Category Archives: Tasting Notes

Beaujolais Nouveau 2010 arrives with Molly Sims, Franck Duboeuf and Peter Deutsch

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Molly Sims, Franck Duboeuf and Peter Deutsch welcome the Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau 2010...cirque style.

Like clockwork, the Beuajolais Nouveau arrived on the third Thursday of November, attended by a circus-style celebration for the 2010 harvest. Actress, model and jewelry designer, Molly Sims, was on hand to toast the first glass from Georges Duboeuf, with George’s son, Franck, serving as Master of Ceremonies under the big top at District 36. The luncheon, prepared by chef Marc Murphy (of Landmarc and now also Benchmarc catering), was accompanied by the Beaujolais Nouveau 2010 and the Morgon Jean Descombes 2009. Other Beaujolais crus were available at the self-pour bar during the initial reception. Overhead, attendees were treated to aerialists dangling from silks, while jugglers, magicians and contortionists dazzled at eye-level.

Beaujolais, whether Nouveau or not, is a wine made in the southernmost part of Burgundy from the Gamay grape. While Gamay is not most people’s favorite grape variety — often associated with prejorative aromas of bubble gum and banana, this year’s wine showed none of these characteristics and was simply pleasing with its ripe cherry fruit and soft tannins. And, it went nicely with the meal.

As a wine, Beaujolais Nouveau has both its share of proponents and detractors, but for me, it is more about the symbolism than the wine itself. Here we are in November, only a few weeks after the harvest and we have much to be thankful for and much to celebrate. Along comes Beaujolais Nouveau, ready to honor the year’s work. Most wines are still preparing for the party (and may take years to do so as they dress in layers of oak, vanilla and toast), but Beaujolais Nouveau and other wines produced in a nouveau-style are not only fully dressed, they are prepared to dance until dawn.

No, it is not a wine on which to meditate, but sometimes all you need is a simple glass of wine, good food and good friends in order to sit back and enjoy the good life. Salut!

Juggler at Beaujolais Nouveau celebration.

Chenin Shines Brightly

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AWS Tasting at Grand Cru Classes ~ October 2010

The tasting featured a collection of Chenin Blancs from South Africa and ranged in price from $5.00/bottle to $55.00/bottle. The majority of the wines were dry, but the final wine was a noble late harvest Chenin Blanc

The crowd favorites, based on the AWS evaluation and scoring (20 point scale) were as follows:

Mulderbosch Chenin Blanc 2008, Stellenbosch, South Africa – coming in with an average score of 15.5; I had it at 16
At $13.00, this was a lot of wine for the money – complex aromas of tropical fruit, botrytis and lanolin, richness on the palate, medium+ length

At 16.2, Ken Forrester’s FMC 2007, Stellenbosch, South Africa neared the top of the list, but, at $55.00, the group was less inclined to purchase it. Aromas of nuts, yeast, botrytis and spice; lush tropical fruit, oak, spice, with a caramelized note in the long length.

The highest scoring wine of the night was the Darling Cellars Onyx (Noble Late Harvest) 2008, with an average 16.4. $20.00 for a 375 ml bottle – not too bad for a dessert wine, especially one with the complexity and balance that this one showed. Aromas of honey, licorice, spice and apricot; medium sweet on the palate with honey and tangerine; long length.

Women in Winemaking: Simi & Franciscan

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When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up? Not surprisingly, winemaker was probably not on your list. Similarly, while Janet Myers and Susan Lueker are now both successful Napa Valley winemakers, they each came to their craft by a circuitous route.

Janet grew up in Southern Illinois with a family fruit orchard and maternal grandparents from Italy, but her interest in grapes didn’t come until later. She studied biology in college and initially pursued anthropology. Janet eventually moved to London and, while waiting tables there, developed a love of wine. As her passion strengthened, she chose to study enology at UC Davis. 

Meanwhile, Susan studied chemistry when she first went away to school, but then changed her mind and majored in child development. After working with hospitalized children, which she found quite depressing, she decided to switch careers. Susan had always liked wine and her parents had met at UC Davis, so it seemed like a natural place to investigate. After a great meeting with one of Davis’ professors, Susan enrolled at the university. 

Arriving at the same decision around the same time, Susan and Janet found themselves as lab partners and became friends. Today, Janet is the head winemaker at Franciscan, a post she has held since 2005, while Susan is at Simi, where she has been for the past 10 years.

A recent “Women in Winemaking” dinner featured both winemakers and their wines at the Crosby Hotel in New York. During the reception, guests had the opportunity to taste Simi’s Sauvignon Blanc and Franciscan’s Napa Valley Chardonnay as well as two red wines. Moving to the dining room, additional wines were paired with dinner.

Simi Chardonnay 2007, Russian River Valley, CA
This wine was made from 20-year old vines planted by Zelma Long. It showed butter, apple and citrus aromas on the nose owing to partial malolactic fermentation and ageing in G. Ferrer barrels. Dry and full-bodied on the palate, its flavors included apple, oak, nuts and vanilla.

Franciscan Cuvée Sauvage Chardonnay 2007, Carneros, CA
Named for the use of ambient/wild yeast used, this wine takes twice as long to ferment and Franciscan was the first producer in Napa to bottle a wild ferment wine. This wine has aromas and flavors of oak, yeast and green apple and spice, which can be attributed to the wild yeast, barrel fermentation and lees stirring.

Simi Landslide Vineyard 2006, Alexander Valley, CA
The 290 acre (180 of which are planted) Landslide Vineyard was planted in the mid1980s by Zelma Long and has three different elevations, each of which delivers a unique quality to the grapes. The lowest elevation results in ripe character and softer tannins, while the highest provides vibrant, vivacious fruit. A blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, the remainder made up of the other four Bordeaux varieties, floral, blackberry smoke and cherry aromas greet the nose. A full-bodied palate shows notes of blackcherry, spice, vanilla, oak and smoke. 

Franciscan Magnificat Red Wine 2006, Napa Valley, CA
One of the first Meritage blends, Magnificat was named for Bach’s piece, which was written for five voices. Franciscan has been making this wine since 1984, varying the blend each vintage. Janet noted that, “By varying the blend, we can be more true to the personality of the blend.” The 2006 is produced from 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 3% Malbec and 1% Petit Verdot, with meat, bacon, cherry and smoke aromas. Medium+ tannins, fruit, spice and vanilla linger in the long length.

Chablis 2008 shines at Drouhin’s Domaine de Vaudon

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Laurent Drouhin, of Maison Joseph Drouhin, wants consumers  to know a few things about Burgundy. The first is that they don’t make Chardonnay or Pinot Noir. Rather, they make Chassagne-Montrachet, Chambolle-Musigny, Pommard, etc. In his view, the grapes, which are in fact Chardonnay for the whites and Pinot Noir for the reds, are merely a conduit through which the terroir can speak.

Another thing that Laurent would like folks to know is that Chablis, a very special terroir for white wines, is also in Burgundy.

And, finally, while he is proud of his family’s heritage as a negociant (a firm which purchases grapes from multiple growers to make wine), they are equally proud of their status as a land owner and producer, particularly in Chablis.

A recent tasting of the 2008 vintage from Drouhin’s Domaine de Vaudon proves that his pride is justly deserved.

The district level Chablis ($24.50) showed some complexity on the nose with  minerality and citrus fruit, both of which persisted on the palate along with the addition of green apple. The Reserve wine ($29.00), while similar in aromas and flavors, had a more pronounced nose and longer length on the palate.

Moving up in quality, the three Premier Cru wines (from grapes grown on highly rated vineyard land) all presented vibrant acidity, full body and citrus notes. The Premier Cru Montmains ($38.25) seemed to be the most complex of the three, with notes of apple, lime, earth and minerality.

However, it was the jump to the Grand Cru wines (those hailing from one of the seven best vineyards in Chablis) that really showed what world class Chablis is all about. The Grand Cru Bougros ($72.00) – incidently, Laurent pronounces the final “s” – had pronounced minerality, damp earth, bruised apple and a slight woody note on the nose, all of which re-appeared on the palate and remained throughout the exceedingly long finish. Slightly richer, with the perception of riper fruit on the nose and palate, the Grand Cru Vaudesir ($72.00) was slightly fuller and seemed to show a little more of the oak influence on the palate, although the use of oak was still restrained and elegant.

These latter wines were showing beautifully now, but indicated the ability to evolve and gain further complexity with age.

So, whether you drink them young or in time, enjoy these wines to the fullest. Just don’t call them Chardonnay.

Rom: A high point in the Golan Heights

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Courtesy Yarden Rom

A graduate of UC Davis, Victor Schoenfeld has been the winemaker for Golan Heights Winery in Israel since 1992. Zelma Long, who needs no introduction in certain circles, began her career at Robert Mondavi Winery and later moved to Simi Winery before pursuing her own interests. In 2002, the two well-regarded winemakers first came together with the goal of better understanding what limited and promoted quality among nine high quality blocks of vines at Golan Heights.

Describing the Golan Heights as a Mediterranean climate in an historical landscape, for Long, her visit “…felt like [she] was in this mythical land.” She saw its unique personality – wines that reflect the area with an extremely unusual diversity of climates within a small area (50 miles x 40 miles). Calling the wines fruit expressive with soft tannins, Zelma likens the wines to a cross between California fruitiness and Bordeaux restraint. She added that they are wines of complex character and concentration.

After working on the initial project together for several years, the two decided that a natural progression was to collaborate on the creation of a new wine. They recognized that blending wine was a very personal and intimate process, one that is not always easy to share with someone, but, their experience has been positive. Their vision for the wine, ROM, was power/intensity, which comes from the grapes and gives the wine potential for longevity; finesse/balance, which reflects winemaking and is also important for ageing; and flavor/complexity, which is enhanced in the winery through blending and ageing. Overall, they sought a wine of both access and ageing.

Ultimately, they sought out a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah, with each variety bringing a distinctive set of aromas and flavor profiles to the final blend. The Cabernet Sauvignon from cooler vineyards brings black cherry and ripe plum, while grapes from the warmer vineyards result in olive and dried herb aromas. Together, these grapes provide solid, consistent foundation to the wine, which is enhanced by Syrah’s darker fruit, savory qualities and roundness, depth and richness. The Merlot adds fresher notes of raspberry, fresh herbs and orange zest and is responsible for lift and fleshing out the mid-palate. From the Hebrew word for a high place, the name Rom symbolizes Victor and Zelma’s pursuit in creating a wine of the highest quality.  [See the graphs below.]

Members of the press had the opportunity to taste through barrel samples of the component wines from the 2008 vintage: Merlot from Odem, Syrah from Tel Phares and Cabernet Sauvignon from El Rom. This exercise provided a glimpse of how the individual grapes came together to create a gestalt, especially when compared with the Rom 2008 barrel sample.

The first wine to be launched, the Yarden Rom 2006, showed beautifully with aromas of plum, blueberry and blackberry. The well-balanced palate offered very concentrated, rich fruit flavors with a hint of herbal notes and firm tannins. The 2007 had brighter red fruit on the nose and was a bit more structured, while the 2008 (barrel sample) was not as integrated, with the wood notes more obvious on the palate, indicating that this is a wine that will improve with time. A limited edition of 6,000 bottles was produced for the 2006 vintage, with an SRP of $160.00.

Courtesy - Yarden Rom

Courtesy - Yarden Rom

The future is now – Bordeaux 2009 white and rose

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The 2009 vintage in Bordeaux continues to receive rave reviews, but for now, the only red wines available for purchase are being sold as futures. Instead, consumers can look to Bordeaux’s whites and rosés – yes, you read that right, rosés – for a taste of this vaunted vintage.

Château Penin AOC Bordeaux Clairet 2009, Bordeaux, France
Located within the area of Entre-deux-Mers in the village of Génissac, Chateau Penin has been in the Carteyron family since 1854. Patrick Carteyron, a member of the fifth generation, has been the current owner as of 1982. The château’s white wine is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon, along with Sauvignon Gris. The remaining range of wines is predominantly produced with Merlot, the most widely planted grape in the Bordeaux region. Two of those wines are rosés – an AOC Bordeaux Clairet and an AOC Bordeaux Rosé.

The Château Penin Bordeaux Clairet is 100% Merlot. This wine spends 24-60 hours of maceration on the skins, which accounts for its depth of color. In addition, approximately 25% of the wine underwent malolactic fermentation, rounding out the acidity on the palate, before spending four months ageing on the lees. With its deep rose color, you have to look twice to confirm that this is in fact a rose wine, but its cherry and strawberry aromas confirm its identity. With medium acidity, medium+ body, bright fruit and low tannins, this is a structured and dense wine that drinks more like a chilled red than a rose, but certainly hits the spot on a hot summer’s day.

Château Les Vergnes Bordeaux Blanc 2009, Bordeaux, France
Château Les Vergnes has been involved in viticulture from the very beginning with efforts to establish a national plan to combat phylloxera at the start of the 19th century and experiments with the first use of potassium thiocarbonate in 1879. Today, the château is committed to preserving the environment and qualified for the title, l’Agriculture Raisonnée in 2005 for its sustainable agriculture practices. 

Its Bordeaux Blanc wine is produced from a blend of 55% Sauvignon Blanc, 35% Muscadelle and 10% Sémillon, with grapes sourced from throughout the Bordeaux region. The nose carries aromas of grapefruit, floral and a waxy/lanolin note (likely from the Sémillon). The dry palate boasts vibrant acidity with medium body and flavors of citrus, pith and a slight hint of lanolin, which persist throughout the medium+ length.

Grand Cru Grapevine: For the Cellar (June 2010)

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Season has arrived, keeping us busy with public classes, private group tastings and lots of fun wine events. Some recent highlights included a presentation on Long Island wines to wine club, It Was a Good Year, based in Poughkeepsie, NY; a presentation of our From Vine to Wine class held in conjunction with the Town of Riverhead’s Department of Recreation; and a jaunt “Around the Wine World in Six Glasses” for a bachelorette party in East Hampton. We return to the Hamptons for another bachelorette party this month. 

We also had the good fortune to visit to the Finger Lakes wine region in early May as part of Lenn Thompson’s TasteCamp East. This three-day extravaganza provided us with a fast and furious overview of this great wine region, which neither of us had truly visited despite Tracy having gone to Cornell University for school. If you get a chance to visit yourself, we highly recommend the trip. 

Of course, for most of you, a much shorter trip will bring you to the haven that is the East End of Long Island, which has ramped up for 2010 and welcomes your visit. If you do head out our way, be sure to stop by to visit our vineyard and take a wine class. We will also be delighted to show you our new solar array, which is our latest step in going off the grid and being green.

Coming with a group? We can customize a private class or event for you to enhance your visit to the region – choose from our regular wine tasting classes or add a cheese tasting component to broaden your knowledge even further. We await you… 

Drink wisely and well,
Tracy Ellen Kamens, Ed.D., DWS, CWE
CEO: Chief Education Officer
       and
Jared Michael Skolnick
COO: Cork Opening Officer  

FOR THE CELLAR
While most wine is consumed within 48 hours of purchase, there are good reasons to cellar your wine. No, that New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc likely won’t improve with age, but, many other wines will continue to develop in the bottle, revealing even more nuances and complexity upon opening. As they say, patience is a virtue, and truly, a well-aged wine can be a rewarding experience.  

Which wines will age?
First, know that a vintage date is not akin to a freshness date – buying wine is very different from buying milk. An older wine is not necessarily a bad thing and in fact can be even better for having aged. That being said, wines that are intended to be enjoyed for their crisp acidity and fresh fruit flavors are best enjoyed young and should not be aged. Accordingly, keep tabs on your fresh, aromatic whites, roses and fruity reds and plan to drink them within three years of release.

Similarly, most white wines are meant to be enjoyed in their youth. However, high quality Chardonnays, Rieslings, Semillons and Chenin Blancs can develop nutty, toasty, honey and other more developed aromas and flavors that come through after the fresh fruit has faded.  Red wines with good tannins are likely to be ageworthy due to their structure and, in fact, highly tannic wines generally require some ageing for the tannins to soften and become more enjoyable on the palate. As with their white counterparts, vibrant fruit will become more subdued as secondary and tertiary flavors come to the fore with dried fruits, earthy and herbal notes taking their place. In general, a wine with ageing potential will have enough fruit, acidity and structure. If these elements aren’t sufficiently present in the beginning, they will fade too quickly as the wine ages and the aged wine will be lacking on the palate. In addition, sugar and alcohol are great preservatives, so wines with high sugar contents and fortified wines can age beautifully such as Sauternes; Ports; and Auslese, Beerenauslese and Trockenberenauslese Rieslings. 

Proper storage conditions
If you are laying down your own wines, be sure to store them under proper cellar conditions. Wines should be stored in consistent temperature between 50oF-70oF with some humidity to keep the corks moist in an area that is free from vibration and not exposed to light. Bottles with corks should be laid horizontally, to further aid in keeping the corks moist. If buying older vintages at an auction or retail, it is important to consider the storage conditions under which the wine has been since its departure from the winery. Whether ageing them yourself or buying aged wines, well-stored wines, with good providence, are more likely to be sound, although even under the best circumstances, there are no guarantees. 

When to drink your aged wines
Deciding when to drink your aged wines is both an art and a science. Typically, if you have a case of a particular wine, you will likely drink a few bottles too soon and a few bottles too late and the remainder during the wine’s peak. It’s a  good idea to check out vintage charts to see when wine experts, who are often tasting wines throughout the ageing process, think they are ready to drink (or if they think they are too young or too mature).

Serving older wines 
Once you have selected to drink an older wine you should expect a few things such as sediment. The tannins and pigments will precipitate out of solution, falling to the bottom of the wine. Accordingly, older wines frequently need to be decanted. In addition, like leaving an apple slice on the counter, wines (especially white wines) will oxidize a bit with time and thus will change color. White wines will become darker, heading toward brown while red wines will lose color, shifting toward brick and orange tones. Finally, corks on older wines may be very fragile, thus, an Ah-So opener might be a better way to go than the usual cork screw. 

Whether you prefer the vibrancy of newly released wines or the complexity of aged wines, open a great bottle and enjoy! 

 Tasting Notes 

  To further illustrate the discussion above, this month’s tasting notes include several of the same wines from different vintages, highlighting the changes that come with age. 

Bott-Geyl, Pinot d’Alsace 2005, Alsace, France, $16.00
We featured this traditional blend of Pinot Auxerois, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir in our December 2008 newsletter. Now at five years old, it is showing some beautiful aged characteristics with the citrus and floral notes have given way to honey and toast. However, the wine’s richness and acidity are still very present.

Anthony Road Winery, Semi-Dry Riesling 2008, Finger Lakes (NY), USA, $15.00
This is their off-dry Riesling offering with approximately 21-25 g/l of residual sugar. Floral aromas dominate the nose while the off-dry palate provides vibrant acidity and peach/stone fruit flavors that linger throughout the wine’s long length.  

Anthony Road Winery, Semi-Dry Riesling 2001, Finger Lakes (NY), USA
The same wine as the Riesling 2008, but with seven years of bottle ageing, the wine shows developing aromas of petrol. The palate is now drier and the ripe fruit has faded into notes of honey, toast and lime. The long length persists. 

Beronia Gran Reserva 2001, Rioja, Spain, $22.00
Produced from 88% Tempranillo, 8% Graciano and 4% Mazuelo, the wine was aged for a minimum of 24-36 months in oak plus an additional 36 months in bottle to quality for the Gran Reserva label. Aromas of smoke, spice, herbal and bright berry greet the nose. The palate provides red fruit and leafy flavors and good, tannic structure.Nearly the same wine as the one above, this wine was produced from 100% Tempranillo. Its nose reveals dried fruits and herbal aromas, while the palate is dry with medium+ acidity. Flavors of herbs, red fruit and spice are beautifully developed.Another 100% Tempranillo wine, this is a good (or rather bad) example of what happens when you wait too long to drink your wines. Tasted right after the 1982 Gran Reserva, it was clear that this wine was past its prime with limited fruit and bitter notes on the palate. In contrast, the 1982 had a slightly oxidized nose, but still showed some flavors of bright fruit, dried herbs and dried flowers.

Beronia Gran Reserva 1994, Rioja, Spain, $53.00

Beronia Gran Reserva 1981, Rioja, Spain, $55.00

Stellakaya’s winemaker a rising star at the Home of the Stars

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The first time Ntsiki Biyela tasted wine it was a shocking experience for her and she was initially decided that she didn’t like it. The problem was that Ntsiki had just moved 1,000 miles from her hometown in Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa to pursue a bachelor’s degree in oenology at Stellenbosch University. Recruited to the program as a result of her high marks in high school science by South African Airlines, Ntsiki didn’t really know much about the career on which she was embarking. Her only previous experience with alcoholic beverages was with brewing a traditional beer made from corn, but she was willing to stick it out and learn.

Once Ntsiki had begun the program, she was asked if she wanted to switch majors, but by that time it was too late. She had started to enjoy her coursework as well as working with Delheim winery to gain hands-on experience. And, of course, she learned to appreciate the taste of wine. Her perseverance paid off as she joined Stellekaya as junior winemaker in 2004 and then taking over the winemaking in 2005, becoming South Africa’s first black female winemaker. In 2009, she was named Landbouweekblad Woman Winemaker of the year.

Stellakaya, which means “Home of the Stars” specializes in red wines. A relatively new winery, Stellakaya planted 15 ha in 2005 and thus, currently buys in its grapes from neighboring vineyards. Grapes are carefully handpicked and left in cold storage overnight to adjust acidity levels due to the heat and wines are aged in French oak. Borrowing from the winery’s star theme, the blended wines are named for various constellations such as Cape Cross, Orion and Hercules.

Stellakaya Cape Cross 2004, Stellenbosch, South Africa
A Cape Blend of Merlot (50%), Pinotage (30%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (20%), this wine has aromas of meat, berries, earth and smoke. Its dry, medium to full-bodied palate shows notes of smoke, blackberry and meat, along with ripe tannins.

Stellakaya Orion 2005, Stellenbosch, South Africa
This wine’s blend is Bordeaux in style, bringing Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc together. Notes of blackberry, plum, euclyptus and slight oak greet the nose, while flavors of rich, ripe blackberry, vanilla, spice and oak pervade throughout the wine’s long length.

Stellakaya Cabernet Sauvignon 2005, Stellenbosch, South Africa
Produced from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon (at least the Technical Sheet doesn’t say otherwise), this wine is aged for twenty months in French oak, 60% of which was new. The full-bodied wine displays typical aromas and flavors of blackberry, euclyptus and pepper, with firm tannins.

Grand Cru Grapevine: The Magic of Monterey (May 2010)

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May finds us busy as a bee with Spring in full swing and Mother’s Day just around the corner. And, in a few weeks, the official launch to the Summer 2010 season, Memorial Day Weekend, will be upon us.

On May 18, Tracy will begin her 5-week Italian wine class at NYU’s School of Continuing & Professional Studies (Register through NYU now). Then, on May 20, she’ll head up to Poughkeepsie to present on the Long Island wine region for the It Was a Good Year tasting group. Next, it’s back to the North Fork on May 21 for a class presented in partnership with the Town of Riverhead’s Department of Recreation.

Finally, we invite you to join us From Vine to Wine as we kick-off our public schedule with our first class scheduled for Saturday, May 29, 2010 at 11:00 AM and a second class set for Sunday, May 30, 2010 at 1:00 PM (Mad about Merlot). 

On Thursday prior to the holiday, Hampton Jitney riders may find a Grand Cru Classes gift certificate at their seat, but you already have the inside track as a loyal reader of the Grand Cru Grapevine. Accordingly, we are pleased to extend the same offer to you – take 20% off a private event scheduled in 2010 or buy one ticket to a public class, get one free.

While you are waiting to head out to the Hamptons or the North Fork, you can sneak off to California’s Central Coast for a virtual visit of its vineyards with this month’s focus on “The Magic of Monterey.”

Drink wisely and well,

Tracy Ellen Kamens, Ed.D., DWS, CWE

CEO: Chief Education Officer

and

Jared Michael Skolnick

COO: Cork Opening Officer

———————————————

THE MAGIC of MONTEREY

Like many places in California, Monterey is a magical place. Known as the salad bowl of the U.S., the county is home to numerous farms and driving along the highway one is privy to signs announcing, “Now growing…lettuce (or some other produce)”.

We had the great pleasure of visiting Monterey in 2007 when we attended the SWE annual conference being held there. Arriving at San Jose airport (which is a much cheaper flight than flying directly to Monterey’s regional one), we picked up our rental car and got ready to hit the road south. To truly put us in the California spirit, we had splurged on a convertible and, as soon as we were settled into the car, the top came down. Our options included the interior highway U.S. 101 or the coastal U.S. 1 (aptly named the Pacific Coast Highway). We chose the latter and proceeded to drive accordingly. While in the San Jose vicinity, the thermometer in car read 89oF and the breeze felt great flowing through our hair. This was soon to change in a surprising way.

Upon reaching U.S. 1, we drove south toward our destination and watched the temperature drop precipitously. By the time we were at our destination, it was 65oF. Quite a difference! The drive itself is only about an hour, so what accounts for the vastly different climates? Mountains. And, not only mountains, but their orientation to the Pacific Ocean. The Central Valley of California is shielded from the cold Humboldt Current off the Pacific Ocean due to the (mountain range) that runs north-south or, in other words, parallel to the coast. These mountains insulate the interior from this cooling influence and keep the temperatures high. Conversely, the coast is open to the current and significantly alters the temperature.

Moreover, when you actually get to Monterey, there is a gap in the mountains where they begin to run east-west or perpendicular, rather than parallel, to the ocean. This mountainous orientation plays a big role in the Monterey wine region, with the warmer air at the south-western end of the valley creating a vacuum that pulls the cooler ocean air downstream. Accordingly, the area of Santa Lucia Highlands is hospitable to cool-climate grape varieties, namely Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, but also Riesling and Pinot Grigio. Temperatures range from 65oF-75oF with minimal temperature shifts and a long hang time-harvest is often as late as November. The warmer areas of southern Monterey and the Hames Valley are home to Cabernet Sauvignon and Rhone varietals respectively, which are able to ripen sufficiently given the higher temperatures found there.

Jerry Lohr of J. Lohr Vineyards noticed this unique terroir, particularly in the Arroyo Seco area, back in the 1970s and is among the pioneers in the region. More recently, others have recognized the potential and have established their own vineyards and wineries. Single-vineyard wines are particularly prized with a number of small, named vineyards earning stellar reputations. Gary’s, Talbott, [look up info]. Of course, wines from the wider Monterey County appellation are also produced and can be quite excellent as well. All in all, there are a wide range of microclimates, more than 55 varieties grown and ideal growing conditions to create balanced wines, resulting in true magic in a glass.

TASTING NOTES

Loredona Wine Cellars, Riesling 2007, Monterey, CA, $12.00
This wine shows lime, floral and peach blossom aromas. On the palate, it is slightly off-dry with vibrant acidity and flavors of peach, lime and floral notes, culminating in its long length. 10,000 cases produced.

Wente, Riva Ranch Chardonnay 2008, Arroyo Seco, CA, $20.00
In the 1930s, Wente was the first producer to label a wine as Chardonnay; today, Karl Wente is the fourth generation of his family to run the winery. This wine was barrel fermented and then aged for eight months in a combination of French, American, Eastern European and neutral oak. Aromas of spice, apple peel and a slight note of butter greet the nose. It is dry, with medium-full body and medium acidity. The palate offers up apple and well-integrated oak flavors of butterscotch, spice and an undercurrent of toothpick, finishing with long length.

Carmel Road, Pinot Noir 2007, Monterey County,CA, $16.50
This wine spent nine months in 98% French oak, 21% of which was new and 2% in American oak, 100% of which was new. Displaying raspberry, smoke and herbal aromas, this wine is dry with good acidity and low tannins. Notes of raspberry, cherry and smoke persist throughout its long length.

Lucienne Vineyards, Doctor’s Vineyard Pinot Noir 2007, Santa Lucia Highlands, CA, $35.00
Showing nice complexity, this wine has aromas of earth, herbal, raspberry and floral notes. Barrel aged for 14 months prior to bottling, its dry palate is very fruity with raspberry and herbal notes, coupled with an earthy undercurrent and balanced with bright acidity and long length.

Galante Red Rose Hill Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, Carmel Valley, CA, $35.00
Jack Galante, owner and winemaker, is the grandson of the founding mayor of Carmel. Aromas of blackberry, slight oak and slight eucalyptus dominate the nose. The dry, full-bodied palate shows balanced acidity and ripe tannins with notes of blackberry, oak and smoke.

Chianti makes a comeback

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If you think that Chianti is all about the straw-wrapped bottle, think again. Yes, time was that people prized Chianti as much, if not more, for the bottle it came in (and its ability to do double-duty as a candle holder) as for what was inside, but times have changed. Today, Chianti wine is reaching new heights of quality and making quite a comeback.

Hailing from Italy’s Tuscany region, the demarcated Chianti area is concentrated between Florence and Siena. Here, the Sangiovese grape plays the starring role, but may be blended with other grape varieties including small amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

Among the most well-known Chianti producers, Ruffino has been family-owned for over 130 years, with the current family having acquired the company in 1913. Today, Ruffino owns seven estates in Tuscany, with each estate having a unique climate and soil, giving a different character to each wine.

At the entry level, the Ruffino Chianti Superiore DOCG 2008 provides youthful aromas of cherry and a slight vegetal note, along with bright acidity, medium tannins, and cherry, vegetal and oak on the palate. At $12.99 SRP, this food-friendly wine offers good value. The Superiore designation indicates that the wine was produced from lower yielding vines and was aged longer than Chianti DOCG (minimum of nine months).

Moving up Ruffino’s hierarchy is its Ducale Trilogy, featuring Il Ducale, the Riserva Ducale and the Riserva Ducale Oro. The Ruffino Riserva Ducale Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2006 is produced from 80% Sangiovese and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The first use of the term Riserva is because this wine had historically  been reserved for the Duke (Ducale) and the latter use is because the wine has been aged for a minimum of two years by law. The Oro (gold label) is only made in exceptional years. The wine shows developing aromas of blackcherry, oak, tomato and herbs. Flavors of  sour cherry, oak and tomato continue on the palate throughout the wine’s long length. This deeper, fuller-bodied wine is listed at $24.99 SRP.