Category Archives: Tasting Notes

Through Rose-colored Glasses: Grand Cru Grapevine (Jan 2013)

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2012-12-05_14-20-58_380In keeping with an optimistic spirit, Rosé Champagne is the perfect wine to kick off the new year! As Ed McCarthy exclaimed at the Wine Media Guild’s annual Champagne luncheon in December, “Rosé Champagne is ‘in’!” Its success has been a bit surprising to everyone, including the Champenois, given that Rosé Champagne was considered an afterthought only 12 years ago. Now, it makes up 8% of the market and is on the rise. This continued trajectory is equally surprising considering that it is more expensive than regular (non-rosé) Champagne. But, it is also more intensive and, at least according to Ed, “Everybody loves it!” Whether this latter statement is fact or hyperbole, what is true is that Rosé Champagne has a fuller body than regular Champagne, due to the increased ratio of Pinot Noir grapes and is extremely food friendly.

As Champagne, Rosé Champagnes are produced using the Méthode Champenoise, referred to as the Traditional Method for similar wines produced elsewhere. These wines spend considerable time aging in contact with dead yeast cells that give the wines their yeasty, leesy, bready aromas and flavors. In addition, Rosé Champagnes also have fruitier aromas and flavors that are derived from the heavier reliance on Pinot Noir and the deliberate creation of color. While Pinot Noir is a component of most Champagnes —the obvious exception being the blanc de blancs (white from whites) style—Champagne producers are careful to avoid extracting color from the grapes’ skins. However, when creating a Rosé Champagne, the focus shifts and some color attainment is permitted. Such color may be produced through the saignée method (as is often used for still rosé wines), or by creating a cuvée that includes red wine in the blend to produce a pinkish base wine. However, red wine may be blended in at the end with the dosage instead to avoid potential browning during the lees aging period. Regardless of when it occurs, sparkling wine production is the only time that adding red wine to a white wine is acceptable in creating a rosé-style wine.

The wines featured in this month’s newsletter are some of my favorites from the December lunch at which we tasted a total of 15 wines. As noted, these are pricey wines, but, thankfully, many of my preferred wines were on the lower end of the spectrum.

TASTING NOTES

Ayala Brut Rosé NV, $48-54.00
We’ve featured Ayala, the sister brand of Bollinger, before, but as it is always continues to perform well in comparative tastings it is worth featuring again. With rich fruit aromas of floral and ripe strawberry and slight yeasty notes, this wine was elegant on the palate with a delicate mousse.

Alfred Gratien Brut Rosé NV, $62-75.00
At the luncheon, Ed noted that he was very impressed with this wine, as was I. It displayed a very yeasty character on the nose with melon aromas and flavors. It was dry with very high acidity, finishing quite cleanly on the palate.

Bruno Paillard Brut Rosé Premier Cuvée NV, $70-75.00
As a rosé, this wine is very pale, dislaying an onion skin color. On the nose, it has yeast, slight floral and strawberry aromas, similar to, but more subtle than those found on the Ayala. Its palate was very pretty with extremely dry palate, high acidity and floral and strawberry flavors.

Henriot Brut Rosé NV, $58-62.00
Henriot has a long history as a Champagne house, but has been less known in the U.S. Offering a light and elegant style, this wine has raspberry, yeasty and slight toast aromas giving way to riper fruit on the front palate, with the toasty notes lingering in the finish.

Moët & Chandon Brut Rosé 2002, $80.00
From the highly regarded 2002 vintage, this is a big, yet austere wine that still needs some time to evolve to truly shine, although it was showing beautifully already. Toast and biscuit aromas dominate the nose, along with a slightly oxidative note. The dry palate is lean with yeast, toast and fresh berry flavors.

Perrier-Jouët Cuvée Belle Epoque Rosé 2004, $300.00
Admittedly a big splurge, this is a wine I frequently drawn to even in blind tastings and, in Ed’s words, it is the “epitome of elegance,” likely due to high proportion of Chardonnay. Yeast and strawberries greet the nose and persist on the dry palate where they are rich and concentrated, culminating in long length.

Felice: Happiness in a bottle

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felice_famiglia
When I was first invited to taste the new wines from Fattoria Sardi Giustiniani with co-owner Jacopo Giustiniani at his wine bar, Felice 83, I politely declined. I had no time or interest to schlep all the way across town. Plus, private label wines? Who cared? I buy Stop & Shop’s private label groceries all the time, but certainly don’t need to taste test them. Thanks, but no thanks!

However, when the press agent invited me to meet with Jacopo privately during a much quieter week, I decided she’d earned points for persistence and said yes. Additionally, having just enrolled in Italian classes, I had the misguided notion that I could practice my limited language skills with him.

Arriving at Felice 64, Jacopo’s other Upper East Side location (a third location opened in the Financial District in September), my first thought was that the wine bar itself was really nice. Jacopo later pointed out design details – such as demijohns used as lighting fixtures and the marble-topped bar –that had been inspired by his native Tuscany, further adding to the charm and overall ambiance. My second thought was that I had been crazy to think that I could conduct the meeting in anything other than English.

Getting down to the business at hand, the handsome and charming Jacopo proceeded to share his story with me (perhaps if the initial invitation had included his photo I may not have been so quick to turn it down?). Ten years ago, Jacopo’s grandfather, Sebastiano, passed away, leaving the family vineyards located in Lucca to Jacopo’s father. While the land has been in his family for 200 years, it had never been a true business…until now. Jacopo’s father, an engineer like Sebastiano, didn’t have the time or interest to do much with the vineyards, but, at age 22, just starting out in his career, Jacopo knew he wanted to be an entrepreneur. Fondly remembering visits to his grandfather and seeing him having fun on the tractor and in the cellar, Jacopo saw the vineyards as an exciting challenge. After earning his master’s degree, Jacopo completed an internship at Antinori . His younger brother, Matteo, only 18 at the time of Sebastiano’s death, eventually pursued formal training in oenology, studying first in Florence and then in Bordeaux, serves as the winemaker.

This joint focus on Italy and France carries through to the vineyard. Conquered by Napolean in 1805, Lucca was given to his sister, Elisa Bonaparte Baciocchi, to administer. As a principality of France, Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc and others were planted in Lucca back in the 1800s. Thus, while the Super Tuscan movement adopted many of the French varieties back in the 1960s and 1970s, the Lucca area (and its Colline Lucchesi DOC) has long embraced red and white French grapes.

Today, in this same tradition, the Giustiniani lands are planted to both French and Italian grapes, with the latter varieties including Vermentino and Sangiovese. Jacopo was quick to point out that the local Vermentino differs from the clone found in Sardegna and produces wines with much more minerality. Situated in northwest Tuscany, the vineyards are only a few kilometers from the sea and thus benefit from its cooling influence. This, coupled with a good shift in day to night temperatures, keeps the wines fresh.

The family’s philosophy, as espoused by Jacopo, is that wine is meant to go with food and in this regard, their wines have good acidity, concentrated fruit flavors and some complexity, but do not overpower the palate (or the plate). In addition, both grape and oak tannins are carefully controlled. As Jacopo joked, “I want to drink, not chew, my wine.”

In total, there are seven wines currently available in the Fattoria Sardi Giustininiani portfolio, along with three Felice-labeled wines (bianco, rosato and rosso ). (NB: Both rosés are out of stock until the next vintage.)

Tasting through the portfolio, I was extremely impressed with the wines. Along with the aforementioned minerality, the Vermentino 2011 had nice citrus notes along with an almost briny character and bracing acidity; a perfect foil for shellfish.  The Sauvignon Blanc 2011 (the first vintage of this wine) is more Bordeaux than Marlborough, with citrus, herbal, slight oak and good structure due to the six months it spent in used barrels. While showing nicely now, Jacopo and I agreed that the wine will continue to develop in bottle over the next several months.  Meanwhile, the Felice Bianco 2011, a blend of Chardonnay and Grechetto, offered rich tropical fruit and vanilla. Yet, despite its ripeness and full body, the wine was still fresh and well balanced.

Reds include the Villa Sardi Rosso 2010, which brings together Sangiovese, Merlot and Moscato Nero. This refreshing red is deceptive in that it has a certain earthy depth to it in spite of its lighter body and dominant cherry, strawberry and floral notes. The Fattoria Sardi Rosso 2010 is a blend of Syrah and Colorino, with a drop of Sangiovese. With firm tannins, earth, meat and black cherry flavors, this is a decidedly savory styled wine. Like its counterpart, the Felice Rosso 2009 is a bit fruitier than the others, with ripe cherry and plum notes taking precedence over the secondary notes. But, again, this wine has an approachable style without being dumbed down or losing its elegance. Finally, the Fattoria Sardi “Sebastiano” 2008, named in honor of grandpa, is primarily Merlot (80%) and was aged in oak barrels for 18 months, followed by 12 months in bottle, prior to its release. It is showing some development with well-integrated oak characteristics, coupled with plum, black cherry, cedar and spice. It is richly layered with silky tannins and long length and could certainly be laid down for a few years.

Beyond their availability at the Felice franchise, given Jacopo’s ties to Sant Ambroeus (he is the Wine Director and his uncle is the owner) as well as to Casa Lever (another family project), these wines are also on these restaurants’ lists. A handful of other restaurants (Marea, Locanda Verde, Felidia, Maialino and Otto) carry them, too.  On the retail front, look for the wines at De-Vino Wine Boutique (although its website doesn’t currently have any available) and Italian Wine Merchants (which has the Sebastiano Merlot for $36.99).

The case of/for German Rieslings

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Our Thanksgiving dinner table overflowed with bounty; weighed down with more food than we possibly needed, we were also truly blessed by the family and friends who sat around it. With the diversity of deliciousness that lay before us, I felt that Riesling – and especially German Riesling – would be the perfect accompaniment to our meal.

Due to Riesling’s generally high acidity and wide range of styles from bone dry to lusciously sweet, it is extremely versatile at the table. Consequently, I decided it would be fun to open up not just one or two Riesling to pair with our Thanksgiving dinner this year, but ten different bottles. So it was that I found myself staring down ten, numbered glasses an hour or so before the feast.

My husband did the honors of preparing the set-up and since neither of us was fully acquainted with these wines, we determined that the best approach was to line them up from highest alcohol (and presumably the driest) to lowest alcohol (and likely the sweetest). If we’d had any wines of Auslese-level or higher this wouldn’t have worked quite as well, but since our selection included Kabinett and Spatlese only, we felt it was reasonably safe way to proceed. And, to our pleasant surprise, there were only two tweaks I felt were needed when I actually sat down to taste the samples.

Of further interest, the wines in question ranged in price from a low of $11.00 to a high of $67.00, with an average of $30.00/bottle. This price divergence was the primary impetus for tasting the wines blind, but, of course, removing all preconceived notions (not just that of price) enabled a more unbiased evaluation.

Unfortunately, the size of our dining table, already encumbered with multiple platters of food, didn’t permit us to have all ten bottles of wine on hand. However, we did bring two bottles to the table at a time and let guests fill their glasses as they preferred, replacing empty bottles as necessary.

Interestingly, while well-liked and well-regarded, the most expensive wine wasn’t the immediate favorite and didn’t necessarily stand out among the “crowd.” Additionally, the sweeter, but balanced, styles were more preferred than the drier ones.

The wines are listed in the order in which they were tasted:

1. Kesselstatt Josephshofer Riesling GG 2010, Mosel, Germany, $67.00
Pronounced nose with honey, tropical fruit, lychee; Dry with high acidity, citrus, spice and zest; extremely long length. Well structured and balanced; lean and nervy with some complexity.

2. Baron K Riesling Kabinett 2011, Rheingau, Germany, $18.00
Floral, lime and lime zest aromas; Off-dry with citrus, peach and floral on the palate; medium+ to long length. Well made and classic.

3. Undone Dry Riesling 2011, Rheinhessen, Germany, $11.00
Slight petrol notes, floral and nectarine; bone dry with medium+ acidity; citrus, pith, mineral and some nectarine.

4. Johannishof Charta Riesling 2011, Rheingau, Germany, $25.00
Slight spice with citrus and citrus peel, some floral aromas; Dry with high acidity, peach, citrus, petrol and honey; Angular with good complexity.

5. Joh. Jos. Prum Riesling Kabinett 2011, Mosel, Germany, $24.00
Quince, lychee, petrol and minerality; Off-dry almost medium sweet, with peach, tropical fruit and mineral; Rich and tropical.

6. Schloss Saarsteiner Riesling Kabinett 2010, Mosel, Germany, $27.00
Limited nose with petrol and citrus, but opening up on the off-dry palate with citrus, petrol, spice and honey, culminating in long length; One of my favorites.

7. Schloss Saarstein Riesling Spatlese 2011, Mosel, Germany, $38.00
Citrus, citrus zest, floral and a hint of minerality; Off-dry, but on the sweeter side of off-dry, citrus, floral and mineral.

8. Maximin Grunhauser Abtsberg Riesling Spatlese 2010, Mosel, Germany, $38.00
Quince, spice, honey; Off-dry with spice, honey and quince; Exotic and luscious.

9. Graff Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spatlese 2011, Mosel, Germany, $17.00
Shy nose displaying floral and peach notes; Medium-sweet palate with floral, peach and pineapple; Balanced by the acidity despite the sweetness level.

10. Graff Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spatlese 2010, Mosel, Germany, $17.00
Petrol and floral aromas; Off-dry with rich quince, honey, floral, petrol, citrus zest and very long length; Nicely balanced and complex.

 

Of course, ten wines was more than enough for our party of five, but should you wish to make a full case of it, here are two more wines to add to your list (tasted on separate occasions):

11. Liebfrauenstift Dry Riesling 2011, Rheinhessen, Germany, $19.00
Structured, dry, fresh, ripe lime and peach, mineral. Long length; Fabulous!

12. Baron zu Knyphausen Erbacher Michelmark Riesling Erste Lage 2009, Rheingau, Germany, $57.00
Displaying floral, citrus and tangerine aromas on the nose, the dry palate offered piercing acidity with rich, ripe flavors of peach, tangerine, citrus pith, lime zest, floral and minerality, finishing with a very long length. Truly amazing.

Grand Cru Grapevine: California Wines with a French Pedigree (December 2012)

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Frenchman Bernard Portet first visited California on a fact-finding mission back in the late 1960s and then returned in 1971 to help launch Clos du Val. After a few months in the Napa Valley, he suggested that his wife come join him as he expected to stay longer than originally planned – perhaps through harvest 1972. Thankfully, she accepted the invitation since he never left, serving not only as co-founder, but also as the company’s full-time winemaker for nearly 40 years. And, for almost four decades, Bernard helped to establish Clos du Val as a highly regarded name in the wine industry.

As the ninth generation of his family to be in the wine business, Bernard brought a lot of knowledge with him from France, which he applied to his new venture. For example, at the time, there was no concept of terroir. Winery managers, not winemakers, bought grapes from a myriad of growers, a practice which has significantly changed. But, Bernard recognized the unique qualities of the Stag’s Leap District prompting him and his partner, John Goelet, to purchase 178 acres and plant the estate’s first vineyards.

Also of note, while most California producers were focused on single variety wines – Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot – the Bordeaux-bred Bernard saw the benefit of blends. Consequently, the wine he produced was a combination of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, creating, in Bernard’s words, “a more complete wine.”

Almost immediately, Clos du Val’s quality was recognized. Chosen by Steven Spurrier as one of six California Cabernet Sauvignons to be included in the 1976 Judgment of Paris, the wine placed eighth overall. Ten years later, it took the top place in the French Culinary Institute Wine Tasting, a rematch of the original event. European in style, Clos du Val was quickly embraced by the east coast as one of the first California wines to be sold there.

But, in 2009, Bernard decided it was to retire and said good bye to the venerable brand he helped to create. But, as with Bernard’s previous best laid plans, somehow retirement didn’t stick. Today, Bernard is at the helm of another new venture – Heritance Wines. The moniker – a merger of “heritage” and “inheritance” – is Bernard’s way of conveying his sense of gratitude and all that he learned from his father and forefathers.

The year 2012 marked Bernard’s fortieth vintage in the Napa Valley and, not surprisingly, a lot has happened in forty years. But, while Heritance’s wines differ from those of Clos du Val, Bernard brings his same winemaking philosophy to this project. Although, at a recent lunch, when asked for specific pairing suggestions on what would go well with his wines, he replied, “Good company,” it is clear that he “…want[s] to make wine that goes well with food.” Toward this goal, Bernard blends across lots and grape varieties to arrive at the finished product. He adds that as the flavors of the food go away, the flavors of the wine should take over on the palate; wines with a soft entry and a fleshy element.

And, most importantly, the new wines truly reflect Bernard’s approach. Remaining steadfast to Bernard’s roots, Heritance, of course, produces a Cabernet Sauvignon. The tasting notes for the 2008 and 2010 are included below, but when both Cabernet wines were tasted alongside the inaugural Clos du Val (1972), the pedigree of the wines was unmistakable. While the aged wine understandably offered up the developed characteristics of a 40-year-old wine, its structural elements were clearly evident in the two modern-day wines. It was almost as if the 2008 and 2010 were looking in a mirror at their future selves – uncanny and especially heartwarming, as it gave us hope that these were wines that would age equally gracefully.

 

TASTING NOTES

Heritance Sauvignon Blanc 2010, Napa Valley, CA, $24.00
With 9% Semillon blended into the wine giving it a depth and roundness on the palate, the 2010 is decidedly Bordeaux in style. Melon, citrus and slight pith with medium+ acidity.

Heritance Sauvignon Blanc 2011, Napa Valley, CA, $24.00
For the cooler 2011 vintage, Bernard dispensed with the Semillon and, instead, blended in 12% Rousanne, providing more floral character and tropical fruit than the Sauvignon Blanc would have had on its own. High acid, citrus; nervy and more austere than the 2010.

Heritance Stanly Ranch Pinot Noir 2011, Carneros, CA, $45.00 (300 cases produced)
Bernard acknowledges that Pinot Noir can be pushed in the vineyard, almost to the point of becoming Grenache, so is cautious about harvest parameters when working with growers and carefully sources his fruit, blending lots when necessary. Cherries bursting out of the glass with a slight herbal character, which becomes more prominent when enjoyed with food.

Heritance Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, Napa Valley, CA, $36.00
Blended with 8% Merlot, this wine was showing moderate acidity (it was a relatively warm year) and some development, with the primary black fruit aromas and flavors having faded a bit.

Heritance Cabernet Sauvignon 2010, Napa Valley, CA, $36.00
The 2010 (a cooler year) includes 4% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot, and displayed brighter acidity, smokey notes and lush blackberry fruit, but was extremely balanced despite its ripe character.

Clos du Val Cabernet Sauvignon 1972, Napa Valley, CA ($6.00 upon release in 1974) A blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot, this wine offered up beautiful complexity. Dried red and black fruit, balsamic and spice notes were joined by truffles, sage and a silkiness on the palate.

Celebrating the post-harvest season with Beaujolais Nouveau, Beaujolais Crus and Macari’s Early Wine

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Beaujolais Nouveau Day has come and gone. This annual semi-holiday celebrates the new release of a wine produced extremely quickly after harvest and I like it for that reason alone. Making wine is a lengthy process that starts not at harvest, but much earlier – from the first swell of buds on the vine. Accordingly, being able to literally taste the fruits of such labor only a few months post-harvest is a wonderful opportunity to rejoice.

While a variety of Nouveau events were held as usual this year, I only attended the Compagnons du Beaujolais Beaujolais Crus tasting. Equally festive, the Compagnons du Beaujolais had donned their official regalia, complete with tastevins hung around their necks, having ushered in the Nouveau wine earlier in the day.

But, now, it was time to taste the more serious Gamay. It was a pleasure to taste through the various crus (best village sites) including Brouilly, Julienas, Morgon and Fleurie as well as being able to compare different vintages –2009, 2010 and 2011. The wines showed quite nicely and I found a few that I particularly liked such as the Morgon Cuvée les Roches 2011 from Château du Chatelard, although I didn’t take any formal notes.

In a similar vein, there are a few other wineries that choose to produce a wine that hits the market soon after harvest. Macari Vineyards’ Early Wine falls into this category. Produced from 100% Chardonnay, the grapes for the 2012 vintage were picked on August 29 and quickly pressed and fermented with the wine finding its way into bottle on October 22. With its November 1 release, I received the wine about two weeks before Nouveau Day.

I chose to open my bottle on the day before the Nouveau celebrations (Beaujolais Nouveau Eve?) as a way to kick off the celebratory spirit of these wines. Showing pronounced floral, peach and tropical fruit notes, the wine was slightly off-dry with balanced acidity and flavors of pineapple, floral and a slight hint of spice. Despite its fall arrival, the Early Wine can be enjoyed year round, especially during the summer (if there’s any left by then – only 422 cases were made).

Domaines Paul Mas: Frogs, ponds and wines that overdeliver

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Having visited the southwest of France, I can attest that living in the Languedoc is lovely, but it’s certainly not London or Paris. Thus, it’s not surprising that members of the younger generation would want to leave the family farm and head to the big city. You might say that such folks are looking to swim in a bigger (read urban) pond.

 In this tradition, Jean-Claude Mas pursued a career in the motor industry, living first in the United States and then in Paris, before entering the wine industry. But, Jean-Claude realized the potential of the Languedoc and the native son returned home to breathe new life into this bulk wine region. As the proprietor of Domaines Paul Mas, which includes the Arrogant Frog label, you might say that Jean-Claude is now the big frog swimming in this smaller (more rural) pond.

Although Jean-Claude never studied formally studied agriculture, he recognizes that there are five separate spheres of expertise required to craft world class wine – viticulture, winemaking, blending and aging, bottling and marketing –and makes sure to find the best people in each sphere and then hire them. What seems most interesting is the nearly equal value he places on all five spheres.

A true pioneer in an area where 70% of production is in the hands of co-ops, Jean-Claude shifted the focus away from quantity and instead turned his attention to quality. Moreover, he paid particular attention to what the market wanted. Arriving back in Languedoc in 1996, he saw tremendous worldwide interest in Australia and Chile and emulated, but didn’t imitate, those wines. In 2000, he took over the helm of Domaines Paul Mas, bringing his vision of producing premium wines to the family business.

Part of Jean-Claude’s pursuit led him to developing new ways of growing grapes in the area. He spent considerable time identifying the right terroir and now has eight different estates and produces four different levels of wine from his entry-level to his single estate wines. Beyond his own land, he contracts with 2,000 growers to source the fruit he needs. While he admits that there is a heavily reliance on old practices, Jean-Claude explains that “The growers will change when they know they’ll make money.”

And, while some frogs have noted that “it’s not easy being green,” Jean-Claude has been at the forefront of eco-friendly farming in the area. In this regard, Domaines Paul Mas has restricted its use to certified organic fertilizers and one of the estates, Les Tannes, is solely focused on the production of organically grown grapes.  This same passion and commitment to the environment is brought to his contract growers, who are not only encouraged to adopt such practices, but are also provided with full technical advice.

Jean-Claude also places significant emphasis on creating balanced vines. He doesn’t use just one specific density in planting; rather, he is careful to match vine density with the fertility of the soil. Further, he looks to rootstocks and clones to achieve full ripeness.

For example, the ubiquitous Picpoul has not been highly regarded, but Jean-Claude didn’t fault the variety for its short-comings. Rather, he recognized that the grape is prone to chlorosis and countered this deficiency with better rootstocks and selected better clones. Once harvested, these grapes are fermented at temperatures similar to those used for Sauvignon Blanc and lees contact is included in the winemaking regimen. Consequently, in his words, his Picpoul is not a conventional one – combining the minerality of a Muscadet with tropical notes.

Likening wine style to food style, Jean-Claude acknowledges that a steak cooked rare can be the same quality as one cooked well done, but that it is a simply matter of style. Similarly, he believes that one needs to shape a wine based on one’s preferred style. He extends this analogy into the realm of fashion, speaking of blending and aging in the way that a fashion designer might choose to use silk or wool in his or her designs.

While Jean-Claude joked that, “The style of Languedoc is chaos,” his wines, particularly those from the Paul Mas Estate, were of a singular style – displaying complexity, balance and length. At suggested retail prices ranging from $14.00 to $25.00 (and likely available less expensively), these are wines that significantly over-deliver at this price point. Additionally, the attractive labels give them the appearance of more expensive brands, making them great for hostess gifts or hosting your own party.

Côté Mas St. Hilaire Crémant de Limoux Brut NV, SRP: $16.0
A blend of 60% Chardonnay, 20% Chenin Blanc, 10% Pinot Noir and 10% Mauzac, this sparkling wine offered some slight yeast, along with apple peel and citrus, on the nose and palate. It had a creamy mousse with high acidity and a long, but clean finish. Complex and elegant; stock up for holiday toasts and parties.

Paul Mas Estate Picpoul de Pinet 2011, SRP: $14.00
Wax, white flowers, honey and melon greet the nose. The dry palate has low to medium acidity and is relatively light-bodied, but the wine is rich in flavor – nectarine, honey, minerality, floral and melon persist throughout the long finish. Nicely balanced and a beautiful partner for grilled octopus (among many other dishes, of course).

Paul Mas Estate Carignan Vieilles Vignes 2010, SRP: $14.00
Black fruit dominates the nose and palate, accompanied by a meatiness and earthiness. With rich and concentrated fruit, a slate/mineral character is also present on the dry palate. Fresh fruit and minerality are the hallmarks of this complex wine.

Paul Mas Estate GSM 2010, SRP: $15.00
As its name implies, the GSM is a blend of 35% Grenache, 35% Syrah and 30% Mourvedre, all of which are typical grapes of the region as well as of nearby the Southern Rhone. Showing blueberry and blackberry aromas and flavors, this wine was fruitier than the others, but still decidedly dry. Ripe, silky tannins co-mingled with black and red fruit, and a hint of earth in the long length.

Chateau Paul Mas Clos de Savignanc 2010, SRP: $25.00
A blend of 30% Mourvedre, 40% Syrah and 30% Grenache, the make-up of this wine changes based upon the vintage. Black cherry, smoke, earth, herbal and mint, this wine displayed more secondary characteristics than primary ones. Full-bodied with good acidity, this wine will improve with some bottle age.

Grand Cru Grapevine: France’s Southwest ~ The United Nations in a Glass (November 2012)

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Just a proverbial stone’s throw from Bordeaux, the wines of southwest France offer an interesting perspective. Located south of Bordeaux and north of Languedoc, winemaking in this region is not new; it dates to 125 BCE. Yet, while Bordeaux has held fame and fortune for centuries, these smaller appellations cover a vast area, but have been largely ignored…until now.

Despite the area’s relative obscurity, many of France’s heralded grapes are given space in these vineyards. Bordeaux’s key grapes – Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet France and Merlot – are joined by the Rhône Valley’s Syrah and Beaujolais’ Gamay. Even more remarkable, these same grapes come together in a single glass, proving that, at least viticulturally, we can all learn to get along.

Meanwhile, other varieties grown in the region are found nowhere else – Petit Manseng, Gros Manseng, Mauzac and Arrufiac are among the top whites, with Fer Servadou, Prunelard and Négrette leading the reds. And the vast diversity is impressive; wines range from dry whites and sweet whites to tannic reds and softer, easy-drinking reds to sparkling wines produced in ancient methods that predate Champagne’s rise to prominence.

Those appellations which might draw some recognition include: Cahors, Madiran, Gaillac and Jurançon (not to be confused with the Jura, located in northeast France). However, names like Marcillac, Brulhois and Fronton are likely known to only to a few die-hard, franco-oenophiles. But, these are all names you should consider getting to know.

Why? Well, for starters, the reputation may not precede them, but the quality is certainly there. And, as the land of gastronomy – foie gras, duck cassoulet and delicious cheeses – you can be sure that these folks know their food and wine, meaning that the wines are extremely food-friendly. Moreover, as already mentioned, there is a wealth of wine styles from which to choose. But, if that’s not enough, perhaps their price tags will convince you. Of the six tasting notes included below, all are under $25.00, most are $12.00 or less and one even has a suggested retail price of $5.00.

So, truly, there is no reason not to embrace these magnanimous wines.

Domaine Tariquet Classic 2011, Côtes de Gasgogne IGP, France, $9.00
45% Ugni Blanc, 35% Colombard, 10% Sauvignon Blanc, 10% Gros Manseng
Family-run since 1912, Domaine Tariquet also produces the local spirit, Armagnac. Melon and citrus aromas greet the nose. Dry with medium+ acidity, this wine shows flavors of apple and melon with a leesy character lingering in the long finish. 

Domaine de la Chanade La Coste Blanche 2011, Gaillac AOP, France, $5.00
80% Loin de l’Oeil, 20% Mauzac
Among the newer producers, Domaine de la Chanade was established in 1997. With citrus and pronounced floral notes, this wine displays piercing acidity on the dry, light-bodied palate, with honey, apple and almond flavors.

Domaine Le Roc Le Roc la Saignée 2011, Fronton AOP, France, $12.00
Located near Toulouse, Domaine Le Roc has created a rosé that can stand up to steak! A blend of Négrette and Syrah, this wine spends four to five months on the lees. It has a red wine nose with black fruit, slight herbs and meat, all of which persist on the palate. Dry with a fruity attack, the medium tannins are especially perceptible on the finish.

Domaine du Moulin Méthode Gaillacoise 2011, Gaillac AOP, France, $18.00
The Hirissou family has been making wine for three centuries. This sparkling wine is produced from 100% Mauzac and offers up yeasty, floral and apple aromas. On the palate, it is slightly off-dry, but finishes very cleanly with yeast and apple flavors and a nice, creamy mousse.

Vignobles Arbeau Château Coutinel Tradition 2009, Fronton AOP, France, $9.00
60% Négrette, 20% Gamay, 10% Syrah, 10% Malbec
Vignobles Arbeau was created in 1878. A fruity nose displays aromas of black berries, floral and herbs. The palate is dry with bright acidity, cherry flavors and ripe, medium tannins.

Plaimont Producteurs Saint Albert 2011, Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh AOP, France, $24.00
Petit Manseng, Gros Manseng, Petit Corbu, Arrufiac (percentages not stated)
Plaimont Producteurs was established when three co-ops came together in 1979. This dessert wine shows notes of peach, yeast and honey on the nose. Its medium sweet palate is decidedly a dessert wine, but, with medium+ to high acidity, it is not cloying. Peaches, honey and yeast all persist on the palate throughout the wine’s long length.

The winery visit that wasn’t: Masottina’s new facility

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When Stefano invited me to visit Masottina during Vino in Villa last May, I was looking forward to seeing the winery and, as anticipated at any winery visit, I also looked forward to tasting the Masottina wines. Imagine my surprise when the winery turned out to be a construction zone. No, really. It was a full-out construction zone, complete with the need to jump over gaps in the pavement (in my customary high heels and a dress) and stay away from wet concrete. And yet, it turned out to be quite a visit.

Masottina is constructing a state-of-the-art facility that is enormous. The building would have been a bit of a monstrosity, marring the beautiful landscape given its behemoth size, but the winery is actually built into the side of a hill. A big hill. Thus, the underground levels practically disappear.

Gingerly walking down flight after flight, I was given a tour of each floor with Masottina’s Marketing Manager, Federico dal Bianco. In viewing the structure, Masottina appears to be sparing no expense. The concrete floors share space with stunning wood beams overhead, recalling the hull of a graceful ship, while the sheer height of the space, along with the massive support columns, puts one in mind of a church or Greek temple. It was impressive as a work-in-progress; it will be incredible to see completed.

But, despite spending about an hour at the site, plus a brief visit to their nearby vineyards, there was no wine, of course. Fortunately, I had the opportunity to taste through the Masottina wines at the Vino in Villa event later that evening.

While I did enjoy their Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore wines in both Brut and Extra Dry styles, it was their Rive-designated wine that stole my heart. Rive wines are a new classification that were introduced with the new regulations, which promoted Prosecco Superiore to DOCG status, and indicate wines that are harvested from a single vineyard in one of hte designated zones and at lower yields.

Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Extra Dry “Rive di Ogliano” 2011
Aromas of floral, pear and minerality greeted the nose and were repeated on the palate. Not surprisingly, given that it was labeled as Extra Dry, the wine did display a hint of sweetness on the palate, but it was coupled with sufficient acidity to balance the slight residual sugar. This balance remained throughout the wine’s long length.

Beyond Prosecco Superiore, Masottina also produces wines under several other denominations, including the (also newly promoted) Colli di Conegliano DOCG. Thus, when I arrived in Venice a few days later, I was delighted to see the Massotina Colli di Conegliano Bianco on the list at Al Covo. Admittedly, I didn’t take any tasting notes on this blend of Incrocio  Manzoni , Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling, but, trust me, it was a lovely pairing with my meal.

Ready for reds

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Looking for some new wine ideas this fall? Here are few from which to choose from the lighter-bodied Gamay grape to the full-bodied and bold Cabernet Sauvignon.

Gamay in all its glory If all you know about the Gamay grape is Beaujolais Nouveau, you are missing a big part of the story. Not only does Gamay come into its own in the ten designated cru villages of Beaujolais, but some of the wines can be quite complex and capable of aging.

Georges Duboeuf Jean-Ernst Descombes 2011 Morgon, Burgundy, France, $16.00 This wine displays a fruity nose of cherries with some slight mineral character, both of which persist on the palate. It is dry, with medium body, low tannins and good acidity.

Napa Valley big reds The Napa Valley made its reputation on big reds, particularly Cabernet Sauvignon, but Merlot (and others) are well represented. These three represent a nice range of wine styles and price points.

Waterstone Merlot 2008, Napa Valley, CA, $18.00 With medium intense aromas of cherries, plums and herbs, this dry wine has good acidity with a full body and slightly noticeable alcohol. Despite this, the palate was quite elegant showing plum, cocoa, herbs and spice flavors throughout its more than medium length.

Folie à Deux Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, Napa Valley, CA, $24,00 This wine displayed notes of ripe red and black fruit with some spice. On the palate, it was dry, with medium to high acidity, and flavors of earth, red fruit and spice. The tannins were firm, but ripe and the finish was relatively long.

Antica Cabernet Sauvignon 2009, Napa Valley, CA, $55.00 Tasted alongside the Folie à Deux Cab, this wine exhibited much blacker fruit and was more herbal in character with a hint of cocoa. The dry palate offered silky yet firm tannins and long length. Its flavors included rich and ripe blackberry, dried herbs, spice and cocoa.

Lesser-known Names Shine in the Langhe

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Italy’s Piedmont region is full of recognizable names – Michele Chiarlo, Aldo Conterno and Bartolo Mascarello to list just a few. But the area has numerous other producers who, while less well known, are also producing high quality wines. Two such visits that reinforced this view were to Gianpiero Marrone and Negro.

A man blessed with daughters, Giampiero Marrone is at the helm of his family’s winery, with daughters Serena, Denise and Valentina working alongside him. Located in La Morra, the Marrones recently completed a major renovation of their winery building, which has been in the family for four generations.  Standing on the new terrace, the 360° views provide a glimpse of 11 different bell towers, which serve as a beautiful backdrop to tasting the wines.

With 18 hectares (~45 acres) planted, the Marrones produce both red and white wines. Their diverse portfolio (they produce 20 different wines) offers some more unique selections such as Favorita, a grape so named for the Queen’s partiality to this wine. This traditional white grape is found only in the Langhe, but it originated from Vermentino when both Piedmont and Sardinia were under Savoy rule. This wine (2011) is light and fresh, well suited as an aperitif, with floral notes, ripe peach fruit and moderate acidity.

Their Langhe Arneis (another local white grape variety) comes from a vineyard selection called “Tre Fie” (three daughters). Redolent of almond, floral and citrus notes, the 2011 wine is rich and mineral on the palate. A blend of Arneis, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, the Langhe Suris 2010 is quite tropical in aroma, coupled with citrus, along with full body and vibrant acidity. Rounding out the family’s white wine offerings, its Langhe Chardonnay “Memundis” is barrel fermented and spends 15 months on the lees. The 2010 was nicely structured with integrated oak, apple, mineral and a hint of butter and capable of aging for a few years.

Among its reds, the Marrones produce several blends including Passione from a blend of Barbera and Nebbiolo, and Sancarlo, which brings together Nebbiolo, Barbera and Dolcetto. The former was rich and ripe with bright cherry aromas and flavors and freshness on the palate. The latter displayed a dried, jammy fruit character, with cherry, plum and herbal notes and was quite elegant. Serena explained that they prefer Austrian wood for their barrels, which are water bent, but not charred or smoked, and choose a smaller size to speed the aging process.

Conversely, their Barolo “Pichemej” is aged in traditional, large oak casks. The 2008 was still extremely tight, but exhibited nice floral, cherry and spice aromas and flavors. It needs time in the cellar for the tannins to soften. We closed out the visit with their Barolo Chinato. This is a traditional aromatized wine, flavored with spices, cinchona (quinine), rhubarb roots and gentian, making it equally perfect as a digestif or as an accompaniment to dessert. The medium sweet palate offered spices, cocoa and stewed fruit, yet finished quite cleanly.

Situated to the north of Barolo, the Roero DOCG features Arneis and Nebbiolo. While this denomination hasn’t garnered the attention that Barolo and Barbaresco have attained, the area produces extremely high quality wines, particularly with the whites. Here, the Arneis grape thrives in the marine-fossil rich soils that maintain high acidity in the grapes.

Within Roero, the Negro family has been producing wine for generations. Their Perdaudin estate dates to 1670 as evidenced in the local archives. The current generations include Giovanni and Marisa Negro and their children, Emanuela, Gabriele, Angelo and Giuseppe, making the winery a true family affair. Recognizing the need to sustain the land for future generations, the family has shifted its vineyard cultivation from the use of chemical fertilizers to organic compost.

Championing the aging potential of Arneis, the Negro family presented a vertical tasting of their Arneis wines. The 2001 Roero Arneis 7 Anni proved the point, showing some development, while retaining crisp acidity, minerality and a creamy texture. Surprisingly, the 2007 Roero Arneis “Perdaudin” actually seemed older with its slight oxidative character of nuts and bruised apples.

The Negro’s Roero Sudisfà Riserva provided proof as to the quality of the Roero Rosso (red) wines. These were quite elegant, despite the tannic nature of the wines. The 2004 and 2006 particularly showed well, with the 2004 offering dried flowers, balsamic vinegar and plums on the nose, with dried fruit and meatiness on the palate. Overall, it showed richer, darker fruit than the 2006, which displayed similar floral character, but was joined by brighter strawberry aromas and flavors.

Like the Marrones, the Negros have a significant range of wines. Their two Metodo Classico sparkling wines include the Giovanni Negro Roero Arneis Extra Brut and the Maria Elisa Rosé Brut, produced from Nebbiolo, while the two dessert style wines include Birbet, an off-dry wine made from Brachetto (but unlike Brachetto d’Acqui, this isn’t a sparkling wine), and Passito, a medium sweet wine made from Arneis grapes that have been dried to reduce water content and concentrate flavors.

These two visits reinforced the need to look beyond the usual suspects and to explore the broader world of Piedmont wine.