.00
Considered among the official rosés of the Hamptons, this fresh, Provencal-style rose is the perfect wine for summer with its purity of melon and berry fruit and refreshing acidity.

Wölffer Estate Summer in a Bottle 2014, Long Island (NY), USA, $24.00
This white blend offered up ripe, lush fruit with flavors of floral, peach and pear.

Grapes of Roth Dry Riesling 2014, Long Island (NY), USA, $26.00
Produced by Wölffer’s winemaker and partner Roman Roth, this is classic Riesling with citrus, slight pith, mineral, just a hint of off-dry sweetness on the attack.

Wölffer Estate Descencia Botrytis Chardonnay 2012, Long Island (NY), USA, $40.00
A late-harvest Chardonnay dessert wine with medium-sweetness, this wine is beautifully balanced by its bright acidity along with notes of honey, spice and Asian pear, culminating in long length.

Drink Wisely and Well – A Fresh Look at France issue

Posted on September 4, 2015 by Tracy

A Re-introduction to Roussillon

Posted on August 28, 2015 by Tracy

I first visited Roussillon in 2001, but it wasn’t until I started studying wine in 2005 that I truly became acquainted with the wines of this region. Several recent tastings re-introduced these wines to me, reminding me that their diversity, quality and appealing price points make them worthy of renewed interest.

Admittedly, a large portion of production is handled by large co-operatives, but co-op is no longer a four letter word around here. In fact, today, many of the cooperatives function more like custom-crush facilities than the typical co-op of yesteryear. Plus, many small family wineries also exist, such as the Nadal family of Château Nadal Hainaut, whom I met at the Wines of Roussillon’s Roussillon Day in New York.

I also had the pleasure of meeting husband and wife team, Dominque and Claude Ortal, at the same walk-around tasting and took an instant liking to the friendly couple who have guided Clos Saint Georges and its related brands (Château de Canterrane, Collections Emotion d’Oc and others) since 1970. Their property is scattered among seven towns within the Aspres area of Languedoc-Roussillon. I also took an instant liking to their wines.

Another immediate “crush” at the tasting was Jean Boucabeille, winemaker for Domaine Boucabeille, a 28-hectare estate, situated due east of Perpignan. Unfortunately, at the time of the tasting, my new “boyfriend” didn’t have U.S. representation, but I really enjoyed his wines and hope he made a successful match in finding someone to bring them in soon.

While I didn’t get the chance to meet all of the producers whose wines I tasted, I was generally impressed with the region’s refreshing rosés; its eager embrace of indigenous varieties; and its rich and decadent dessert wines. There were also some very interesting dry whites and reds, which were a welcome change. I also had the opportunity to taste a number of these wines with a colleague who works for an importer heavy with this region.

If you are not already familiar with these wines, I urge you to become acquainted. Your palate will thank me!

WHITE WINES
Emotion d’Oc, Cuvée de Paul-Muscat Sec 2012, IGP d’Oc, France, $NA
Made from Muscat grapes usually reserved for the production of fortified whites, this wine offered up exotic fruit aromas yet was dry, with ripe fruit character on the palate. Very pleasing.

Terrassous, Muscat Sec 2014, IGP Cotes Catalanes, France, $14.00
Another dry Muscat, this wine was nice with more limited fruit expression and an interesting waxy texture on the palate.

Domaine Treloar, One Block Muscat 2013, IGP Pays d’Oc, France, $10.00
Rounding out the discussion of dry Muscats, this selection was richly layered with lots of depth and a similar waxy texture.

La Noble Chardonnay 2013, IGP Pays d’Oc, France, $12.00
This brand works with small producers and local co-ops to source fruit from Limoux. The wine is an unoaked version of the ubiquitous grape, which I was hesitant to try, but was duly rewarded with fresh citrus and melon fruit aromas and flavors, medium+ acidity, medium+ body and long length.

Le Cirque Grenache Gris 2012, IGP Cotes Catalanes, France, $18.00
This 100% Grenache Gris is produced solely in stainless steel by a modern cooperative, Les Vignerons de Tautavel Vingrau, which serves more as a custom crush facility than as an old-fashioned co-op. Nicely textural with waxy notes and aromas of pear and melon, the wine is dry on the palate with ripe pear, slight apple and melon, medium acid and medium body.

Chateau de Lancyre, Roussanne 2012, IGP Monferrand, France, $22.00
This wine was one of my favorite discoveries. The Durand and Valentin families purchased the estate in 1970, taking on a 16th century chateau situated on the ruins of a 12th century fortress, with winemaking records that date to 1550. Today, they own 135 acres of vineyards planted to local varieties close to the Pic St. Loup area. The wine is made with 90% Roussanne spiked with some Viognier and Marsanne and displays aromas of flowers and marzipan, which persist on the dry, medium- to full-bodied palate. Just beginning to show some development, this wine can age well, becoming more complex and weighty with time.

Domaine Boucabeille, Terrasses 2014, Cotes du Roussillon, France, €NA
A blend of Grenache Blanc and Macabeo, this wine was fresh, fruity and complex on both the nose and palate, culminating in long length.

Domaine Boucabeille, Les Orris Blanc 2013 Cotes du Roussillon, France, €27.00
Bringing together 60% Grenache Blanc and 40% Rousanne, this wine was distinctly floral and mineral, with some spice and pear notes lingering in the finish.

Mas de Lavail, Terre d’Ardoise Old Vine Carignan Blanc 2014, IGP Cotes Catalanes, France, $14.00
A unique wine given its white color and production from a deeply pigmented red variety. Fresh and clean with white flowers, this is a very food friendly wine.

Domaine Cazes Le Canon du Marechal Blanc 2014, IGP Cotes Catalanes, France, $11.00
Not surprising given the 60% Muscat-40% Viognier blend, this wine is extremely aromatic with floral and exotic fruit aromas. Its dry palate, medium+ body, offered up depth and complexity with floral, melon and mineral flavors and long length.

Domaine Vacquer, Esquisse 2014, IGP Cotes Catalanes, France, $14.00
This blend of 40% Roussane, 40% Macabeo and 20% Grenache Blanc was fresh and clean with melon, pear and spice notes.
ROSÉ WINES
Le Pot du Clos, Rosé 2014, IGP Pays d’Oc, France, $NA
This was very fresh with good acidity, medium body and flavors of melon and berry fruit; really lovely.

Domaine Cazes, Le Canon Rosé 2014, IGP Cotes Catalanes, France, $11.00
Produced from a blend of Syrah and Mourvèdre, this rosé was more Provençal in style than the others I tasted, with slight berry fruit on the nose and palate.

Domaine Vacquer, L’Ephémère Rosé 2014, Cotes du Roussillon, France, $14.00
Produced from a blend of 1/3 each: Carignan, Grenache Noir and Syrah, this wine was subdued, but elegant, with mineral, melon and long length.

Penya, Rosé 2014, IGP Cotes Catalanes, France $11.00
Cooperative Penya is located in the French Catalan area, just north of Spain. The 96% Grenache Noir and 4% Syrah blend, produced from vines with an average age of 25-35 years displays aromas of under-ripe strawberry and slight herbs on the nose. It is dry, but with a hint of sweetness on the attack, with crisp acidity and a clean finish.

RED WINES
Penya, Rouge 2013, IGP Cotes Catalanes, France $10.00
An unoaked blend of 50% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 15% Carignan and 5% Mourvèdre, this wine offers up intense berry aromas on the nose with herbs; dry rich, concentrated berries, dried herbs, good acidy, really nice.

Domaine Vaquer, Cuvée Bernard 2012, IGP Cotes Catalanes, France $20.00
Another one of my top picks! The Vaquer family has owned the property for more than 100 years. Bernard Vaquer, for whom this wine is named, passed away in 2001; the 25-hectare, high altitude property is currently managed by his wife, Frederique, who was born and raised in Burgundy. Bringing together 33% each of Syrah, Grenache and Carignan, aromas of red fruit and herbs greet the nose. On the palate, it is quite elegant, with medium+ body; medium tannins; cherry, berry and herbal flavors; and long length.

Domaine Cabirau Serge & Nicolas 2012, Maury Sec, France $22.00
From one of the newer Roussillon appellations, this wine is a blend of 60% Grenache, 28C% Syrah and 12% Carignan. The 13.5-acre property was purchased by Hand Picked Selections President, Dan Kraitz, with this wine named for the vineyard manager – Serge Soulatge – and winemaker – Nicolas Burger – who are responsible for assisting Dan in crafting this wine. The wine was aged for 5 months in large oak vats yielding intense and concentrated fruit, with notes of smoke and herbs. It is dry with a sweet attack of red fruit, with medium acidity, medium+ body and lovely freshness that pervades the palate.

Domaine de l’Edre, L’Edre 2011, Cotes du Roussillon Villages, France $30.00
A blend of 46% Syrah, 26% Grenache, 19% Carignan and 9% Mourvèdre, this wine is produced at the extremely low yield of only 1.27 tons/acre from a sustainably grown vineyard in Vingrau, jointly farmed by friends Jacques Castany and Pascal Dienunidou. This wine is produced in two versions – unoaked and oaked. Aromas of berries and pomegranate dominate the nose and palate, it is very polished and focused. The dry palate offers medium+ acidity with bramble fruit and juicy berries and ripe, rich tannins.

Domaine de l’Edre, L’Edre 2010, Cotes du Roussillon Villages, France $30.00
A nearly identical production to the wine above, but this time aged in oak (12 months in 2nd use French oak barrels), this wine displays a slight aroma of oak on nose, joined by blackberry and leather. The full-bodied palate shows well-integrated oak, rich black fruit and long length; really beautiful.

FORTIFIED WINES
Clos Saint Georges Muscat de Rivesaltes Cuvée Eva 2014, Rivesaltes, France, $15.00
Offering lovely, floral aromas, this wine is nicely balanced, with slight licorice and anise notes in the finish.

Domaine Treloar Muscat de Rivesaltes 2013, Rivesaltes, France, $14.00
This wine is so beautifully balanced that its sweetness is almost imperceptible at first. Mineral and anise notes linger in the long length.

Domaine Boucabeille Rivesaltes Ambré Hors d’Age, Rivesaltes, France, €27.00
A vin doux rancio wine, it is showing some initial development, with lots of spice on the nose and palate.

Domaine Cazes Rivesaltes Ambré 1997, Rivesaltes, France $30.00
Produced from Grenache Blanc, this wine spent considerable time in cask before being bottled in 2013. It is complex and rich with dried fruit and spice and would pair beautifully with pumpkin pie.

Terrassous Rivesaltes Ambré 1992, Rivesaltes, France, $50.00
This wine was almost Cognac-like in its aromas and flavors, displaying complex and developing notes on both the nose and palate.

Terrassous Rivesaltes Ambré 1981, Rivesaltes, France, $66.00
Spicy, stunning and simply amazing; my favorite of the three Terrassous Rivesaltes Ambré selections listed here.

Terrassous Rivesaltes Ambré 1974, Rivesaltes, France, $83.00
Intense aromas and flavors; quite lovely, with lots of life still remaining.

Southern Burgundy and Beaujolais offer great wine options with good value

Posted on August 23, 2014 by Tracy

Image of Julienas, courtesy of DiscoverBeaujolais.com

Georges Dubouef Chateau des Capitans 2011 Juliénas, France, $19.00 Beaujolais bashers need not apply. We typically think of Beaujolais in the fall when Beaujolais Nouveau est arrivé – the third Thursday of November. But, Beaujolais is much more than Nouveau and, as a lighter-bodied red, it’s perfect for summer sipping. Produced from the thin skinned Gamay grape, Beaujolais is generally low in tannins, high in acidity, with bright cherry fruit and capable of taking a slight chill.

Nouveau aside, the Beaujolais hierarchy starts at the base with Beaujolais, while wines produced with grapes sourced from the better vineyards (located in 39 well regarded villages) are a step above and labeled as Beaujolais-Villages. Even more rarified as those wines designated as crus, which are named and labeled for one of the ten villages their grapes respectively come from.

Belying its Roman origin having been named for Julius Cesar, Juliénas is located quite northerly in the Beaujolais region where the more granitic soils are found. Situated within the heart of Juliénas, the Chateau des Capitans estate is home to a 19th century castle. Since the site is thought to have been a headquarters for military staff during the Gallo-Roman period, the castle’s name pays homage to the captains who presumably lived there once upon a time.

Tasting note: Aromas of fresh cherries, cinnamon and wet leaves persist on the palate with high acidity, light body and low tannins; nice round mouthfeel and good length.

Georges Duboeuf Domaine les Chenevières 2011, Mâcon-Villages, France, $14.00 Just north of Beaujolais, the Mâconnais district is part of the Burgundy region and is known for its Chardonnay. The district is structured similarly to Beaujolais in that wines feature either the basic appellation of Mâcon, the higher appellation of Mâcon-Villages or the more prized appellations of Pouilly-Fuissé, Pouilly-Loché, Pouilly-Vinzelles, Saint-Véran and Viré-Clessé. However, the district also permits village level wines to append the name of specific villages or communes, as in the case of Mâcon-Lugny.

With a warmer climate than that found in the Cote d’Or district, Mâconnais Chardonnays generally offer up riper and more tropical fruit notes as well as lower price points. Domaine les Chenevières has been the setting for five generations of winemaking for the family that owns it, with portions of the family’s residence built over 300 years ago.

Tasting note: On the nose, this wine displays damp earth, butter and apple notes. The dry palate offers bright acidity, medium-full body and an elegant richness; unwooded with 100% malolactic fermentation.

Rose Revolution: Better Dead than Red

Posted on April 7, 2014 by Tracy

World winemakers unite! Admittedly I have Communism and Leon Trotsky on the brain thanks to having just finished Barbara Kingsolver’s novel, The Lacuna. However, the notion that winemakers are globally uniting to produce rosé wines is not that far-fetched, at least not in terms of the depth and breadth of these wines now being produced.

While drinking pink wine (at least publically) was previously relegated to newbies quaffing White Zinfandel and other sweet blush wines, today’s rosés run the gamut in hue and are primarily dry in style. With a decade of growth in the U.S. market, rosé continues to be one of the U.S.’s fastest growing wine categories in retail sales; the message is clear: Rosé is here to stay. Tweet that!

A recent “Pink Party” hosted by Winebow showcased the importer’s vast portfolio of rosés, which not only ranged in style (from still to sparkling and pale salmons to deep pinks), but also in origin of production.

As the number one producer of rosé worldwide, it is not surprising that the line-up was heavy in French samples, with appellations that specialize in the pink stuff such as Provence and Tavel well represented. Italian specimens were similarly prevalent, most of which hailed from the southern portion of the boot: Sicily, Sardinia, Campania and Calabria.

But, Winebow’s rosé collection is much more widespread than the wine world’s two top producers. In addition to a reasonable showing of wines from the U.S.’ east and west coasts, more unique appearances came from Croatia, Greece, Lebanon and the Republic of Macedonia.

Adding to the diversity, the sparklers were not only comprised of the usual suspects such as Rosé Champagne and a beautiful rose Cava, but also on hand were lovely bubbles from Austria and Tasmania.

And, vying for most unusual wine of the day was a “100% pure rosé sake” produced from heirloom purple rice.

With such a plethora of rosé wines in the market, it can be quite confusing to the consumer to make sense of it all. But, the easiest way to understand rosé is to think about something with which most people are familiar – tie-dyeing. Tweet this!

Such childhood arts-and-crafts projects provide a simple, but effective tool, for learning about rosé production. Armed with white t-shirts, rubber bands and RIT dye, we saw that leaving the t-shirt in the dye bath for just a few minutes resulted in a pale hue, while soaking it for the full hour delivered the deepest color. Moreover, the instructions advised that higher temperatures and agitation further added to the color saturation.

Apply these same principles to winemaking, substituting grape skins for RIT dye and grape juice/must for t-shirts (no rubber bands required) and, by George, you’ve got it. Now you are ready to join the revolution!

Looking for some rosés to sip this summer (yes, I promise it will be summer one of these days)? Here are some of my favorites from the Pink Party tasting:

SPARKLING WINES
Jansz Sparkling Rose NV, Tasmania, Australia
A blend of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier with just a hint of color. Citrus, mineral and peach notes.

Juvé y Camps Rosé Brut Pinot Noir NV, Cava, Spain
100% Pinot Noir and medium-deep pink in color. Floral and fruit on the nose with red fruit and herbs on the palate.

Lanson Brut Rosé Champagne NV, Champagne, France
A blend of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier. Rich and intense with typical yeasty character along with citrus and a hint of red fruit.

STILL WINES
Adelsheim Rosé 2013, Willamette Valley (OR), USA, $25.00
100% Pinot Noir. Herbs with some depth and slight grip on the palate. Fresh strawberries and melon.

Chateau Mercouri Lampadias Rosé 2013, Ilia, Greece
A 50-50 blend of Avgoustiatis and Agiorgitiko. Simply lovely with good fruit and acidity.

Les Vignobles Gueissard Côtes de Provence Rosé “Les Papilles” 2013, Provence, France
Mourvèdre, Syrah, Cinsault, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon and Rolle. Berries and cherries with body and good length.

Zenato Bardolino Chiaretto 2013, Veneto, Italy
Corvina, Rondinella and Merlot. Very fruity with strawberry, raspberry and dried herb aromas and flavors.

Buying German Wine – Understanding the Label

Posted on December 16, 2013 by Tracy

Sprechen Sie Deutsch (Do you speak German)? Looking at the text on German wine labels, it is leichter gesagt als getan (easier said than done), or, more correctly, easier said than understood. And, for that matter, it isn’t even very easy to say.

If wine labels are generally intimidating to the uninitiated, German wine labels are among the most intimidating of all – unfamiliar names; lengthy, unpronounceable terms; and just an all around use of a lot of words could scare off even the most avid wine drinker.

But, in truth, German wine labels actually provide the consumer with a wealth of information about the wine in question. You don’t need a secret decoder ring, but learning some basic German wine vocabulary will assist you in understanding what you are looking at on the wine store shelf.

To begin, there are two levels of German quality wine – Qualitätswein bestimmter Anbaugebiete(QbA) and Qualitätswein mit Prädikat (QmP). The first category designates wines that come from one of Germany’s 13 wine regions and account for the majority of German wine production. The latter (QmP) are more complicated because, in addition to coming from a particular wine region, they also indicate wines produced from grapes that have achieved certain levels of ripeness at harvest. These are considered to be higher in quality than QbA because Germany’s cool climate makes it more challenging to reach full ripeness, thereby placing a premium on riper grapes.

Once one has worked out the two quality levels, they may encounter some confusion with regard to the grape varieties themselves. Spätburgunder? Grauburgunder? Weissburgunder? Sure, they sound exotic, but actually, these are just the German names for Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay, respectively. Other grapes likely to be seen include Müller-Thurgau (white), Silvaner (white) — particularly prized when it hails from Franken, Portugieser (red) and the more respected Dornfelder (red). Also of note is Lemberger (elsewhere known as Blaufränkisch) which offers red fruit, spice and nice tannin structure. Above all else, there’s Riesling; this vaunted white grape accounts for over one-quarter of all German plantings.

Dry or sweet? Although many people associate Germany with sweet wines, the majority of German wines produced today are dry. Admittedly, a lot of the drier style wines never make it to our shores (the Germans keep much of it at home for themselves), but consumers can find dry style German wines on U.S. shelves. Some of these wines are distinctly labeled as being dry – if you know how to decipher the label. The specific words to look for are trocken (dry) and halbtrocken (off-dry).

In addition, the label terms “Classic” and “Selection” may also be used to indicate a dry (or high-acid, off-dry) wine. Similarly, wines bearing the double Romanesque arch of the Charta Association, created in 1983, are dry to off-dry QbA- or prädikat-level Rieslings from the Rheingau region that meet the organization’s strict quality regulations.

In general, wines that have no indication of their sweetness level can usually be expected to be somewhat sweet. Another hint is to check the alcohol level since lower alcohol levels (9% abv and lower) generally mean that at least some of the grape’s sugar content hasn’t been converted into alcohol and, thus, remains in the wine as detectable sweetness.

As with many other wine producing countries, Germany’s wine regions can be further broken down into smaller areas – bereiche, grosslagen and einzellagen. A bereich is a regional or district designation, while a grosslage is a group of vineyards and an einzellage is, theoretically, a single vineyard. Unfortunately, it is these last two territories that cause the most confusion since it is often difficult to ascertain whether the label refers to a grosslage or einzellage.

However, this uncertainty can be overcome by either memorizing a list of the top sites, limiting purchases to wines from well-known/well-respected producers or simply giving up and taking a chance on the bottle in hand, despite its murky label (well, not really).

Thankfully, an additional classification system was launched in 2002 by the Association of German Prädikat Wine Estates (Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter, can boost one’s confidence in choosing a wine. Established in 1910 and abbreviated as VDP, this association represents Germany’s leading wine estates, with a dual focus on quality wine production and classified vineyard sites. All of these wines sport the association’s eagle logo, making them easily identifiable to the consumer.

In 2012, this classification system was further refined, closely modeled on Burgundy’s regional and vineyard hierarchy. Accordingly, the top category, VDP. Grosse Lage (translating as Great Site) is awarded to the best vineyard sites, equivalent to Burgundy’s Grand Cru vineyards. Dry wines in this upper echelon are further designated as VDP. Grosses Gewächs “Great Growth” and labeled “Qualitätswein trocken” while naturally sweet wines are labeled with the appropriate traditional Prädikat term.

Analogous to Burgundy’s Premier Cru vineyards is the VDP. Erste Lage (First Site), while VDP. Ortswein (Classified Site) is akin to Burgundy’s Village-level wines. The lowest tier of this system is the VDP. Gutswein (Estate Wine), which is similar to the regional designation in Burgundy (i.e. AOC Bourgogne). Dry wines in these categories are also labeled “Qualitätswein trocken” while the sweet wines retain the Prädikat designation on their labels.

Bearing all of these clues in mind, the careful consumer can more readily choose among the selection of German wines on the shelf of their neighborhood wine retailer and find the bottle that best meets their preferences.

silvaner

Castell-Castell Silvaner 2012, Franken, Germany, $18.00
With aromas of pear, wax and white flowers, this dry wine offers medium acidity and medium body on the palate with flavors of almond, wax and pear and medium+ length.

Grafen Neipperg Lemberger
Trocken 2011, Württemberg, Germany, $20.00 (not pictured)
Medium aromas of cinnamon, berry and wood are joined on the (clearly stated –trocken) dry palate with flavors of cranberry, mulberry and a hint of earth in the finish.

Undone PN Undone Pinot Noir
2012, Rheinhessen, Germany, $11.00
A Pinot Noir from Germany isn’t so surprising these days (Germany is #3 in PN production), but this wine’s origin from Rheinhessen (as opposed to Ahr or Baden) makes it somewhat unusual as does its great quality at this price. With cherry, herbal and wet leaves on the nose, this dry wine has lively acidity on the palate. Medium+ length.

Schloss Saarstein Riesling Kabinett 2012, Serrig Schloss Saarsteiner, Mosel, Germany, $25.00
Located within the municipality of Serrig, the Schloss Saarsteiner property, so named for the large castle (schloss) that sits amidst the vines, above the Saar River (a tributary of the Mosel) is an Erste Lage site. The wine offers peach, floral and wet stone aromas on the nose. Its palate is off-dry with high acidity and flavors of lime zest, peach and wet stone, culminating in long length.

Prinz Salm Roxheimer
Berg Spätlese 2012, Nahe, Germany, $28.00
With an alcohol level of 7.5% abv and a designation of spätlese, there was no question that this wine (from a Grosse Lage site) would have some sweetness. However, its sweetness is beautifully balanced by its high acidity, so it is perceived as off-dry on the palate, with lemon zest, lime, peach, honey and minerality aromas and flavors.

Johannishof Charta Riesling 2012, Rheingau, Germany, $25.00

A pronounced nose provides aromas of floral, straw, wet stone and Asian pear. The dry palate displays high acidity with notes of granny smith apple, lime, stone, pith, blossom and minerality. Long Length.

Kesselstatt Josephshöfer Riesling Kabinett 2012, Mosel, Germany, $30.00
First documented 1,100 years ago, the Josephshöfer Grosse Lage site has been wholly owned by Kesselstatt since 1858. Citrus, floral, apricot and slight honey aromas greet the nose and persist on the dry, but ripe, palate. Long length.

Drink Wisely and Well – Holiday issue

Posted on November 26, 2013 by Tracy

Alsace does it again: Food-friendly French wines

Posted on October 11, 2013 by Tracy

In yet another stellar example of how well Alsatian wines pair with food, we ordered nearly one of everything on the French-Asian menu at Rouge & Blanc and let the forks fly.

Admittedly, some pairings were preferred over others, but nothing clashed and almost all worked reasonably well. We also appreciated how the luscious fruit and slightly off-dry palate of the Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer provided a nice counterpoint to the spiciness of some of the dishes.

The following menu items, pulled from the restaurant’s website, should provide some indication as to the varied nature of our meal and, consequently, the flexibility of the wines.

Duck Egg Pissaladière, Caramelized Shallot, Reading Raclette
Cured Arctic Char, Smoked Pickles, Mustard Vinaigrette, Crostini
Grilled Pork Belly, Charred Vietnamese Corn, Market Relish
Glazed Lamb Ribs, Sesame, Cucumber Herb Salad
Hanoi Fried Chicken, Lemongrass Aioli, Summer Pickles

The occasion for our little game was a visit from Anne-Laure Helfrich, the third generation of her family at work in the family business. Established in 1934, Helfrich winery produces a full range of Alsatian whites from the sparkling Cremant d’Alsace to Grand Cru designated wines and several in between.

While I haven’t yet been to Alsace, it remains one of my favorite French wine regions. Its distinct varietal wines are easy to understand and generally easy on the wallet, even at classified levels – nothing we tasted topped $19.99.

Starting with the Cremant d’Alsace ($19.99), produced from 100% Pinot Blanc, it served as a terrific aperitif as we got to know Anne-Laure and our fellow diners, with just the right balance of citrus fruit and yeasty/ toasty notes stemming from its Traditional Method production.

We next opened up the still Pinot Blanc 2012 ($14.99), which, as Anne-Laure explained, can be found in everyone’s fridge in Alsace, due to its overall food-friendly nature and easy drinkability. The Helfrich Pinot Blanc did not disappoint in this regard, displaying smoke, pear and almond notes on both the nose and palate.

The Riesling 2012 ($14.99) was full of orange blossom and tangerine aromas, with refreshing acidity, citrus and pith on the dry palate. The Pinot Gris 2012 ($14.99) was similarly citrus in character, but was slightly off-dry, with almond and spice. The Gewurztraminer 2012 ($14.99) was classic with floral and tropical fruit and only a hint of residual sugar.

The Grand Cru wines hail from the famed Steinklotz Vineyard, which boasts of being the oldest documented vineyard in Alsace as recorded in 589. Located at the northern end of the region, near Strasbourg, the vineyard is quite steep with chalky soils.

These wines, all priced at $19.99, showed more complexity and depth than their non-Grand Cru counterparts. The Riesling Grand Cru 2011 was steely, with intense minerality, lime/citrus notes and long length, while the Pinot Gris Grand Cru 2011 was lush with rich tropical fruit, smoke and floral notes. The richness and concentration of this latter wine offered a perfect example of how a white wine could not only stand up, but pair well with smoky, sweet ribs and salty, spicy pork belly.

All in all, it was a wonderful meal, punctuated with well-made wines and great company.

Sour Wine? Vinegar Demystified

Posted on August 8, 2013 by Tracy

More proof that everything sounds better in French? Sour wine, anyone? I didn’t think so. But, vinegar – from the French words vin (wine) and aigre (sour) – is a much more palatable sounding product. In fact, some vinegars are quite coveted in the culinary world, commanding high prices at specialty shops (more on that later).

Like wine, vinegar has become very popular as of late, touted with a myriad of benefits and uses. Recent research findings show a positive correlation between vinegar consumption and an increase in calcium absorption and a reduction in fat build-up as well as having antiglycemic properties in diabetics. Outside the kitchen, vinegar is removing wine stains from clothing, cleaning windows without streaks and eliminating water marks on wood.

With an entwined etymology, vinegar and wine are similar yet so different. Both entail fermentations and find their way to the table. But, while one is great for drinking, the other is most often best left for salads and marinades. Moreover, whereas winemakers are careful to limit exposure to air (and oxygen, specifically), vinegar producers are more welcoming. In fact, they need to promote the acetobaceter group of bacteria to engage in a secondary fermentation to first convert the must to an aldehyde and then eventually to acetic acid.

Produced from a diverse set of ingredients, vinegars range from the basic white, distilled variety to apple cider and rice wine (commonly produced in Asia) among many others. And, true to its name, some vinegar is actually made from wine, or at least, from grapes. As long as you have natural sugars that can be converted to alcohol, you have the potential makings of vinegar.

But there’s vinegar and then there’s Vinegar. High end vinegar is much more complex and concentrated and can (almost) be drunk straight (I said almost).

In this regard, Balsamic Vinegar is another story entirely and can be a confusing one at that. Head to your big box market and you’ll find large volume bottles of Balsamic with small price tags (Costco’s Kirkland Signature Balsamic Vinegar is $12.56 for 33.8 oz). Meanwhile, Sur la table has 3.5 oz of the “good stuff” priced at $179.95 and the same quantity of the “really good stuff” at Linens-n-Things will set you back $735.40. As I said, confusing.

With a history dating back to the Romans, Balsamic Vinegar of Modena is held in high regard and is the standard bearer for quality balsamic vinegar. Obtained through the reduction of cooked or concentrated grape must – in particular, Trebbiano grapes grown within the town of Modena (situated in Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region) – the must is placed into small barrels where it slowly ferments. Through the fermentation process, this traditional product is converted into acetic acid and also becomes more concentrated as it evaporates. Each year, the contents of the barrel are transferred into a smaller barrel of differing wood type, such as chestnut, juniper, cherry or oak, further adding to the complex character of the finished product.

As a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) product, the aging process requires a minimum of 12 years and all aspects of production must adhere to the rules and regulations set out by the consortium, similar to that of a PDO wine (i.e. Chianti Classico or Barolo). This product is legally called Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena and has two Certified Qualities – 12 Years (which are designated with a burgundy-colored seal) and 25 Years (which bear a gold seal). Another PDO-level vinegar is the Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Reggio Emilia, which is identically made, differing only in the specified production area (the province of Reggio Emilia, adjacent to Modena) and bottle type in which it must be packaged.

Given the time and expense to produce this coveted product, other less artisanal products have found their way to the marketplace, but without any rules or regulations governing what could or couldn’t be included on the label, it was caveat emptor.

Thankfully, in 2009, a Protected Geographic Indication (PGI) was granted for Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, with production codified and limiting the use of “Modena” to these and the PDO products. While not as labor intensive to make, the PGI product is carefully controlled, with the production area specified within the provinces of Modena and Reggio Emilia. Its much shorter aging period ranges from a minimum of 60 days to three years. Aging claims are limited to the words “aged” for that handful of products aged more than 3 years.

Instead, the Balsamic Vinegar of Modena PGI products adhere to the LEAF quality system, which was initially implemented by Acetum. This professional grading system of the Balsamic Vinegar of Modena PGI is the only independently (3rd party) certified system and provides greater clarity for the consumer. With four quality designations – 1 Leaf, 2 Leaves, 3 Leaves and 4 Leaves – the LEAF system is based on based on sensory and laboratory analysis taking several characteristics/dimensions into account. After analysis is completed, the products are labeled accordingly.

In the interest of science, journalism and fun, the author conducted a formal tasting of the four LEAF categories of Balsamic Vinegar of Modena PGI from Acetum. I think my tasting notes correspond well to the flavor profiles stated in the LEAF system, which means that it should serve you well in selecting your vinegar.

TASTING NOTES

ONE LEAF: Intense nose with woody note, acidic/sharp on the nose. Dry, high acid, sharp, savory quality. Long length.

TWO LEAVES: Intense nose with spice, wood, fig and exotic notes. Off-dry with sweeter, woody note, fig, roasted/candied fig, slightly smoother. Long length.

THREE LEAVES: Intense nose, but less sharp than the previous two. Cheesy/leesy, cocoa, roasted nuts, more viscous appearance. Not very sharp/smoother palate, with intense sweetness and fuller body. Roasted nuts, dried fig, honey. Very long length.

FOUR LEAVES: Most viscous of the four. Syrupy appearance. Intense, rich nose – smoked meat, roasted nuts, caramel, mushroom. Medium sweet, syrupy texture, very smooth. Dried fig, candied nuts, toffee, treacle, woody and spice. Very long length.

And, in terms of pricing, a quick search on Amazon.com revealed that 500ml of Two Leaves quality Balsamic Vinegar of Modena PGI cost $10.00 while 250ml of Four Leaves quality Balsamic Vinegar of Modena PGI was priced at $20.00.

For more general information on vinegar, check out the Vinegar Institute and for more details on the Acetum line of vinegars, see Modena Fine Foods’ website.

And there you have it, the quality pyramid of Balsamic Vinegar. Enjoy!

Discovering Sicily: A Mediterranean Jewel in Italy’s Crown

Posted on July 22, 2013 by Tracy

In May 2013, I had the precious opportunity to spend a week visiting the beautiful island of Sicily, exploring its land, meeting its people and tasting its wonderful wines. This is my story.

I stood in line at the Palermo airport, crying. Not loud wails, just silent tears rolling down my face. But, as it was my seventh visit to Italy, the intense emotion was as surprising to me as it was to anyone else who might have noticed. I felt a deep loss as I prepared to leave Sicily. In less than a week this region had somehow wrapped itself around my heart and refused to let go. I wanted to attribute this visit’s difference to my slightly improved Italian language skills, but I knew that this didn’t do it justice. There was something else – something that permitted conversations to by-pass small talk and dive right in to what really mattered; getting to know one another and feeling safe to share. I had become attached to the spirit of the island, with its fusion of Arabic, Spanish, Norse and Italian heritage, and to the spirit of the people who inhabit it. I took a deep breath, blinked back the tears and boarded my plane knowing that I had been given a wonderful gift…

[Read the full story as a PDF: Discovering Sicily]

Sicily – a part of Italy and yet it stands apart both literally and figuratively. As an island situated off the coast of Italy’s toe (Calabria), the region is physically separate, requiring a flight or ferry to get to or from there. But, beyond geography, Sicily remains steadfast to its traditions and culture. My new friend, Federico Mammoli, of Firriato winery’s export department and originally from Rome, told me that when he first arrived on the island, he only understood about thirty percent of what people said to him, despite the fact that, of course, they all speak the same language.

As far as wine is concerned, agriculture is a big component of the economy and grapes have been cultivated here for centuries. Nearly everywhere one looks, there are vines and Sicily is responsible for an immense amount of Italian wines. Like the rest of southern Italy, the key word here was quantity, with quality a mere afterthought for many producers.

But that, to a large extent, is ancient history. Sure, Sicily still produces cheap and cheerful wines, most regions these days do, but while my formal exploration of Sicilian wine was admittedly confined to a handful of wineries, I was extremely impressed with what I found. There was complexity, depth and structure that I didn’t expect, revealing the significant quality and continued potential of Sicilian wines. And, throughout each winery visit, I was enamored not only by the wines, but also by the people and their passion and warmth. I felt so welcomed in a way that felt much differently than any other press trip that I didn’t want to leave… Hence, the tears at the airport.

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish…

Island Capers

Reserve in a reserve

True Cooperation

Valley of the Temples and Nectar of the Gods

Crazy with a fox (and Germans)

Recommended Wines