Category Archives: Wine World

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

White & Red from the Med

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I’ve been travelling around the Mediterranean lately, all without leaving home. Recent wine events took me from Israel and Turkey to Greece. While these aren’t the first places that come to mind when thinking about wine-producing countries, they each have a long history of viticulture and vinification and I was impressed with both the producers I met and the wines I tasted.

I kicked off the tour at a seminar debuting ROM from Israel. This wine is a joint project between Yarden’s winemaker Victor Schoenfeld and Zelma Long. Zelma was initially brought in to help with viticultural issues, but as she and Victor got to know each other better, a wine collaboration seemed to be a natural progression. This new wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah. Participants at the event had the opportunity to first taste through barrel samples of the individual wines, which truly illustrated how the three grapes come together to create a much greater whole. We next tasted three different vintages of the wine — 2006, 2007, and 2008, which highlighted the evolution of the wine in bottle. With limited production and its association with Zelma Long, this wine is likely to achieve a strong following.

Skipping across town instead of across the sea, I dined at Le Cirque with producers from Kavaklidere, Turkey’s largest winery, along with Mehmet Yorukoglu, president of House of Burgundy, the winery’s importer. Showcasing both indigenous and international varieties, the wines included a nice, crisp rose (Egeo Rose 2009) produced from Cal Karasi, Syrah and Grenache, with whites featuring Sauvignon Blanc, Narince and Chardonnay and reds made from Kalecik Karasi, Okuzgozu and Bogazkere. Working with French oenologist, Stephen Derencourt, the winery has seen significant growth and, more importantly, a signficant focus on quality, over the past several years. The wines were impressive, with a nice range of aromas and flavors distinguishing each wine.

The final stop on my tour was northern Greece with lunch at Marea with Evripidis Katsaros from Katsaros Estate; Thrassos Giantsidis, export manager from Estate Gerovassiliou; and Annegret Stamos, export manager from Biblia Chora. This dry and windy area produces mostly whites, but, over lunch, attendees tasted a wide range of both white and red wines. With training in Bordeaux, Gerovassiliou’s winemaker Evangelos Gerovassiliou has applied French winemaking techniques to indigenous grape varieties; similarly Katsaros has experience in Burgundy. Wines produced in this region have good acidity, but less so than the same grape, such as Assyrtiko, grown in Santorini. While import markets clambor for Greek varieties, the local market wants the diversity of international varieties as well, which accounts for the use of both in these wines.

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.

Another misstep for Yellow Tail?

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Back in February, [yellow tail] made news when it announced that it would be making a sizeable donation to the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). Unfortunately, it wasn’t the kind of publicity they were hoping for. Instead of being seen as a charitable act, many in the agricultural community were outraged by this decision and called for people to boycott Yellow Tail. The problem was that the HSUS was not the pet-loving, animal shelter organization that Yellow Tail thought it to be. Rather, the HSUS has taken a firm stand on ending “factory farming” which is why the ranchers were so up in arms when they heard the announcement. After a contentious war waged on the social media battlegrounds, Yellow Tail backed down and withdrew the remaining balance due on its pledge, lesson learned.

Beyond Yellow Tail’s specific actions, it appears that familiarity breeds contempt. Yellow Tail’s success as a top wine brand has made it a ubiquitous target for wine writers and others. Many of the articles covering the debate about Governor Patterson’s proposal to permit grocery stores in New York state to sell wine lament that such a move would result in a lowest common denominator selection of wine on the shelves, chief among them, Yellow Tail. The backlash is further emphasized in other contexts, as readers of various wine columns are admonished to drink ABY…anything but Yellow Tail… and are urged to think outside the big Australian bottle.

But, is this criticism fair? Does Yellow Tail deserve this treatment? Clearly, some consumers must like drinking Yellow Tail or it wouldn’t have grown to become the big brand it is known to be. In fact, accoring to Beverage World’s April 2010 issue, Yellow Tail ranked #2 in Top 10 U.S. Wine Brands based on U.S. dollar sales for 2009.

Obviously, a lot of people are buying Yellow Tail wines, but how does Yellow Tail do when tasted blindly against other wines? This is precisely the question posed at a recent Yellow Tail event. Last week, Doug Frost, MS, MW presided over a blind tasting in which Yellow Tail Reserve wines were tasted in blind flights with a competitive set of wines. The invitation, sent to a select audience of sommeliers and wine writers, asked invitees if they could spot which wine was the Yellow Tail wine among a photo of paperbag-wrapped bottles.

The small-scale events were held in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago and New York, with John Casella, Managing Director for Yellow Tail, in attendance as well. So what happened? How did the wines fare in this context? Unfortunately, I wasn’t there to find out first hand, but early reports indicate that it may not have been the slam dunk that Yellow Tail had hoped it would be.

On May 10, Bottlenotes’ The Daily Sip hit my in-box and suggested that I, “Try This Wine at Home–If You Dare,” with the additional headline, “The scariest blind tasting ever?” Author Bayard Collins explained that he and the other participants had, “sip[ped], spit [and] cringe[d]” during the tasting and further noted that although no official score was kept, the Yellow Tail wines were the least favorites with one exception — the Mollydooker Maitre’d Cabernet Sauvignon. Bayard admitted that some of the tasters did like the Yellow Tail wines and advised that some of his readers might like it too, yet added the snide comment that liking Yellow Tail “wasn’t “a crime (that we know of).”

Another participant, Marisa D’Vari of A Wine Story, also wrote of her experience at the tasting. While Marisa wrote favorably about the event, it is what she didn’t say that is more revealing than what she did. The only reference to the actual tasting experience was her statement, “It was interesting to compare these (mostly) Australian wines in terms of style…” but she never fully states her own impressions of the wine,  merely noting that, “The wines were created to be great tasting wines that went well with many foods.”

Such results are unfortunate because Yellow Tail is not, as it would seem to be painted, inherently evil. While Bayard is certainly entitled to his opinion and preferences, his snarkiness may dissuede some of his readers from enjoying Yellow Tail. For wine writers and sommeliers who have the opportunity to taste a broader range of wines and at much higher price points (generally not on our own dimes), we can be a bit jaded, but for the majority of consumers with little to no wine knowledge, Yellow Tail and other wines might be perfect. With its size and access, it can create a consistent product from year to year. Yes, many wine lovers enjoy vintage variation, but my guess is that the majority of consumers like to know what to expect when they open a bottle of wine and, if they liked the wine last time, expect that it will taste the same the next time they buy it and this is an area where Yellow Tail delivers.

I was beginning to think that the blind tasting event might have been a total misstep for Yellow Tail when I received the following e-mail from one of the participants yesterday, “Thank you very much for the kind invite…Always discoveries and surprises.” The participant still leaves a lot of things unsaid, but as this was a brief thank you note, it will be interesting to see what he or she might say further in print or online. Moreover, there were quite a few others who have as yet been silent, but that may change. The full effect of the event  likely won’t be known for some time, but I applaud Yellow Tail’s efforts for making such a bold move. Misstep or not, they continue to walk forward, head held high.

NB: For the record, it should be stated that I consult for W.J. Deutsch & Sons, the company that imports Yellow Tail, on occasion, most recently working with Doug on the above event. However, the views expressed in this post are entirely my own and are not influenced by my connection with the company.

TasteCamp East 2010 – A view from the vines

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Argetsinger Vineyard on Seneca Lake, Finger Lakes wine region

I spent this past weekend at TasteCamp East, which turned out to be a great event and a nice return “home” for me.

This was our first full participation in TasteCamp East since last year’s event was held on Long Island and, as residents of the region, felt that it would be duplicative to attend the various tastings. However, we did host the Saturday night dinner, which permitted us to meet most of the participants.

When we learned that the 2010 TasteCamp East would be held in the Finger Lakes, we were excited to be visiting all of the wineries. I attended Cornell University in Ithaca, NY, which is located within the Finger Lakes wine region, but had not really explored the region.  My sole exploration took place during Senior Week when I took a half-day wine tour offered by the College, which took us to Taylor and Bully Hill.

I credit these initial winery visits with whetting my appetite for wine at that time in my life and, in fact, found myself hosting a wine party that following summer. Each guest was asked to bring a bottle of wine, which I supplemented with a visit to our local wine store. I felt like a kid in a candy store, not knowing what anything was, but excited to be picking up a wide range of wines to expand my knowledge and palate. Even my mother was caught up in the wine frenzy that summer, foresaking White Zinfandel in favor of Pinot Grigio. And, with that, the world of wine was suddenly open…

Fast forward to this weekend’s festivities, which found us visiting wineries along Keuka, Seneca and Cayuga Lakes and tasting wines produced from vinifera and hybrid grape varieties. As an additional backdrop to the weekend, the Wine Century Club, an organization that lauds the diversity in grapes, celebrated its birthday on Friday, May 7. I was very impressed with the majority of the wines tasted and enjoyed the opportunity to meet a number of the winemakers, winery owners and vineyard managers, along with other winery employees.

While the focus was on wine, I met several people connected to Cornellover the course of the weekend and was pleased to hear of the positive impact that Cornell has had on the industry, both through the advice given by the Experimental Station in Geneva as well as its graduates, most of whom pre-dated the formal Viticultural program. My alumni pride, coupled with nostalgia for the area, prompted a brief  campus visit on the way out on Sunday evening, where I stood “far above Cayuga’s waters” remembering the day I first fell in love with Cornell.

NY Tabletop Show shows off the latest in stemware

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The New York Tabletop Show was in full swing last month, with showrooms opened to journalists and buyers alike to display the latest and greatest in flatware, china and stemware.

Riedel, the company that pioneered varietally-specific glasses and then gave us the more casual dishwasher-friendly stemless “O” line was touting its boxed sets of stemware. Sold in pre-packaged kits, consumers will save 25% off retail when buying in bulk. For fans of the “O” line, Riedel has launched a new line — Swirl — which is a slightly modified design from its initial stemless design. However, the swirl-like shape of the glasses makes them very comfortable to hold and adds surface area to the decanter, increasing its functionality in aerating wine. Riedel also debuted a new glass especially designed with fruit-forward, New World wines in mind. Among its more artful pieces, Riedel has expanded its use of color in its decanters, which now are available in a wide range of shapes and designs and both functional and stunning.

Opening just in time for the weeklong event, Eisch launched its first U.S. showroom. Eisch is probably best known for its drip-free (No Drop Effect ©) decanters, saving white tablecloths everywhere, but the new showroom provided an opportunity to see a much broader array of merchandise. Among Eisch’s more intriging products is its Sensis plus glass technology, available in a number of its stemware lines. The special Sensis plus treatment during manufacture permits the wine to “become more harmonious and complex, with better balance and greater elegance,” eliminating the need for a decanter in many cases. In a side by side comparison by the author of a Pinot Noir (one in a Sensis plus glass and one in a regular glass), the Sensis plus glass pulled out more fruit from the wine, while a Chardonnay in a Sensis plus glass seemed more nuanced. Eisch also boasts a range of glasses designed in conjunction with author and publisher Ronn R. Wiegand, one of the few people in the world to hold both the MS (Master Sommelier) and MW (Master of Wine) titles.

Eisch glasses are available at Bed, Bath, & Beyond and, like Riedel, may also be found in high-end department stores. In addition, most of Riedel’s products may be purchased directly from their website or head to Edison, NJ, from May 5-7 for Riedel’s spring sale.

Desert Island Wine List

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You see a fair number of discussions where wine lovers are asked to name their “desert island wine” — the one wine they would take with them if stranded on a desert island. Similarly, in the April 2010 issue of the tasting panel magazine, San Francisco bartender Jeff Burkhart was asked about his desert island cocktail. His reply? “Hendrick’s gin and tonic. Purely for medicinal reasons: lime for scurvy, tonic for malaria and gin for courage.” Burkhart is very practical. However, in most cases, the responses feature a single wine type, i.e. Champagne or a specific wine.

Frankly, I’d like to think that I am too smart to find myself stranded long term, plus, how can you plan to be stranded — I think there is an oxymoron in there somewhere (or maybe just a moron?). But, whole television series have been devoted to just that problem — the classic Gilligan’s Island and the current-running, Lost. Now that I think about it, I think the Howells had a never-ending stash of liquor, much more than one might think to take on a three-hour tour.

Anyway, if I were to purposely go to a desert island (perhaps I’ve met my Waterloo and will need to spend some time in exile?), I intend to plan far in advance and have decided that my palate preferences are just too varied to be content with only one wine. Accordingly, in my preparations, I will ensure that proper storage and service will be addressed and that corkscrews, decanters and appropriate stemware will be on hand. Moreover, I plan to bring a full wine menu of my selections that I hope will provide me with tasting joy during my stay on said island.

Here is my list, what’s yours?

Sparkling Wines
Juve y Camps, Cava Reserva de la Familia (current vintage), Penedes, Spain – an everyday sparkling wine I can drink without impunity
Nicolas Feuillatte, Palmes d’Or 1996, Champagne, France – a prestige cuvee to enjoy on special occasions
Banfi, Braquetto d’Acquis, Piedmont, Italy – my favorite dessert sparkler

Still Whites – I figure I’ll be eating a lot of fish; it is an island after all.
Pewsey Vale, Riesling (current vintage), Eden Valley, Australia
Benjamin de Vieux Châteaux Gaubert, Bordeaux Blanc 2005, Bordeaux, France
Drouhin, Bourgogne Blanc (current vintage), Burgundy, France
Drouhin, Grand Cru Bougros 2008, Chablis, France
Bott-Geyl, Pinot d’Alsace (current vintage), Alsace, France
Hidalgo Manzanilla Sherry La Gita NV, Jerez, Spain

Still Reds
WillaKenzie Pierre Leon Pinot Noir (current vintage), Willamette Valley, OR
Fonbel, Bordeaux Rouge 2001, St.-Emilion, France
La Rocquette, Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2007, Rhone Valley, France
Produttori del Barbaresco, Nebbiolo 2006, Lange, Italy

Spirits – OK, I’m cheating, but even wine lovers crave a cocktail now and then.
Tequila – To me, Margaritas are the quintessential cocktail for a tropical setting.
Vodka – Purely for its versatility, although I can borrow from Burkhart’s practicality and use it as an anti-septic if necessary should I find myself having a Magyver moment.
Cognac – Perfect in cocktails (the classic sidecar) or for sipping on its own.

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.

Whole Foods rolls out cork recycling program in New York City

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Saving the world isn’t easy. Usually it takes time and effort to do the right thing, which is why so many of us may have good intentions, but stop short of actually doing the right thing. But, the environmentally-conscious can now recycle corks with greater ease.

Previously, the only cork recycling options available to New York City residents required wine drinkers to save their corks in bulk and then ship them off to one of a handful of participating organizations. However, last month, Whole Foods announced that it was partnering with Cork ReHarvest to collect corks company-wide.

According to the company’s April 6 press release, corks collected on the East coast will be sent to Jelinek Cork Group, an established North American cork manufacturer which will convert the old corks into post-consumer products.

Kimberly Robison, Marketing Team Leader for the Whole Foods Market on New York’s Upper West Side
(808 Columbus Avenue @97th St.), explained that the Whole Foods wine store had been participating in the cork recycling program since it opened in August 2009.

And for those of you that get nose bleeds above 59th Street? Michael Sinatra, PR Coordinator for the company, stated that “cork reharvest boxes are in the process of being rolled out to all (6) of our New York City stores.” He also noted that “they actually are being added to all 21 of our current Northeast region stores throughout New York, Northern New Jersey, Long Island, Westchester and Southern Connecticut.”

Moreover, Mr. Sinatra advised that the customer service team of a store still awaiting its recycling box would still be pleased to accept the customer’s corks.

WHOLE FOODS MARKETS – NEW YORK CITY LOCATIONS
Upper West Side
808 Columbus Avenue, New York, NY 10025
Phone: 212.222.6160

Columbus Circle
10 Columbus Circle, Ste SC101, New York, NY 10019
Phone: 212.823.9600

57th Street – Opening Soon
250 East 57th Street, New York, NY 10022

Chelsea
250 7th Ave, New York, NY 10001
Phone: 212.924.5969

Union Square
4 Union Square South, New York, NY 10003
Phone: 212.673.5388

Bowery
95 East Houston St, New York, NY 10002
Phone: 212.420.1320

Tribeca
270 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 10007
Phone: 212.349.6555

What do you call yourself?

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What do you call yourself. I invariably go by Tracy (often misspelled as Tracey); Tracy Ellen; Dr. Kamens; Ms; and have even been known to respond to Yo! They all work depending on the place and circumstance, but I recently came across an interesting situation.

I was out in a wine bar with a group of friends — yes, I know I must be a glutton for punishment, dining in a wine bar, even when off-duty, but I guess the truth is I really like wine. Anyway, my well-meaning friend, Stephanie, told the server that I was a sommelier. My OCD kicked in and I felt obliged to correct the label as I am many things, but I am not a sommelier. I explained to the server that I was in fact a wine educator and not a sommelier.

My friend apologized, but was confused. She didn’t understand the difference between the two and to her, the term sommelier made sense. As a lay-person, she was familiar with the sommelier title and knew it to be a good thing as someone who was very educated about wine and could help advise others. My concern in distinguishing my role as a wine educator from that of a sommelier to my friend was to qualify my lack of experience in the service/restaurant setting as well as to reinforce my emphasis on education as my raison d’etre. I’m not sure I fully succeeded, but she probably won’t ever call me a sommelier again.

One term that I don’t ever feel comfortable using is the term wine expert. I don’t think that I will ever achieve expert status in my mind — there is always too much to know and things are changing, making it difficult to keep current with every wine region, producer, vintage, etc. I am also careful to call myself a wine writer and not a journalist as I have not spent any time in J-school (Journalism School) and have tremendous respect for those that have.

As a wine educator, my experience with Stephanie shows that there is a need to better educate consumers as to what various wine titles mean. Moreover, if we are going to flaunt our wine credentials, consumers need to understand the value of these various credentials if they are to have weight with this group. Through such education, consumers will then have more appreciation for wine professionals who have pursued and successfully completed rigorous training, which should also provide some accountability as consumers will also have an expectation of what that wine professional’s title(s) indicate.

Other people might care less about titles, but my aim is not to reinforce hierarchy, but rather to correctly identify who I am as a wine professional, what knowledge one should expect from me and what I do with my knowledge and experience (I educate/teach others). If you disagree with my approach and want to call me names, feel free, but just don’t call me late to dinner ;-).