Category Archives: Tasting Notes

Grand Cru Grapevine: Navarra – Ancient Kingdom of Modern Wines (July 2011)

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With summer in full swing, we hope you are taking advantage of the great weather and having fun!

While there are many fun activities taking place on the East End this season, consider attending the James Beard Foundation’s annual Chefs and Champagne. This star-studded event raises money for the foundation’s scholarships and will honor Emeril Lagasse. Featuring food from top toques (the chefs) and Nicolas Feuillatte Champagne, this gala celebration takes place at Wölffer Estate on Saturday, July 23, 2011. For more information, see the James Beard website.

Also, mark your calendar for the second annual HARVEST: Wine Auction and Celebration of Long Island’s East End, which will take place on September 17, 2011. Leading up to the big event, wine salons will be offered on September 3, 10 and 17, with Grand Cru Classes presenting a special Mad about Merlot session on September 10 at 11:00 AM.

Do chocolate and wine pair well together? Some say yes, some say no way! Settle the debate with our wine and chocolate tasting event on August 14. Roxanne Browning of Exotic Chocolate Tasting will share the world of artisanal chocolate from bean to bar, while Tracy will focus on the world of wine, with a delicious line-up of wines carefully selected to pair with Roxanne’s chocolates. Visit our website to sign up for this and all other classes.

Finally, we are also pleased to announce the Grand Cru Classes was featured in the first edition of CRAVE New York City – The Urban Girl’s Manifesto, which profiles local, women-owned businesses.

Drink wisely and well,

Tracy Ellen Kamens, Ed.D., DWS, CWE
CEO: Chief Education Officer

and

Jared Michael Skolnick
COO: Cork Opening Officer

Navarra: Ancient Kingdom of Modern Wines

Our mother made the pimentos, she tells us. Seemingly in the middle of nowhere, we sit outside under the shade of an arbor on a sun-filled summer’s day. An enormous feast is suddenly set before us – salad, sausages, tortillas, jamon, pimentos, cheese, while bottles of wine, tasted earlier at the Ochoa winery, stand at attention, ready to poured. We are joined by Adrianna, Beatriz and Pablo and are treated like dear old friends of the family.

A few days later, a modern box suspended high above the vineyards serves as the site for lunch. Javier points out the Otazu winery and other buildings on the estate from this vantage point. Juxtaposed, the two scenes seem unlinked, but, in fact, they are indicative of Navarra’s dichotomy of old and new co-existing throughout the region.

Two wolves adorn the Ochoa crest, the Basque word for which is ochoa. The family can trace its winemaking roots to a document dated 1370 in which Queen Juana (Carlos II’s wife) orders payment to wine merchant, Ochoa de Ayanz. Several towns away, in Ujué, a mural in a Romanesque church features a similar crest, almost as further evidence of the Ochoa heritage. Stretching back farther to the Romans, Navarra has been at the crossroads of many cultures for centuries. At Villa Romana de Arellano, the dolias unearthed by a farmer show that wine was an important product from the very beginning.

More currently, Ochoa has played a pivotal role in Navarra’s wine industry with Javier Ochoa’s role in establishing EVENA (Navarra Viticulture and Oenology Station). Continuing the family’s winemaking legacy, daughter Adriana recently took over as head winemaker and sister, Beatriz, handles marketing and sales. Reflective of Navarra’s international outlook, Adriana studied viticulture and enology in Bordeaux, France and worked the harvest in Australia before taking the reins from dad.

This duality of tradition and modernity can be seen over and over again in different forms. When we arrive, the town of Puente la Reina is bustling with activity – people sit outside in cafes and bars enjoying tapas and other treats in the summer’s afternoon. A veritable tower of Babel, a mix of languages and accents are heard as we catch snippets of conversations when we pass by. The year is 2011, but we would have found a nearly identical scene had it been 1211. Situated along the Camino de Santiago, Puente la Reina, in the heart of Navarra, is just one of the many towns that were built to provide the pilgrims with food and shelter as they made their way to Santiago de Campostela, bringing their customs and cultures as they passed through.

Further down the road, the well-worn and well-signed path snakes its way past a medieval castle at Castillo Monjardin. The castle and its eponymous winery are presided over by Sonia and her husband, Victor. While not part of Spain’s monarchy, there is a royal air about the place, which recalls Navarra’s history as a separate kingdom (maintaining its independence until it succumbed to the Castilian empire in 1512). Planted to Chardonnay, Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, their vineyards underscore Navarra’s link to France. In fact, the Compte de Champagne, Theobald, also held the title of King of Navarra.

Similarly, at Otazu, Javier leads us through the ancient cellars, stopping to point out an alter that dates to the 14th century. After walking the long corridor, we turn to our right and are confronted by a set of glass doors that serve as the entrance to the new barrel room. Though just steps away, we are suddenly transported seven centuries to what is best described as a modern temple truly dedicated to Bacchus, with 1,000+ French oak barrels resting under the vaulted ceiling.

Nearby, St. Martin de Unx’s winemaker proudly professes the winery’s commitment to Spanish varieties: Garnacha, Tempranillo and Viura. While the co-op sticks to traditional grapes, it is experimenting with Navarran oak, grown in local forests, and, as he is quick to point out, are the only ones to be conducting such trials, another point of pride. Testing is also alive and well at Inurrieta, which planted Sauvignon Blanc before it became an authorized grape for the DO. Now, its two Sauvignon Blancs garner critical acclaim.

Produced from both native and international grape varieties, Navarra’s wines speak to the history and tradition of the region, while making room for what is to come. However, what is most striking about these wines is their quality. In tasting one after another, there was concentration, complexity and beautiful balance. Even more amazing, when inquiring about retail prices, most wines fall under $20.00, with quite a few under $15.00.

With its long tenure of winemaking, international influences and openness to trying new things, Navarra’s wineries remain true to this heritage. What the future holds for Navarra is anyone’s guess, but it is sure to be focused on innovation, while being strongly anchored in the region’s culturally diverse past.

 

Tasting Notes

Inurrieta Orchidea Sauvignon Blanc 2010, Navarra, Spain, $10.00
While Sauvignon Blanc is newly authorized for the region, Inurrieta produces two, with the Orchidea its unwooded venture with this grape. Aromas of citrus and tropical fruit give way to high acidity, citrus, especially grapefruit, with a slight floral note. The sur lie treatment adds some roundness to the palate, which culminates in medium+ length.

Castillo de Monjardin Chardonnay Reserva 2007, Navarra, Spain, $19.00
Castillo de Monjardin is the only one producing a Reserva-level Chardonnay. Having been barrel fermented and aged in French oak, this wine provides notes of apple, spice, butterscotch and vanilla on the nose. Its palate is full-bodied with apple, lime, spice and slight oak flavors. Overall, this wine is complex, bright and creamy, with long length.

Ochoa Rosado Lágrima 2010, Navarra, Spain, $11.00
Navarra is well-known for its rosés (aka rosados) and with good reason. The more “serious” of Ochoa’s rosés, the Lágrima is comprised of 50% each of Garnacha and Cabernet Sauvignon, with deep pink hue. Floral and berry aromas persist on the palate, along with depth and structure due to the wine’s slight tannic grip, herbal character and long length.

Senorio de Unx Reserva 2004, Navarra, Spain, $20.00
Produced from 90% Tempranillo and 10% Garnarcha, the Reserva spent 15 months in a combination of French and American oak. The nose offers dried herbs, floral, spice and raisin, while the palate emphasizes dried figs, red fruit and sweet spice. With its medium+ tannins, full body and long length, this wine could continue to age and develop with time.

Otazu Pago de Otazu 2006, Navarra, Spain, $32.00
The Pago designation, which supersedes the DOCa level, was added to Spain’s wine laws in 2006 and is only awarded to very best estates (to date, there are only 10 Vinos de Pago throughout all of Spain). A blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Tempranillo, this wine displays wet earth, dried herbs, red fruit and cinnamon on the nose. The full-bodied palate has medium+ acidity, medium tannins with notes of red fruit and earth, which linger in the long length.

Everything’s Coming Up (Sparkling) Rosés

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In a bold move (and equally bold attire – a pink shirt and gold tie), Hugh Davies, owner of Napa’s Schramsberg Vineyards, challenged some sharp palates to blind taste his J. Schram Rosé 2000 (SRP $130.00) against some of the best rosé Champagnes. The J. Schram Rosé 2000 is a blend of 75% Chardonnay and 25% Pinot Noir, with grapes sourced from Napa, Mendocino, Sonoma, Monterey and Marin Counties and aged on its lees for seven years.

Confident that his wine would show well, tasters were given six flutes filled with varying shades of pink bubbles and asked to rank the wines from 1 to 6 (with 1 being their favorite). None of the tasters knew the identity of the other wines as they set off on their tasting journey.

Once the wines had been tasted and scored, the scores were tallied before the identities were revealed. The verdict? Collectively, the group chose the J. Scram 2000 as their favorite, with the Louis Roederer Cristal 2002 in 2nd place, followed by Perrier-Jouet 2002. My personal picks varied a bit, placing the Cristal first, the Perrier-Jouet second and the J. Schram in third place. I found the former two to be lighter and more delicate, but did still enjoy the J. Schram a lot.

The second flight of wines permitted attendees to taste through the J. Schram in various stages and from different vintages. More specifically, the 2009 pre-bottled, base blend of 85% Chardonnay and 15% Pinot Noir was compared with the post-bottle version. The wine has nicer qualities, but appeared young and disjointed given its incomplete stage. A 2006 J. Schram showed how, in time, the wine would become more integrated, while a comparison of the 2003 J. Schram – a natural sparkling version vs. the finished wine – provided a glimpse into the wine’s further development, with less fruit on the nose and more complexity on the palate. To finish off the flight, the 1993 J. Schram offered a sample of the aging potential of this wine.

The final flight of the day paired several different Schramsberg wines with a delicious lunch, showing the food friendly nature of these wines.

~Blanc de Blancs 2006 – Salmon crepe
~Blanc de Noirs 2006 – Wild mushroom and rice cake
~Reserve 2001 – Lobster Choux
~J. Davies 2006 (a still wine blended from 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Malbec, 6% Petit Verdot) – Lamb Skewers
~Crémant Demi-Sec 2005 (produced from 88% Flora, a cross between Gewurztraminer and Semillon) – Ham

Two from the Clos

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The vineyards of Clos de los Siete in Mendoza, Argentina, are the brainchild of Michel Rolland, flying winemaker, closely associated with Bordeaux. The ambitious project seeks to bring five owners together to create their own wines as well as a collaborative wine.

Although the project was launched in 1998 and the Clos de los Siete by Michel Rolland wine has been available since 2002, a new wine from the property recently made its debut—DiamAndes Gran Reserva. Owned by the Bonnie family of Bordeaux, France (and proprietors of Château Malartic Lagravière), the vineyards for Bodega DiamAndes were planted in 2005.

While the wines are produced from vines grown in close proximity, the foci of the winemakers are different. Whereas the Clos de los Siete by Michel Rolland is produced from a blend of Malbec, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, with actual percentages varying from vintage to vintage, the DiamAndes is heavily comprised of Malbec, seasoned with Cabernet Sauvignon.

I tasted these two wines side by side from the same vintage, 2007, as a way to compare and contrast the different blends from the same terroir.

The Clos de los Siete (48% Malbec, 28% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Sauvignon and 12% Syrah) was fruit forward in style with youthful notes of blueberries, vanilla, plum and slight wood. The full-bodied wine had medium+, but ripe, tannins and an overall ripe fruit/jammy appeal.

In comparison, the DiamAndes Gran Reserva, comprised of 70% Malbec, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and aged in French oak (presumably new since the winery is new itself), was more elegant and austere. This wine showed some slight development on the nose along with more overt oak/wood aromas. Similarly full-bodied, but with dustier tannins, this wine offered flavors of dark plum, oak and vanilla. Despite the more obvious use of oak, this wine was beautifully balanced.

Although one style may appeal to someone’s palate more so than the other, I enjoyed them both for their differences.

In Support of Pinot

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Winemaker David Rossi co-founded Fulcrum Wines with Christine Rossi. With a sharp focus on balance, David seeks to create wines that maintain a harmony among acidity, tannin and alcohol levels, use of oak and the expression of the fruit. Working out of a facility in Napa, CA, Pinot Noir grapes are sourced from the cooler climate AVAs of the state. Accordingly, the winery produces a range of Pinots, including several single vineyard wines.

The 2008 vintage offered a diversity of four wines, which were tasted in pairs, providing an opportunity to compare and contrast the different origins.

 

Fulcrum On Point Pinot Noir 2008, Santa Lucia Highlands, CA
Aromas: Blackcherry, cedar, earth/soil and cherry pie
Flavors: Deep blackcherry, earth and cloves
Structure: Medium+ acidity, medium+ body, very long length
An excellent wine, with aging potential.

Fulcrum Pinot Noir 2008, Anderson Valley, CA
Aromas: Plum, cherry, cinnamon, vanilla
Flavors: Cherry, cinnamon
Structure: Medium+ acidity, medium-bodied, long length.

The wines from Santa Lucia Highlands and Anderson Valley were tasted together. While both were very good wines, our preference was for the Santa Lucia Highlands wine (On Point Pinot Noir).

 

Fulcrum Caps Crown Vineyard Pinot Noir 2008, Sonoma Coast, CA
Aromas: Plum, earthy
Flavors: Raspberry and earth, the latter of which persists throughout the finish
Structure: Medium+ acidity, medium body, long length

Fulcrum Tina Marie Vineyard Pinot Noir 2008, Russian River Valley, CA
Aromas: Floral, berry
Flavors: Raspberry and herbal
Structure: Medium acidity, medium+ body, medium+ alcohol, long length

The Caps Crown and Tina Marie single vineyard wines were tasted together. The Caps Crown was more earthy and masculine while the Tina Marie was more floral and herbal and a bit more elegant despite its fuller body. However, both were wonderful wines.

Grand Cru Grapevine: Yours ’til Niagara Falls (June 2011)

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We hope this missive finds you well and enjoying the newly arrived summer season.

In just a few days, Tracy will be off to the Kingdom of Navarra in Spain’s Basque region visiting wineries and historic sites.

She’ll return in plenty of time for our 2011 Season launch on June 25, 2011. You won’t want to miss this special evening, which will feature a brief wine class on Australian wine, followed by a concert and story-telling by Australian folksinger, Susanna Carman, as part of her U.S. tour. Enjoy wines and cheeses as you listen to Susanna sing and share her tales of living Down Under.

Another new and exciting class this year is a wine and chocolate tasting with Roxanne Browning of Exotic Chocolate Tasting on August 14 (this is a date change from what was previously announced). Roxanne will share the world of artisanal
chocolate from bean to bar, while Tracy will focus on the world of wine, with a delicious line-up of wines carefully selected to pair with Roxanne’s chocolates.

Visit our website to sign up for these and all other classes.

Drink wisely and well,

Tracy Ellen Kamens, Ed.D., DWS, CWE
CEO: Chief Education Officer

and

Jared Michael Skolnick
COO: Cork Opening Officer
Yours ‘til Niagara Falls

Last month, we had the pleasure of visiting the Niagara wine regions in both Canada and the U.S. Within the region, which centers around Lake Ontario, a wide range of microclimates is made possible by not only the maritime influence, but also, the Niagara Escarpment. The escarpment is a ridge of cliffs, which was formed by millions of years of uneven erosion (softer rocks eroded more quickly than harder rocks) and is responsible for the sheer drop of Niagara Falls. As a result, agricultural areas south of the escarpment are warmer due to the protection that the escarpment provides. As a prominent topographical feature, the Niagara Escarpment is recognized by UNESCO as a World Biosphere Reserve and extends on both sides of the border.

Within Canada’s Niagara Peninsula Viticultural Area are 10 different sub-appellations. Interestingly, the diverse variety of these microclimates has carved out areas that emulate Burgundy and Germany, while the warmer areas look to Bordeaux as their model. While the northerly location of this area likely brings cold weather to mind, some areas, such as the St. David’s Bench, experience sufficiently high temperatures in the summer, permitting Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc to ripen to maturity. In the U.S., the Niagara Escarpment American Viticultural Area (AVA) is a recent addition to New York’s wine region having only been established in 2005. With a much younger history, the American wineries are taking advice and cues from their Canadian cousins, whose region dates back to the 1970s.

Of course, it does get quite cold in the late fall and throughout the winter season, which provides ideal conditions for the production of true icewine/Eiswein (as opposed to man-made ice wine). Waiting until the grapes freeze naturally on the vine – at great risk – the frozen grapes are picked in during the last days of December into the month of February. This harvest work is not for the faint of heart given the brutally frigid weather (10-14oF) in which it must be conducted. With the grapes significantly longer tenure on the vines, the sugar levels have risen dramatically while the action of freezing allows much of the water content to be removed, thereby concentrating the juice.

Although there are numerous soil types throughout the region, areas with limestone rich soils account for distinct minerality in many of the wines and the opportunity to blind taste two Chardonnays (from different vineyards, but produced in an identical way) at Tawse Winery (Canadian Winery of the Year 2010) reinforced the impact of soil or as the French would say le gout de terroir (taste of the terroir). While there were some misses among the wines we tasted, overall, we were impressed with the quality of the wines, particularly those from Canada. Several of the American wineries are still focused on American grape varieties as well as fruit wines and nearly all are only a few years old and the lack of maturity (as did their potential) showed.

TASTING NOTES

Tawse Winery, Quarry Road Chardonnay 2009, Niagara Escarpment, Canada, $34.95
The aforementioned Tawse produces its wines following the principles of biodynamics and whether you ascribe to their philosophies or not, there is no denying that they are producing great wines. Reminiscent of Burgundian Chardonnays, this wine is dry with vibrant acidity, medium to full body and notes of mineral, melon and citrus.

Henry of Pelham Family Estate Winery, Cuvée Catherine Rosé Brut Sparkling Wine NV, Niagara Escarpment, Canada, $30.00
Established in 1988, this winery is a true family affair with a lineage dating back to 1842. This Traditional Method sparkler is named for the matriarch of the family, Catherine Smith, and is a product of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and 30 months of aging on the lees (dead yeast cells). The yeasty notes showed on both the nose and palate, joined by aromas and flavors of strawberry and a refreshingly clean finish.

Thirty Bench Wine Makers, Small Lot Triangle Vineyard Riesling 2009, Beamsville Bench, Canada, $30.00
While not exclusively devoted to Riesling, Thirty Bench does produce several different “small lot” Rieslings. Harvested from the estate’s Triangle Vineyard, this dry wine has high acidity, with bright fruit aromas and flavors of citrus and melon, culminating in a long finish.

Vineland Estates Winery, Riesling 1989, Niagara Escarpment, Canada
Among the oldest vineyards in the region, Vineland was initially founded in 1979 by the Weiss family from Mosel, Germany. Graciously pulled from the winery’s library by winemaker Brian Schmidt, this wine 20+ year old was pure proof that these Rieslings can go the distance. Aged characteristics of petrol and honey greeted the nose, while the palate was still fresh and alive with high acidity. Slightly off-dry with rich honey and citrus flavors, the wine lingered for a long time.

Arrowhead Spring Vineyards, Estate Syrah 2008, Niagara Escarpment, U.S., $34.95
Arrowhead is the culmination of Duncan and Robin Ross’ dream to own a vineyard, which they launched in the early part of the previous decade.  This full-bodied, medium-tannic wine showed classic Rhone-style Syrah character with notes of meat, red fruits, spice, leather and black pepper.

Leonard Oakes Estate Winery, Vidal IceWine 2009, Niagara Escarpment, U.S., $49.95
A recent graduate (2008), Jonathan Oakes serves as viticulturist to this estate as well as winemaker for this and Schulze Vineyards and Winery. While medium-sweet on the palate, the bright acidity shines through avoiding any cloying sensations. Notes of honey, spice and apple linger in the long finish.

 

The Ageability of Riesling

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As I head to Niagara this weekend for TasteCamp North, I am reminded of a session I attended at the American Wine Society’s November 2010 Conference in Cincinnati, OH (or as I call it, the other Cin city) with David Gimbel of Vineland Estates Winery.

Established by German producer St. Urbanhoff, Vineland Estates looked to emulate the Mosel in North America. Consequently, they purchased 35 acres in the Niagara Escarpment.

The original motherblock was planted entirely to Riesling on Weiss 21B vines, which can withstand very cold temperatures. The first production was limited to three wines – dry, off-dry and ice wine Rieslings. However, today, the winery has planted other varieties and produces both red and white wines.

David’s session included a tasting of selected vintages from the past 16 years and was a wonderful opportunity to see how well Riesling can age.

Unfortunately, we all agreed that the 1996 Riesling Reserve was tired, with an oxidized character on both the nose and palate. However, it did show a developed nose of spice, dried apricot and slight citrus with more dried fruit and honey on the palate.

The 1999 Riesling Reserve was much more alive, with floral, honey and ripe apricot notes, which remained on the palate for a long time. The 2000 Riesling Reserve was developing nicely with apple peel, honey and a hint of floral while the 2005 Riesling Reserve was still fresh and ripe. Its complex palate provided just a hint of sweetness, with high acidity, peach, floral, honey and pineapple.

We then switched to tasting the Semi-Dry Riesling flight, beginning with the 1994, which showed only slight development despite the passage of 16 years. The honey, spice, apricot and dried fruit nose gave way to bright acidity, apricot, spice, and honeysuckle on the palate, culminating in long length. The 1998 was still vibrant, belying its age, with floral, citrus and peach notes, while the 2000, equally youthful, had more lime and pith flavors. The 2004 vintage was rich and intense with a developing nose redolent with spice and a palate of floral, honey, citrus and peach. While the sweetness of the older wines had faded, the 2004 was still slightly off-dry.

The session concluded with the Riesling Icewine 2000, which was medium-sweet, but beautifully balanced with acidity. Dried fruit, apricot, honey and a hint of anise in the background, long length.

At least at the time, the winery still had some of these older wines available for sale, with the Riesling Reserves priced at $30.00 and the Semi-Dry Rieslings at $25.00, while the Riesling Icewine was $55.00.

Merlot Match-up

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When possible, I prefer to taste wine samples in flights rather than singularly. These two California Merlots were tasted together as a way to compare and contrast their aromas, flavors and structure.

Luna Vineyards Merlot 2006, Napa Valley, CA, $40.00
Winemaking: Aged for 20 months in 50% new French oak barrels
Aromas: Plum, berries, vanilla and oak
Flavors: Plum, berries, vanilla and oak
Structure: Full-bodied, ripe tannins, medium+ alcohol, medium length

Napa Cellars Merlot 2007, Napa Valley, CA, $22.00
Winemaking: 90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon; Aged for 20 months, predominantly in French oak
Aromas: Black cherry, mint, cocoa
Flavors: Cherries, spice and vanilla
Structure: Medium+ acidity, full-bodied, medium tannins, long length
The alcohol was more balanced on this wine than on the Luna Vineyards Merlot.

Grand Cru Grape Vine: Happy Mutter’s Day (May 2011)

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Happy Mutter’s Day! The word Mutter is German for mother and, with Mother’s Day on May 8th, and our focus on Germany this month, we’re sending you a bilingual greeting.

This month, Jared and Tracy will once again participate in TasteCamp East. The 2011 itinerary includes visits to the Niagara wine regions on both the Canadian and American sides. Then, in June, Tracy will travel to the Kingdom of Navarra in Spain’s Basque region where she will taste the wines and cuisine.

Public classes begin June 25th when we’ll kickoff the season with a wine class and concert. This special evening will feature a wine class on Australian wine, followed by a concert and story-telling by Australian folksinger, Susanna Carman, as part of her U.S. tour. Enjoy wines and cheeses as you listen to Susanna sing and share her tales of living Down Under.

Other special events for the season include a wine and chocolate tasting with Roxanne Browning of Exotic Chocolate Tasting (July 17), and a class on Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, with high end wines such as Diamond Creek and Far Niente (August 14). Visit our website to sign up for these and all other classes.

Drink wisely and well,

Tracy Ellen Kamens, Ed.D., DWS, CWE
CEO: Chief Education Officer

and

Jared Michael Skolnick
COO: Cork Opening Officer

Happy Mutter’s Day: The Wines of Germany
A young engineer accompanied his boss on a business trip to Germany in the 1970s. One evening at dinner, their German hosts were keen to show off the quality of their wines and selected a special bottle from the restaurant’s wine list. The red wine was presented to the boss for tasting, with all eyes anxiously awaiting his reaction. The gentleman raised the glass to his lips, took a sip and declared, with his face revealing displeasure, “It’s too sweet!”

Whether true or not, for a long time, many people attributed all German wines with being too sweet. However, at least these days, the reality is that Germany produces a wide range of high quality wines from bone dry to lusciously sweet, so there are wines to suit a variety of palates and occasions. Germany’s association with sweet wines stems from its focus on the ripeness levels in its grapes. While we generally say that grapevines grow between 30-50o north and south of the equator, vineyards in Germany can be found as far north as the 52nd parallel. Given the northerly locale, reaching full grape ripeness is no easy task. Without the steep (often 45o), south-east facing slopes along the Rhine River and its tributaries, grapegrowing would not be possible in this area. As a result of this slope and orientation, the sun’s rays hit the water and reflect back onto the grapes, permitting them to reach full maturity. Consequently, such ripeness is prized and, much of the German classification is based upon ripeness/sugar levels at harvest.

This ripeness classification, whose designation is restricted to Germany’s quality wine category  – Qualitatswein mit Pradikat (Quality wine with attributes), starts from the least ripe, Kabinett, followed by Spatlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese, in ascending order of ripeness. You can expect wines of Auslese level and above to be noticeably sweet, but Kabinett and Spatlese wines may be dry or off-dry (slightly sweet). One clue is to look at the alcohol level; a lower level (10% and under) will generally suggest a sweeter wine since not all of the sugar was converted into alcohol. Another is to look for the word Trocken, which is German for dry, or the terms Classic and Selection, both of which indicate dry-style wines. Those with a little sweetness will pair brilliantly with Asian or other spicy cuisine as well as fatty poultry dishes. Auslese level and sweeter wines are best saved for dessert or as accompaniment to blue cheeses, but while they do retain high levels of residual sugar, they are beautifully balanced with high acidity. This is particularly true of German Rieslings.

And, as a final note, Germany is not a one-grape wonder. In fact, Riesling’s spiritual home is also home to Pinot Noir, Gewurztraminer and a myriad of other Germanic grape varieties.

Wine Tasting Notes

Bernhard Huber, Alte Reben Spatburgunder Trocken  2007, Baden, Germany, $75.00
From the southernmost and warmest region (Baden), this wine is produced from old vines (20-40 years of age) and presented a complex nose of wet leaves, vegetal notes and cherries. These flavors continued on the dry palate with vibrant acidity, low tannins and an extremely long finish. In a word, stunning!

Grafen Neipperg, Lemberger Trocken, 2008, Württenberg, Germany, $22.00
This estate is owned by Count (Graf) Neipperg and is located in the Württenberg region which is predominantly (70%) planted to red grapes, cherry, clove and vanilla greeted the nose . The dry palate had medium+ acidity, light tannins with flavors of bitter cherry, cloves and vanilla.

Johannishof, Charta Riesling, 2008, Rheingau, Germany, $22.00
Johannishof is owned by the Eser family, which has a winemaking history dating from 1685. This wine showed aromas of spice, floral, pineapple and peach. Dry with just a hint of ripeness, this wine has high acidity and concentrated fruit flavors of pineapple and tropical fruit, along with floral notes, all of which remain throughout the wine’s long length.

Liebfrauenstift Riesling Trocken 2009, Rheinhessen, Germany, $22.00
Originally cultivated by Capuchin monks, Peter Joseph Vlackenberg purchased a stake in the property in 1808, with his family currently owning 90% of the site. With citrus and stone aromas on the nose, this wine is dry with piercing acidity. Citrus, pith, stone and slight spice linger on the palate with long length.

Schloss Saarstein, Pinot Blanc, 2008, Mosel, Germany, $15.00
This estate is located on slate soils overlooking the Saar River. A refreshing wine, with good fruit concentration, this wine displayed floral, pear and melon notes on the nose. These notes were joined by some minerality and a hint of spice on the slightly off-dry palate with medium+ length.

Tasting Note Round-Up

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Sometimes, okay, often, I find that I have fallen behind on tasting various samples and subsequently publishing my notes. Accordingly, here is a round up of wines tasted in the past 18 months, with apologies to the sample senders for the delay.

Andeluna Cellars Celebración Reserve 2006, Tupungato, Argentina, $20.00
60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot; 14.8% abv
The first vintage release of this wine, it is created as a Bordeaux-style wine, emulating the Left Bank in terms of the blend, but produced in a distinctly Argentine wine style.
Aromas: Blackberry, blackcherry, vanilla and cedar
Flavors: Very ripe fruit – blackberry, vanilla, cedar, slight spice
Structure: Medium+ acidity; ripe tannins; high alcohol; medium+ length
Conclusion: Very fruit forward, but with some complexity. The alcohol was slightly hot, but otherwise, the wine was balanced.

Folie à Deux Chardonnay 2009, Napa Valley, CA, $18.00
Winemaking: Just over 50% was fermented in small oak barrels. Post-fermentation, the wine was aged in French & American oak for six months.
Aromas: Butterscotch, vanilla, apple and peach
Flavors: Apple, nectarine, vanilla, spice, butterscotch and wood undercurrent
Structure: Medium+ acidity, full-bodied, medium+ alcohol, medium length
While the oak treatment is noticeable, it is well-integrated and wine shows some complexity.

Foppiano Sauvignon Blanc 2009, Russian River Valley, CA, $18.00
Winemaking: Stainless steel fermentation
Aromas: Tropical fruit and slight grassy note
Flavors: Lush fruit – peach, grapefruit, pineapple
Structure: Dry with medium+ acidity, medium+ body, slight heat and long length

Foppiano Rosé 2009, Russian River Valley, CA, $15.00
55% Petite Sirah and 45% Pinot Noir
12 hours of skin contact, then bled off (saignée method); 6 months aging in neutral French oak barrels
Aromas: berry, floral and blossom
Flavors: Herbal and strawberry
Structure: Bone dry, medium+ acidity and high alcohol
A clean and crisp wine with nice fruit concentration, but slightly hot (not surprising given the 14.2% abv).

Make Mine a Malbec

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The Wine Media Guild hosted Jean-Lous Carbonnier, representative of the International Malbec Association and Ricardo Giadorou of Argentina’s Dolium Winery at its November lunch. Featuring a tasting of Argentine and Cahors Malbecs, attendees had the opportunity to taste and compare these wines.

The Malbec grape originated in France and is currently grown in Bordeaux, the Loire Valley and Cahors. Wines from France’s Cahors region must be produced from a minimum of 70% Malbec, but Merlot and Tannat may also be a part of the blend. Most domains are modest in size, averaging 37 acres. The AOC was established in 1971, which helped to stimulate a rebirth of the area’s vineyards.

Despite Malbec’s association with France, it is planted in much greater numbers in Argentina, having arrives in the 1880s. The Dolium Winery is based in the cru of Lucan de Cuyo and is a gravity flow winery having been built underground. Fifteen percent of the winery’s 200,000 hectares are devoted to Malbec. Ricardo explained that in Argentina’s climate, Malbec was an extremely versatile grape, capable of producing concentrated wines. Compared to their Cahors counterparts, the Argentine Malbecs possess softer and sweeter tannins.

During the tasting, most people agreed that the Argentine Malbecs were much more fruit forward with black fruit and ripe tannins. Conversely, the Cahors wines were denser with tighter tannins and less fruit. A number of the Cahors showed notes of wet leaves and tar. A last minute addition to the tasting were three wines from Viu Manent’s Chilean properties. These wines seemed to be a cross between the Argentine and Cahors styles, with a certain elegance to their meaty and black and red fruit notes. The lone rose, which was from Dolium, was dry, yet fruity, with floral, berries and slight grapefruit pith note in the undercurrent, was a refreshing change to what was otherwise a line up of all red wines.

In addition, I had occasion to blind taste two Argentine Malbecs at home.

Redwood Creek Malbec 2009, Mendoza, Argentina
The wine had aromas of spice, black and bramble fruit and vanilla, with blackberry, blueberry, spice and oak on the palate. It had good acidity, with medium+ body, medium tannins, medium alcohol and medium+ length.

Layer Cake Malbec 2008, Mendoza, Argentina
This wine displayed smoke, oak, blackfruits, and faint notes of meat and mint on the nose, which persisted on the palate with a slightly jammy character to the fruit. A full-bodied wine, it had soft tannins. The length was medium+ in duration, but the high alcohol left a burn at the back of the palate in the finish.

The Redwood Creek wine showed brighter fruit and a more balanced alcohol, while the Layer Cake was more concentrated with riper, jammy bramble fruit.