Category Archives: Wine Education

My Life in Wine Public Relations: Day One

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This week I started working in the Public Relations department of a large wine importer, while someone is out on maternity leave. Unfortunately, the offices are not located in Manhattan, which means that I am contending with a lengthy, reverse commute. I guess I’ll finally get to catch up on my Decanter issues.

Among the adjustments for me is simply being back in an office environment after nearly 6 months of working at home. If nothing else, I had the greatest boss ;-). Another change is being in corporate America, which is something I had never done since all of my previous career was spent in higher education. Also, having been at NYU for seven years, it is strange to be the new kid on the block, not even knowing where the supply closet is located, let alone the bathroom (I actually do know where that is). In fact, I actually got lost for a few minutes yesterday as I couldn’t recall from which direction I had come.

The people whom I’ve met thus far have been very nice and I look forward to getting to know them better in the months ahead. As to the work itself, it will be interesting to see a different side of the wine business and I am confident that I will learn greatly from this experience.

There was mention of a wine closet, which I believe will be shown to me in the next week or so. I think it is probably akin to the coveted fashion closet (at Vogue?) that Carrie raved about on an episode of Sex & the City. For Carrie, it was heaven to be surrounded by designer clothing, shoes and accessories. For me, I expect it will be a similarly celestial experience, but instead of coveting Manolo Blahniks, it will be classed Bordeaux. Of course, I don’t think that the wine in the closet is up for open grabs, I’m just looking forward to seeing it and being surrounded by lots of bottles of wine.

Sauntering through Southern Italy: The Wines of Puglia

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The Wine Media Guild held its monthly luncheon earlier this month at Felida restaurant. This month's theme was wines from the Italian region of Puglia, which ranks second overall in Italian wine production, with a 13% share in total, and 6% in DOC/DOCG (quality wine categorization). These figures represent a significant growth in the quality wine arena. In the past year, fine wine production in Puglia has grown from 28% to 35% of Puglia's total production.

Our guest speaker for the afternoon was Charles Scicolone, noted expert on Italian wines. My previous experience with Charles was as a participant many years ago in a pizza making and wine tasting class he presented at I Truli restaurant.

According to Charles, Pliny the Elder spoke highly of Puglian wines, placing them on par with those of Campania, which were widely recognized at the time. While less recognized today, wine came to Southern Italy early on with the Etruscans and Greeks teaching the Italians to cultivate grapes and eventually make wine. In fact, Italy was originally called Oenotria — land of the trained vine.

As 2% of the area is mountanous, the majority of vines are planted low to the ground. A tendone canopy was traditional, but has lost favor, whereas the bush method of vine training is coming back into vogue.

Puglia achieved its Golden Age during the Norman occupation from the 11th century through 1250. Centuries later, during phylloxera, its vines were wiped out. Accordingly, most of the currently planted grapes are not indigenous to the region as many might think.

For a long time during the more modern era, the focus of Puglian wines was on quantity, not quality. The wines were made to emphasize high alcohol and sugar and many found their way to Northern Italy and France, to beef up the wines made in these more northerly (and thus, cooler) climates. Today, the emphasis has shifted toward quality with more balanced wines produced.

Some foreign investment has started to trickle into the region with Kendall-Jackson and Mano a Mano. Pierro Antinori also came in from Northern Italy and produces its Tormaresca brand here.

For the future, Charles sees both the whites and reds continuing to improve, but cautions that the bargains may be disappearing as greater investments are made, quality improves and the Euro maintains its strength. Yet, compared to many other Italian wines, these wines should still seem relatively inexpensive to the U.S. consumer.

Also in attendance at the luncheon, Francesa Mancareli of Candido wines, provided us with some history about her wine brand, which had its first vintage in 1929. We had the opportunity to taste Candido's Aleatico 2002, Salice Salento red, dessert wine, which was beautifully balanced. Candido is between importers, but anticipates a return to the U.S. in March 2009.

Grapes grown in Puglia today include: Negroamaro, Uva di Troia and Primativo, among the reds. White wines include Greco and Malvasia. We were advised that Primativo, while frequently considered to be descended from the same Croatian ancestor as Zinfandel, might actually originate from the Eastern U.S. This controversy remains.

Quality wine appellations include: Primativo di Manduria, Salice Salentino, Brindisi, Leverano and Castel del Monte with regional wines (IGT): Salento, Murgia and Puglia.

My favorite white wine of the day was the Botromagno, Gravino Bianco, 2007, which was a blend of 60% Greco and 40% Malvasia, Gravina Bianco DOC. The wine has floral and citrus aromas with ripe fruit flavors of pineapple and other citrus and long length. ($11.00 from Winebow)

I didn't have the opportunity to taste more than a handful of the red wines and admittedly, my notes are somewhat sparse. However, I was particularly impressed with the following two wines:
Taurino, Patriglione, 1999 (old-vine Negroamaro), $70.00, Winebow
Vallone, Gratticiaia, 2003 (Negroamaro), $60-70, Liberty
While they were different from one another, both possessed notes of concentrated, dried fruits with layers of complexity.

When Life Imitates Art: Amuse Bouche’s Still Life with Blue Dog

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Sometime last year, I was searching the Internet for dogs and wine. I can’t remember what I was looking for, but I found a photo of a wine label, which included George Rodrigue‘s Blue Dog. I  discovered Blue Dog when Rodrigue’s works of art were first displayed in an art gallery in SoHo many years ago. I then had the opportunity to view and ultimately purchase a lithograph at his New Orleans, LA studio, while on vacation in 1997. Seeing Blue Dog paired with wine, I was instantly in love with the label, and set about finding a way to acquire it.

It turned out that the wine was from Amuse Bouche, the Pomerol-style, Napa Valley Merlot blend wine from renowned winemaker, Heidi Barrett.  More specifically, it was their 2006 vintage, as they commission a new label from a recognized artist each year; the 2007 vintage sports artwork by LeRoy Neiman.

Produced in limited quantity, the wine is only available in a six-pack from the winery. However, I was too late; the 2006 vintage was sold out. After some detective work, I found the wine available from wine retailer, the Duke of Bourbon in California. While we could have purchased a single bottle of the wine, we chose to do the six-pack as it would include a signed lithograph of the label design.

The wine and lithograph arrived earlier this fall and we were so excited to receive it. We have not yet opened up any of the wine, but it is safely nestled in our cellar. The lithograph was taken to Jack’s Art Gallery, our local go-to framer, who did a fabulous job, as usual. The framed Blue Dog was appropriately hung in our dining room, just in time to host a small dinner party with friends.

It is truly a joy to look at the art and, as they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

Book Review: WineWiseby Kolpan, Smith & Weiss

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I recently had an opportunity to check out a new wine book, WineWise: Your Complete Guide to Understanding, Selecting and Enjoying Wine, published by John Wiley & Sons, October 2008. It was co-authored by Steven Kolpan, Brian H. Smith and Michael A. Weiss, all of whom are faculty members in the wine studies department at the Culinary Institute of America.

I don’t doubt that the authors are quite knowledgeable about wine, but I found this book to be somewhat confusing in its approach. The book’s content is consumer focused and in fact, Chapter 1 expressly states that the book was written for “people [who] are enjoying wine…in their homes, at parties and other social events, or when dining out.” However, its hard cover, size, shape and two-column format brought to mind a textbook. Yet, it doesn’t work as a textbook because the content doesn’t seem to go deep enough for college-level wine students.

Similar to other books in this genre, the pages are peppered with colorful wine label images, which, while attractive, seem to be more of a distraction than of use to the reader (a critique that I apply to most of these books, not just this one). I did find it interesting, and a refreshing change, that the book begins with wine regions in the U.S. as opposed to starting in Europe as the majority do. Also, I found the pairing of Canada and Greece in the same chapter (titled, Up and Coming: Canada and Greece) to be quite unusual. More substantively, some of the call-outs and compiled information were useful such as the list of “Best-known ‘Super Tuscans'” and a number of really good maps were included as well.

I have not read the authors’ other book, Exploring Wine: The Culinary Institute of America’s Complete Guide to Wines of the World, so I don’t know if this new book is indicative of their writing style. However, I think that Kevin Zraly’s Windows on the World Complete Wine Course book does a better job, overall, in communicating this same information to the consumer.

The book is available through Amazon. Publisher’s list price: $29.95

Sonoma Travelogue: Wining & Dining in Wine Country

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As noted in a previous post, I went to Sonoma, CA for the Wine Bloggers Conference at the tail end of October. We flew into SFO airport, picked up our rental car and then headed downtown to cross the Golden Gate bridge, which is my second favorite bridge, (Brooklyn Bridge is my first favorite) on our way north.

We chose to take the scenic route, driving along Route 1, which meanders along the Pacific coast before heading inland through Point Reyes National Seashore and then back out to ocean views. On the way, we drove through some small towns including the quaint, beachfront village of Stinson Beach (Population ~400) and later the rural Tomales (Population ~50) before reaching Bodega Bay.

This seaside town is due west of Santa Rosa and provided a perfect place to stop for lunch. Given the myriad of signs for BBQ oysters (something we had never heard of), we made sure to order this local delicacy and were well rewarded. Oysters measuring nearly six inches in size had been grilled and then dressed with BBQ sauce. They were tender, meaty and above all, tasty.

Bellies full, we were now ready to begin our marathon of wine tastings planned for the long weekend. We tried to stop at Freestone, Joseph Phelps’ new Sonoma venture focusing on cool climate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, but they are only open Friday through Monday and it was Thursday. Our next stop was Lynmar where we selected their Estate tasting ($10.00/tasting), pairing two Chardonays and two Pinots Noirs which compares their Russian River Valley AVA blends with the Quail Hill Vineyard estate- grown fruit. A dramatic, modern tasting room is available, but as it was 95 degrees we decided to take advantage of the unseasonably warm weather and enjoy our tasting on the patio overlooking a lovely garden and the vineyards beyond.

We then headed to Hartford Family Winery to taste through a number of their wines. Of particular note, we tasted the Fog Dance (Green Valley AVA), Land’s Edge (Sonoma Coast AVA) and Velvet Sisters (Anderson Valley AVA) Pinot Noirs, all from the 2006 vintage. While all were California Pinots, they each had their own distinct characteristics, the first being the most floral and delicate, the latter, the most herbal and earthy and the middle one straddling the two with bright, ripe and juicy fruit. The tasting room is located in a beautiful stone building with large, wooden doors, recalling a European chateau.

With an eye toward saving our energy for dinner, we drove to Santa Rosa, which is centrally located within Sonoma, to check into our room at the Flamingo Hotel where the conference was being held. The 1950s vintage hotel features a neon flamingo atop its tower, which while more indicative of Vegas than wine country, serves as a beacon when returning to one’s hotel at night.

Our first dinner in Sonoma was booked at the Madrona Manor. Prepatory research indicated that the restaurant at this victorian mansion (which is also an inn) was among the top rated in the area and was chosen for its charming decor (the equally lauded Cyrus in Healdsburg seemed to have a more urban vibe) and Chef’s tasting menu. For $85.00, ($139 when paired with wines), diners are treated to a six-course tasting menu, along with an amuse-bouche and two apres-desserts. We sat in a beautifully   appointed room and were regaled with top-notch service. In fact, the maitre-d’ explained to us that the restaurant knows what the kitchen is capable of handling and thus, when booking private parties, which it had done that night, limits the number of reservations taken to be sure it doesn’t exceed its service capacity.

Friday morning  began with an appointment (which is required) at Siduri, a winery located within a corporate park in north Santa Rosa.  Owned by Adam and Dianne Lee, Siduri does not own any land, but rather, purchases all of its fruit from premium vineyards, producing an abundance of single-vineyard wines (all Pinot Noirs) from throughout California and Oregon. Sister Novy Family wines focuses on Syrah and Zinfandel and a handful of white wines. The tasting selection changes and included three of their 22 Pinot Noirs on the day of our visit. A brief visit to the behemoth Kendall-Jackson Wine Center precluded a visit to the tasting room and instead focused on its culinary and sensory gardens. We arrived a little too late for the gratis, guided tour, but were able to take a self-guided stroll through them, viewing different grape varieties and trellising systems and smelling various herbs and fruits planted to simulate the aromas found in wine.

By now it was lunch time and the conference was appropriately kicked-off with lunch at Kickranch Vineyards, owned by Dick Keenan & Kathy McNamara. Kickranch’s fruit, a mix of Sauvignon Blanc and Rhone varietals,  is highly prized by many wineries with long-term contracts, who produce vineyard-designated wines with it. Many of these wineries were present at the luncheon, including Renard, Rosenblum, Carica, Bedrock and Enkidu. I was particularly impressed with newcomer Bedrock, which is produced by Morgan Twain-Peterson, son of Joel Peterson of Ravenswood Winery. However, with his Master of Wine credential nearly complete, one certainly can’t say that Morgan is resting on his father’s laurels and, moreover, the wines speak for themselves.

Friday’s dinner was held at the hotel and featured wines from the Dry Creek Valley, including Dry Creek Vineyard, Quivira, Truett-Hurst, Michel-Schlumberger and Pedoncelli. Of note, many of the winegrowers in this area are practicing biodynamic viticulture.

Saturday morning found us on a vineyard hike with Mark Howser, vineyard manager for Alexander Valley Vineyards (AVV). Mark is extremely knowledgeable, having received his viticultural degree from Fresno State after leaving the military. Our two-mile walk began at Silver Oak’s Cabernet Sauvignon vines and meandered uphill for breathtaking views of the valley before heading down to AVV’s newly completed caves and culminating in a tasting paired with hors d’oeurves. The Alexander Valley AVA is highly prized for its Cabernet Sauvignon, which is much leaner and elegant in style compared to many of those produced in the Napa Valley, where the climate is warmer.

Dinner on Saturday night was held at Sebastiani, not too far from Sonoma Plaza. The historic property was a lovely setting for our meal with its antique vineyard and winery equipment. We were especially impressed with the Barbera. Sebastiani has recently sold off a significant portion of its holdings in an attempt to return to its roots as a small, family-run winery, now in its fourth generation.

At the conclusion of the conference, we met up with friends Peter and Nicole of San Francisco to continue our vineyard tour. We first went to Seghesio ($5.00/tasting), starting off with a white produced from the Italian varietal, Fiano. Primarily known for their Zinfandels, we had the opportunity to taste the Cortina, Rockpile and Home Ranch Zinfandels in addition to a Sangiovese.

Our next stop was Ridge, most famous for its Monte Bello, which took the top place among red wines in the 1976 Tasting of Paris. This Bordeaux-style blend is available for purchase, but not tasting, at least not at the Lytton Springs tasting room in the Dry Creek Valley (another tasting room is located on Monte Bello Road in Cupertino, CA). Rather, we enjoyed a tasting ($5.00/tasting) of several Zinfandels, a Cabernet Sauvignon and a Petite Syrah. The adjacent vineyards boast old-vine Zinfandel and offer lovely vistas of Dry Creek.

We rounded out the day with a visit to Papapietro Perry, which specializes in single vineyard Pinot Noir. Given this prediliction, its Zinfandels are produced in a lighter, Pinot Noir-style, which while quite nice as wines, are not really indicative of Zinfandel wines. The tasting room, which features a copper-topped bar, is located up a hill off Dry Creek Valley Road, where several other tasting rooms are located, making it easy to visit several places in one shot.

We enjoyed a wonderful dinner at El Dorado Kitchen with our friends, where we indulged in local produce and local wine. The scent of their truffled french fries wafting from the open kitchen was heavenly. We then bid them goodbye before returning to the sanctuary of our room at the Vintner’s Inn (we had switched hotels post-conference), owned by Ferrari-Carano wines.

With the conference behind us and a full day ahead, we hit the ground running early Monday morning with a visit to Tony Coturri of Coturri Winery. The drive to Glen Ellen was exquisite as the sun tried earnestly to break through the morning mist and we began our ascent to the Coturri property. Tony greeted us warmly, along with his two dogs, and spent considerable time answering our many questions about organic and biodynamic farming and winemaking. He also graciously poured several wines for us to taste. He doesn’t have a tasting room, so we greatly appreciate his willingness to share his time and expertise with us.

Given our interest in biodynamics, Tony suggested we visit the nearby Benziger Family Winery, which we did.  We chose to forgo the vineyard tram tour ($15.00/person) and headed straight to the tasting room, passing an exhibit of antique winery and farm equipment found on the property. We selected their “Estate, Biodynamic & Single Vineyard Tasting” ($15.00/tasting), which is poured in a special room away from the main tasting bar ($10.00/tasting).  I was suitably impressed with the Demeter-certified biodynamic Tribute, a Bordeaux-style blend made from estate grown fruit, but at $80.00/bottle, not likely to end up in my cellar. Benziger also has a nice educational display out front where we spent some time adding to our viticultural knowledge.

Returning to the hotel to change (the sun had indeed made its appearance), we headed to J Vineyards, which was established by Judy Jordan, daughter of the proprietors of Jordan wine. The winery is well known for its sparkling wines, although still wines are equally produced. We had planned to do a food and wine pairing in lieu of lunch, but we did not have a reservation for their Bubble Room, and we determined that it was still too cool to sit on the terrace to enjoy the oyster and sparkler pairing. We did stay to taste a few wines and were given the opportunity to sample their Pinotage, which was quite a surprise as our first encounter with a non-South African Pinotage. We were advised that there are only 15 acres of Pinotage in the US, with J owning three of them. Our kind host recommended Bear Republic Brewery in Healdsburg for a casual lunch, which was a nice respite before it was back to wine.

Getting an insider’s tip from a colleague, we checked out the wines at C. Donatiello, an up-and-coming Russian River Valley Chardonnay and Pinot Noir winery. From the parking lot, a set of landscaped stairs lead you to their beautiful patio, where signs note that picnics are welcome, before you walk into the tasting room. The Christie Vineyard Chardonnay 2007 was the most Burgundian in style and really nice at $38.00/bottle while the Sauvignon Blanc 2007 was interesting for its full body, depth and structure ($24.00/bottle).

Next on the agenda (yes, I really did have a formal, typed agenda for the trip) was Rochioli Winery. There was no fee for tasting, but only their estate wines are available. We tasted the 2007 Estate Chardonny and 2007 Special Cuvee Pinot Noir. While both wines were well made and quite lovely, the visit didn’t provide an appreciation for why the single vineyard Rochioli wines are so highly allocated, with as much as a five year wait to get on the coveted mailing list.

Mustering up some final energy, we visited Martinelli Winery, highly regarded for its wines produced by consultant winemaker, Helen Turley. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Ms. Turley was a fellow Cornell alumna. Here we tasted through four different Chardonnays, followed by two Pinot Noirs and two Syrahs. All were very good wines and I was stunned to note that the Vigneto di Evo Zinfandel 2006 was well balanced despite its staggering 17.2% abv; surely one would be staggering after more than one glass of this wine. By this point, we were ready to rest up before dinner and probably should have selected a more locally situated restaurant in Santa Rosa, but instead chose to return to Sonoma Plaza to dine at The Girl and the Fig. The wine list is restricted to Rhone varietals, but not only to those from France. The restaurant’s Plat du Jour 3-course menu changes every Thursday and is a steal at $32.00/person. We then chose to pair the menu with a flight of three wines for an additional $8.00/person. The food was delicious and kept us warm on the 30+ minute ride back to our hotel.

Our final morning in Sonoma found us at Dutton-Goldfield’s tasting room, which it shares with Balletto. We had been connected to Dutton through a fellow wineblogger whose son is assistant winemaker there. Their Marketing Manager, Valerie Watham gave us a guided tasting and provided a history of the label. The “marriage” of vineyard manager Steve Dutton (of Dutton Ranch fame) and winemaker Dan Goldfield (formerly with La Crema and Hartford), Dutton-Goldfield focuses on cool climate grape growing, producing a range of single-vineyard wines, mostly from the Russian River Valley.

The last stop on our Sonoma tour was Iron Horse Vineyards, which had special meaning for us as we had read Joy Sterling’s beautiful pictorial book during our initial forray into the world of wine. Joy and I had corresponded prior to our trip as she was registered for the conference as well. Unfortunately, we did not connect with one another, but we were still pleased to make it to the winery to taste through a number of their spectacular sparkling wines. The tasting room is located outside with a wooden bar and a mountain top view with few, if any, rivals.

We stopped for a quick lunch at the nearby Underwood Bar & Bistro, at Valerie’s recommendation, known to be frequented by the local wine industry. The meal was nice, but rushed (my fault, not the restaurant’s) as I was anxious to get on the road and drive to the airport for our afternoon flight. We sidetracked the downtown traffic by taking the Bay Bridge instead this time and made it to the airport on time.

Taking stock, it was truly a terrific first visit to Sonoma and we know we will be back in the future. With 100s of wineries in the region, our visit to 17 leaves many more still to visit. Overall, I highly recommend a trip to Sonoma and would suggest the following tips when visiting such a long list of tasting rooms: Share tasting flights; Spit, don’t swallow; and Remember to eat.

We go to Clo

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Well, actually, we WENT to Clo, but it doesn’t rhyme as nicely.

A few weeks ago, my friend and I visited Clo, the new wine bar located in the Time Warner Center in Manhattan. This certainly qualifies as a wine bar with all wines available by the glass.

The diminutive space comprises a long, white, communal table on which the bar’s wine list can be viewed utilizing touch-screen technology. It is fun for about the first five minutes and then I desperately wanted a regular menu. The initial views are of the actual bottles, which are a little hard to read due to a less than sharp resolution, and scrolling through the bottles was a bit too quick for me to really see what I was doing. When you actually drill down to individual wines, the technological menu is thorough, but it was difficult to go back one step rather than reset a search. However, we did finally set upon a wine selection, a red wine from Spain.

We provided the server with a credit card and were given a POS card and two glasses in exchange. We could then take the card to the coordinates listed on the menu for our wine selection, as the wines themselves lined the four walls surrounding the central table. Inserting the POS card into the appropriate slot, we held a glass under the spigot for our wine and pressed a button releasing a 2 oz pour. This was repeated for the other glass, yielding us two identical pours. A second wine selection was made, but as it is nearly a month later, I can’t remember what it was.

This wine dispenser system kept the wines at the perfect temperature and maintained quality as no air was able to enter the open bottles. I don’t know what the bar’s turnover is like, but such systems permit the bottles to stay open longer than usual. Therefore, bottles of wine which may have previously only been available by the bottle are now available by the glass (or the pour, in this case).

We ordered a selection of cheeses and meats to accompany our wine, which were nicely plated and served with bread. If I recall correctly, this was the extent of the menu, so I wouldn’t suggest going when very hungry. But, as this is truly a wine bar, I found the limited food offerings to be in line.

At the conclusion of your stay, you present the server with the POS card, which has a record of which and how many wine pours you had and can thus bill your credit card accordingly. Prices for the 2 oz pours spanned a wide range, depending upon the wine selection. For example, the least expensive wines were ~$6.00/pour while a classed growth Bordeaux went for $40.00/pour.

I don’t think there was a card reader available to guests, so if you aren’t paying attention, it is possible to rack up a hige bill, especially if your tastes run to classed Bordeaux! In some cases, this might be a way to try more expensive wines without springing for the full bottle, but you’d have to find the retail price and do the math to be sure it’s worth it. What did we ever do without on-demand Internet on our phones? 😉

Despite the expense, I do plan to return to Clo as the wine selection and location are good. Also, the service was very good. In fact, we arrived just as a crush of people were leaving, delaying the server’s initial introduction, but the manager? apologized for the oversight and gave us each a taste of a sparkling wine from Brazil to compensate.

So, I would recommend that you go to Clo, too!

Presidential Preferences

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According to an article in Decanter about the White House Wine Quiz, Obama is a founding members of a wine and cheese club, while Palin and McCain "drink very rarely." I don’t know about you, but I don’t think I can trust someone who doesn’t drink wine on a regular basis, albeit in moderation.

Obviously, we shouldn’t select a US President based on his or her drinking preferences, but with the neo-prohibition lobby at-large, it doesn’t hurt to have an ally in the White House. And frankly, as an Obama supporter, this just gives me yet another reason to vote for him.

And then there were three

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In November 2007, I sat for the Society of Wine Educators’ (SWE) Certified Wine Educator (CWE) credential, which supercedes its Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW) credential, I already possessed. The CWE exam consists of a multiple-choice exam, essay, varietal/wine identification and fault identification, the latter two being blind tastings. I successfully completed the theory (multiple-choice and essay) and faulty identification sections at that time. However, I had woefully failed the varietal/wine identification. In fact, I only identified 1 of the 8 wine samples, which while the results were not revealed, I am fairly certain was the New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc (yes, it’s hard not to id this wine).

I have spent the past year preparing on and off for a retake of the varietal identification, with the last several weeks in particular earnest of the October 16 exam. Last Thursday morning at the crack of dawn, I sleepily dragged myself out of bed, into some clothes and out the door to catch a 7:05 AM train to Washington, D.C. where the exam was being administered.

I arrived at the exam site with minimal time to spare, adding to my anxiety and stress, but I managed to calm myself down for the exam itself. As is the protocol, we were presented with four white and four red wine samples along with a list of ten wines (2 red herrings).  Within 30 minutes, we were to nose and taste all of the samples and correctly identify each glass with one of the wines on the list. One needed to be successful with 6 of the 8 samples to pass.

My studying really paid off, permitting me to identify most of the wines and some quite easily. For example, a ruby colored wine exhibiting orange/brick highlights is likely Chianti, especially if the aromas and flavors are that of bitter cherries. One white wine was perplexing as I found musty/damp earth aromas, which I would have normally attributed to Chenin Blanc. Yet, there was no Chenin Blanc on the list. I eventually selected a Morey/white Burgundy wine, thinking that the aromas might be from age. I briefly considered the white Bordeaux on the list linking the aromas to the Semillon that would have been included in the blend. But, I didn’t find the acidity I expected from the Sauvignon Blanc and was very hesitant to change my answers.

From the set of reds, I was more confident with my selections, but did wonder if my choice of an Australian Shiraz was correct. It seemed like it could be a rich and fruity Zinfandel, but the high tannins threw me off guard. Moreover, I didn’t pay enough attention to the alcohol, which was quite high (16% abv, we were later told). Thus, I ultimately misidentified this wine, which was an error I had made during a previous study session (you would think I would have ingrained them in my palatal memory, but clearly that was not the case).

In any event, I did successfully identify 6 of the 8 wines, which while not a slamdunk, was certainly good news as it guanteed me not only of a pass for this section, but as the completion of the third and final element required for the credential. I will not receive formal notificate from SWE for at least a few weeks, but as I did see the official score, I know that I passed.

Thus, I am now able to add the CWE credential as my third post-nominal, joining my Ed.D. (doctorate degree) and DWS (Diploma of Wine & Spirits). I plan to drop the CSW from my business card, lest I need to begin using the second side to fit everything.

Most importantly, I am relieved and proud to have completed this set of wine credentials over the past three years. While I may pursue the Master of Wine someday (I figure I’ll revisit the idea in 2-3 years’ time), for now, I am done with formal education and can instead focus on building my business.

Harvest time on Long Island

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We spent last weekend in harvest mode. My sister-in-law and her younger daughter visited us.

Saturday found us on a hayride and picking pumpkins out in the patch, while we spent Sunday trying to figure our way out of a corn maze.

But, this time of year also means it’s time for the grape harvest.

The Long Island wine region is one where vintage matters. Unlike California, which has much consistent weather from year to year, our maritime climate is frought with many perils. This year was particularly full, with frost, hail, rain and temperatures which widely swung from very hot to very cool. Not surprisingly, yields are down throughout the region.

For most wineries, the white grapes have been picked and fermentation has begun. However, Wolffer Estate in the Hamptons is letting its Chardonnay gather a little more hang time before being picked. The red grapes have completely turned color and are awaiting their turn, with some people picking this week and others continuing to wait, despite the risks.

Reports also indicate increased costs associated with vineyard management as well as wine production, so it is possible that we will see an increase in wine prices. Land values are extremely expensive in this area, further compounding the problem and limiting expansion efforts for all, but the wealthy few.

All in all, the 2008 vintage will be a challenging one.

Eating at Olana

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We had the pleasure of dining at Olana to celebrate our wedding anniversary this week. Partner/Owner Patrick Resk (who shares the responsibility with brother William) graciously welcomed us to his new’ish restaurant, which opened in February 2008.

The restaurant’s menu features both ala carte dining and several set menus. The three-course, prix fixe menu is a bargain at $48.00/person and offers three selections from which to choose for each course.

However, we opted for the Early Fall Chef’s Tasting Menu, which began with an amuse bouche of pork shoulder, followed by the first course of a local haricot vert and beet salad. Patrick suggested an Oregon (Columbia Valley) Viognier to match with the sweetness of the beets. The roasted octopus was joined by a white Rueda, blended from Verdejo and Sauvignon Blanc. The wine had crisp acidity and vibrant citrus flavors, but was elegantly clean on the palate in the way that it paired with the octopus, which was also accompanied by fennel and quinoa.

The next course, a trio of pastas, featured a risotto with roasted cauliflower; squash tortelli with rabbit ragout; and tacconi with lamb sausage. Beautifully plated side by side, it was a pleasure to enjoy each pasta interpretation, all of which matched nicely with a Nebbiolo from Italy’s Piedmont region. The Nebbiolo also carried us through the monkfish osso buco. The final savory was a spice glazed duck, which was paired with a Spanish red from Toro, produced from Tempranillo.

Our triple chocolate sundae included a bittersweet chocolate torte, cocoa nib ice cream and guanduja hot chocolate and was served with a tawny port. By this time, we were quite full, but enjoyed the last few bites we could manage of this decadent dessert.

This is definitely a restaurant worth returning to.