Category Archives: Wine

Quick Sips

Posted on by
Reply

A number of wine samples crossed my dining table in the latter half of 2011. Some were quite nice; others were amazingly good. Here are the highlights.

Italy Calling

The Frescobaldi Remole 2009, Tuscany, Italy ($10.00) is a country level wine (it’s labeled as IGT Toscana) that combines 85% Sangiovese with 15% Cabernet Sauvignon. With leafy, cherry and vegetal aromas and flavors, the wine was in keeping with its Sangiovese origins, but the Cabernet Sauvignon was more evident on the palate, with black fruit lingering in the finish. A nice value at this price and an excellent foil for the homemade pizza we paired with which we paired it.

A more traditional “Super Tuscan” style wine, Frescobaldi’s Tenuta di Castiglioni 2008, Tuscany, Italy ($22.00) switches the blend to lead with 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and only 10% Sangiovese. The nose presents blackberry, mint, smoke and slight vegetative aromas, while the palate offers bright acidity, firm tannins, full body and black cherry, vegetal, mint and cedar flavors. Overall, it is nicely structured with some complexity.

From further south, the Xavier Flouret Quattro Canti 2007, Sicily, Italy ($24.00) offers an interesting 50-50 mix of the indigenous Nero d’Avola with the non-traditional Cabernet Franc, aged for 12 months in French oak barrels. This deep colored wine had aromas of plum, vanilla, oak, licorice and some spice with dusty tannins, ripe, jammy fruit flavors of plum, cocoa, black cherry, vanilla and oak, with medium+ length.

You had me at Pinot

A  Pinot Noir “taste off” pitted Foppiano Pinot Noir 2008, Russian River Valley, CA ($25.00) against Bouchaine Pinot Noir 2007, Carneros, CA ($30.00) with the following results. The Bouchaine showed cherry, black cherry and vanilla aromas, which were joined by spice and herbs with vibrant acidity, medium+ body, ripe tannins and long length on the palate. The Foppiano offering was a bit shier on the nose, with less pronounced aromas of cherry and herbs. Bright red fruit, spice and wood dominated the slightly lighter-bodied palate, culminating in long length.

Down by the bay

Shifting attention down under, a series of wines from Hawkes Bay were tasted in anticipation of a New Zealand wine seminar given at the American Wine Society’s annual conference.

Among the whites, the Decibel Sauvignon Blanc 2009 ($14.00) showed citrus and grassy aromas on the nose, giving way to lemon, lime marmalade, slight grass and minerality with high acidity and medium+ body, while the Te Awa Sauvignon Blanc 2009 ($18.00) displayed more grapefruit and pith with slightly less acidity on the palate. The Te Awa Chardonnay 2009 ($27.00) offered apple notes with slight oak and mineral character, which were joined by citrus and spice flavors on the full-bodied palate.

Moving onto the reds, the Te Awa Syrah 2009 ($27.00) had fresh fruit aromas of blackberry with a hint of oak followed by spice, earth, leather and black cherry flavors with medium acidity, full body,  med tannins and long length. The more unusual, varietally-labeled Decibel Malbec 2009 ($18.00) is a blend of blueberry, cranberry and slight spice on the nose with ripe tannins, medium+ acidity and rich blueberry and blackberry notes on the palate.

German Riesling and beyond

I ended the year with several German wines including Silvaner, Lemberger and Riesling.

The P.J. Vlackenberg Gewürztraminer 2010, Pfalz, Germany ($14.00) has pronounced aromas of spice, floral and pear, which persisted on the off dry palate with medium+ body and medium length.

With notes of pear, blossom and smoke, the Castell-Castell Silvaner Trocken 2010, Franken, Germany ($18.00)’s palate gives way to riper versions of these aromas on its light-bodied palate.

A nice red, quaffing wine, the Grafen Neipperg Lemberger 2010, Württemberg, Germany ($24.00) greets the nose with cherry, plum and slight spice and finishes with medium length.

The Liebfrauenstift Dry Riesling 2010, Rheinhessen, Germany ($15.00) is a good value, food friendly wine, offering  fresh citrus and candied lemon aromas, with good acidity on the dry palate.

Enjoyed on Christmas day and shared with close friends, the Baron zu Knyphausen Erbacher Michelmark Riesling Erste Lage 2009, Rheingau, Germany ($57.00) was a wonderful surprise. Displaying floral, citrus and tangerine aromas on the nose, the dry palate offered piercing acidity with rich, ripe flavors of peach, tangerine, citrus pith, lime zest, floral and minerality, finishing with a very long length. Truly amazing.

Campania in a Glass

Posted on by
Reply

The scent of freshly fermenting grapes pervaded the air. We had arrived in Avellino early on a Saturday morning and were warmly welcomed by Eliana at Mastroberardino. Harvest had just begun and things were in full swing at the winery.

Eliana showed us through the cellars where we admired large botti maturing the next generation of Taurasi. These oak vessels are much larger than the typical barrel (225 l) and impart less wood influence on the finished wine due to the limited surface area compared to the voume of wine.

Almost more art gallery than aging room, the ceilings of the cellars are adorned with beautiful frescos commissioned by Mastroberardino to depict wine-related scenes such as the marriage of Bacchus. After this tour, we watched a brief video on the winery and its history, and then Eliana brought us to the wine cellar. Again, artistic elements decorated the room, which housed old bottles of Mastroberardino wines, including bottles from 1928.

We paused to admire current bottles for sale in the winery’s retail shop before heading to Mastroberardino’s resort, Mirabella, about 30 minutes away.

Following Eliana’s Fiat in our own car, we drove through small towns and took in the view of vineyards we passed along the way. Here, we noted interesting trellising techniques with the vines trained very high.

As we pulled into Mirabella, we saw the lovely facade of the main building, but continued to drive a bit further onto the property so that we could view the vineyards, golf course — a tournament was underway during our visit, and pool house.

Reluctantly, we willed ourselves away from the staggering beauty of the hillside vines, and headed in to lunch in the main dining room. We were treated to a multi-course meal, paired with the exquisite Mastroberardino wines. Each delicious course was joined with at least one wine, all of which complemented the food. Finally, we enjoyed a few last bites of dessert and then espresso before saying our goodbyes and thank yous to Eliana.

Our next stop was Feudi di San Gregorio, which is situated in the opposite direction, near Irpina. Upon our arrival at Feudi, we were greeted by Emanuela who served as our guide for the remainder of the day.

The on-again, off-again rain let up just enough to permit us to wander through the hanging gardens before we walked over to the crush pad. A new load of grapes had just arrived and the lugs were being lifted off the truck, setting things in motion.

The tour of Feudi’s cellars included views of their pupitres (riddling racks), botti, barrels and a special creche. We were briefly permitted to enter the actual winery, but the winemaker quickly shooed us out for fear that we might be overcome by the carbon dioxide seeping from the fermentation tanks.

Emanuela then brought us to a modern part of the winery, which housed its retail/wine bar area and a place for us to sit and taste their wines. We started with their sparkling wines, which were really lovely. Unfortunately, these wines are not exported to the U.S., so you’re restricted to enjoying them in Italy (although there are worse places to be restricted to be). The tasting continued with Feudi’s still wines.

Overall, the tastings provided strong evidence as to why these two wineries are so highly regarded. Standouts at Mastroberadino included the Falanghina, showing mineral, herbal and citrus notes on both the nose and palate, and the Radici Taurasi Riserva 2004, which displayed perfume, oak, vanilla, smoke, berries and other dark fruit flavors. My favorites at Feudi were its full-bodied Cutizzi Greco di Tufo with stone, spice and apple aromas and the Piano di Montevergine Taurasi Riserva 2002 with floral, black fruit, licorice and long length.

 

An Honorable Mention for Mencia

Posted on by
Reply

Autoctona del Bierzo, an organization established to represent several wineries from the Bierzo DO wine region made its first official visit to the U.S. in early May. Located in northwest Spain, the region is made up of a group of small valleys coupled with wider, flatter areas known as low Bierzo. Situated within the province of León, this region is relatively small and is comprised of many producers each with a relatively limited amount of land. Here, the mild climate has some humidity, but the low altitude prevents problems with frosts.

The region’s flagship grape is Mencia (also known as Negress), a red variety that adapts well to the local climate. Although the variety dates to Roman times, its current cultivation is limited to the Iberian Peninsula. It accounts for 65% of plantings in Bierzo, supplemented by Garnacha Tintorera and the experimental Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

Typically, Mencia is used to produce both reds and roses. Its thin skins and soft flesh result in wines with light tannins and a velvety palate, with cherry and strawberry as the predominant fruit notes. Many producers make their wines from 100% Mencia. However, with differences in vine age, varied use of oak and aging periods, each winery has a full portfolio often ranging from unwooded styles and young (those labeled as Joven) to aged Crianza and Reserva wines. The May tasting provided an opportunity to taste this grape in several iterations and I was particularly impressed with Bodegas Estefania’s line-up.

The region itself is also home to indigenous white varieties including Palomino and Godello, the latter of which offers wines with good body and apple aromas. Dona Blanca, a mildly aromatic grape, makes up only 10% of all plantings and is on the decline.

The opportunity to meet these producers and taste through their wines was eye-opening and I am sure we will see more of Bierzo in the years to come.

WHITE WINES

Bodega Luzdivina Amigo, Baloiro Blanco 2010, Bierzo, Spain,16.00
This blend of 60% Palomino and 40% Dona Blanca was produced from 60-70 year old vines. Sharp cheese and sherry-like aromas greeted the nose. On the palate, the wine was rich and concentrated with yeast, citrus and a slight oxidized note, which gave the wine some depth.

Bodega Luzdivina Amigo, Baloiro Godella 2009, Bierzo, Spain, $34.00
With only 600 bottles produced, this wine is quite limited. It was aged for 8 months in French oak, with the wood showing on both the nose and palate in addition to fresh herbs, tarragon and citrus.

Palacio de Canedo Prada a Tope Blanco 2009, Bierzo, Spain, $N/A
Produced from 100% Godello, this wine displayed youth aromas of flowers and herbs, which persisted on the full-bodied palate with the addition of lime.

RED WINES

Bodegas Estefania Tilenus 2010, Bierzo, Spain, $15.00
This unwooded wine is comprised of 100% Mencia. It is very youthful with bright, fresh berry and cherry notes.

Bodegas Estefania Tilenus Envejecido 2007, Bierzo, Spain, $20.00
Produced from old Mencia vines ranging from 30-50 years old, half of this wine was aged in tank with the remainder in wood (a combination of both French and American barrels) for 8-12 months. Slightly less bright on the palate than the young wine, it still showed lively acidity, with strawberry, cherry and licorice.

Bodegas Estefania Tilenus Crianza 2005, Bierzo, Spain, $30.00
Low yielding Mencia vines averaging 60-80 years old were sourced for this wine. The barrel aging regimen wasn’t specified, but as a Crianza, it would have been longer than the Envejecido. This wine was more herbal on the nose likely due to its age, with more noticeable oak on the palate.

Bodegas Estefania Tilenus Pagos de Posada 2003, Bierzo, Spain, $50.00
This limited production wine comes from a single vineyard with Mencia vines at or older than 80 years old. Yields are exceedingly low (1 kg/ha). Oak and leafy notes took precedence over the faded strawberry aromas, but the palate was still lively with leaf, oak, strawberry, raspberry, tobacco, culminating in long length.

Bodegas Estefania Tilenus Pieros 2002, Bierzo, Spain, $120.00
This wine hails from a small, rare plot of land, planted exclusively to Mencia. There was an absence of fruit on the nose, instead, developing aromas of tobacco leaf, dried herbs and pencil lead dominated. The wine showed light minerality on palate, with concentrated strawberry and leafy flavors. Overall, the wine was complex, and balanced, with extremely long length.

Vernaccia di San Gimignano’s Medieval Magic

Posted on by
Reply

I first discovered the wines of Vernaccia di San Gimignano when on vacation in Florence back in 2001. This crisp, white wine was a perfect accompaniment to the wonderful food we ate. And, on a day trip to Siena, we made a brief stop in the “medieval Manhattan” before returning to Florence. The one hour in which we scampered around the walled town, with its imposing towers, and stumbled upon an olive oil festival, reinforced our fascination with this tiny village and cemented its image into my memory. Ten years later, I found myself back in Tuscany wondering if the magic would still be there.

On our first evening in Siena, the first course of zucchini blossoms stuffed with ricotta cheese was paired with two Vernaccias. In tasting them, I discovered something interesting – the second of the two wines was showing some development. I enjoyed the aged characteristics of this wine, pleasantly surprised that these wines had the ability to mature with time in the bottle. This was a new side to this wine, further capturing my attention.

When we finally arrived in San Gimignano a few days later, I held my breath, convinced that my fond memories of this town had been overblown in my mind with the passage of time. Yet, as we rounded the corner, I could see the city walls and its towers overhead and my heart leapt. I was still in awe.

After a guided tour through the city, we arrived at the Museo de Vino where we were given a proper introduction to the wine, complete with a visit from San Gimignano’s mayor. The indigenous Vernaccia grape is quite ancient, with historical evidence of its existence dating to the 13th century with literary mentions of it found in Dante’s Divine Comedy. However, despite this illustrious past, the grape fell out of favor until after the World War II.

But, the grape and its wine were soon resurrected with the Vernaccia di San Gimignano appellation becoming the first to earn Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) status in 1966 with a promotion to DOCG in 1993. It holds the additional distinction of being one of the only white wines within Italy to include a Riserva designation. Wines labeled as such have undergone an aging period of at least 24 months, of which a portion must be spent in oak.

While many tourists become familiar with this wine on holiday in the area (as did I), this has served as a double-edged sword for the appellation in that much of the wine consumed in this manner was of lesser quality, marring the reputation of Vernaccia di San Gimignano. Today, this is changing as producers have shifted their focus toward improving the quality of their wines, which was evident in the tasting conducted at the Museo. And, lest you think that the tasting was fixed, we were given the opportunity to taste through over 40 wines. Moreover, the Consorzio is giving careful consideration to its appellation laws, having recently developed a list of forbidden grapes for the 10% or less of the blend that is permitted (a minimum of 90% Vernaccia is required).

On its own, Vernaccia di San Gimignano characteristically offers up notes of alomnd, mineral and earth, which can evolve with bottle age. Also, similarly to Chardonnay, the grape’s non-aromatic nature takes well to oak treatment, yielding additional complexity to the resulting wines. The best examples showed a range of aromas and flavors from floral and herbal tea to lime, minerality and spice.

Within the region, there are a wide range of producers, most of which are family run and relatively small in size. The exception to this rule is Teruzzi & Puthod, which was initially established by Mr. Teruzzi, but is now owned by Gruppo Campari and is among the largest and most modern in the area. Here, the vast size of the production has permitted the winery to make significant investments in state-of-the-art technology from unique fermentation vats to an extremely sophisticated bottling line.

At Montenidoli, Maria Elisabetta Fagiuoli is at the helm, having bought the land with money from her grandmother, an unusually independent move at the time.  Whereas Maria Elizabetta’s husband Sergio is a poet by profession, Maria herself is a bit of a philosopher. She was quick to advise us that, “I am not a winemaker. I am a nurse of the land; the earth is the winemaker,” and also quipped, “Wine and people are the same; they get better with age or become vinegar.” Her wines are deserving of such meditative thoughts as they too give the taster pause in their depth and elegance.

The region is not without its royalty, with Tenute Guicciardini Strozzi owned by Count Robert Guicciardini and Prince Girolamo Strozzi. Prince Strozzi’s daughters, Princesses Natalia and Irina, are the 15th generation direct descendants to Lisa Gherardini del Giocondo, the actual Mona Lisa. Although the company owns several estates, its Vernaccia production takes place at the 530 ha estate at Villa Cusona, which dates to 994 and has been home to winemaking since the 1200s.

Although less regal in its heritage, a visit to Poderi del Paradiso is truly a visit to paradise with its sweeping vistas of beautiful vineyards presided over by San Gimignano’s towers. Owned by the Cetti family, who originally came to San Gimignano as serfs in the Middle Ages, the family rose to prominence and wealth in only two generations. The current generation acquired Poderi del Paradiso in 1973.

With its storied history, Vernaccia di San Gimignano is steeped in Italy’s tradition, but, with producers’ renewed emphasis on quality, the appellation is also poised to produce great wines now and in the future…with hard work, dedication and perhaps, a bit of medieval magic.

TASTING NOTES

Montenidoli Carato Riserva 2007, Vernaccia di San Gimignano, Italy
A complex nose of floral, chamomile tea, tidal pool and a hint of butterscotch gives way to spice, mineral and savory characteristics on the full-bodied, dry palate and culminates in long length.

Poderi del Paradiso Biscondola 2010, Vernaccia di San Gimignano, Italy
Produced from a single vineyard, the grapes were picked two weeks later than those for its base wine. Almond, floral, lime greeted the nose and persisted on the dry palate, joined by concentrated flavors of apple peel and minerality.

Tenute Guicciardini Strozzi 2010, Vernaccia di San Gimignano, Italy
With floral, mineral and citrus pith aromas, this wine has a dry palate and offered typical bitter almond notes in its long finish.

Tenuta Le Calcinaie 2010, Vernaccia di San Gimignano, Italy
From an organic producer, this wine has floral, tidal pool, mineral and lime aromas, with juicy lime and minerality on the dry palate. The rush to pick early after a rainy summer resulted in brighter acidity than usual, adding to the austerity of this wine and its clean finish.

Teruzzi & Puthod Rondolino 2010, Vernaccia di San Gimignano, Italy
Notes of floral, almond and citrus showed on both the nose and palate, with a slight nuttiness lingering in the long length.

NB: Although not strictly of the Vernaccia di San Gimignano appellation, Montenidoli’s Il Templar and Teruzzi & Puthod’s Terre di Tufi (both Vernaccia blends, labeled as IGT Toscana) are worth seeking out as well. The former wine has significant staying power with a tasting of the 1999 not belying its age. In a mini-vertical tasting of Terre di Tufi 2007, 2008 and 2009, my preference was for the 2008.

I’m Down with DAC (Grand Cru Grapevine: November 2011)

Posted on by
Reply

At 26, Roman Pfaffl, Jr. is a not only a handsome, young man and a winning athlete (his all-winemaker soccer team recently won in Munich), but, most importantly, he is quite charming. OK, even more importantly than that, he makes great wine. The Austrian winemaker is now at the helm of his family’s winery, having been passed the reigns (or perhaps more correctly, the refractometer) at a ceremony in August of this year. Although Roman has started to implement some changes (i.e. new pruning techniques and experimentation with different types of oak), he does admit that his parents are “still the bosses.” Joined by his sister Heidemarie, who handles marketing, the business is truly a family affair.

Established in 1978, Pfaffl Winery was created when Roman (Sr.) and wife Adelheid converted the family farm in Weinviertel (which translates as “wine quarter”), near Austria’s capital of Vienna, from potatoes to grape vines. Today, the Pfaffls have 80 hectares in total under vine, 65% of which is planted to white grapes.

Among the Pfaffl’s holdings are several highly prized parcels – Haidviertel (in the town of Stetten) and Hundsleiten (situated on a mountain range near Vienna), both of which prominently feature Grüner Veltliner, where the loess soils impart great minerality to the wines. The equally vaunted Altenberg vineyard highlights the red, St. Laurent grape. The grapes from Haidviertel and Hundsleiten are generally sourced for the Pfaffl’s best wines, which qualify for DAC status.

While Austria’s wines have historically followed a similar approach to that of Germany – using must weight (sugar content) as a designation of quality – the same concern with broad-brushing all Austrian wines as being sweet emerged. Accordingly, Austria sought to further define quality for its dry wines, instituting the terms Steinfeder, Federspiel and Smaragd to indicate increasing levels of ripeness (still equated with quality) for Wachau wines that were dry on the palate. However, many in the industry felt that a more appellation-based system was needed. Enter the DAC.

Austria’s DAC (Districtus Austriae Controllatus) system was launched in 2001, with Weinviertel defined as the first in 2003 (taking effect with the 2002 vintage). To qualify for the DAC designation, the wines must be produced from specified grape varieties, which in the case of Weinviertel is 100% Grüner Veltliner. The Leithaberg DAC, which came on line with the 2008 vintage, is specified for both red (minimum of 85% Blaufränkisch, blended with up to 15% St. Laurent, Zweigelt or Pinot Noir) and white (single variety or blends of Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Neuburger and/or Grüner Veltliner). Wines that are produced within these DAC areas, but that don’t meet the DAC requirements must be labeled as Qualitätswein. Five other DACs presently exist, with a few more additions expected down the road.

In speaking about the effect of the DACs, Roman, Jr. indicated that the system has not only improved wine quality, but also has encouraged more young winemakers to get involved in the industry.

In addition to the more general Klassik (classic) level, the Weinviertel DAC also allows for a Reserve level, as of the 2009 vintage, which represents the top wines of the region. While the requirements for Reserve include an increased degree of alcohol, more emphasis is placed on the taste profile expected for these wines. Specifically, Reserve wines should be fuller bodied, with “subtle botrytis notes” and oak aging is permitted (it sn’t for Klassik). A further qualification for all DAC levels is that a six-person tasting panel must unanimously agree that the wine meets the expected caliber for the respective level; without their approval, wines cannot be labeled as DAC.

Grüner Veltliner is Austria’s signature white variety known for citrus, white pepper and mineral characteristics on both the nose and palate. Young examples provide fresh fruit characteristics and vibrant acidity. However, wines produced from older vines and better vineyards are capable of aging for 3-10 years. In this regard, a vertical tasting of wines from the steep, sandstone Hundsleiten vineyard showed off the development of the variety, while also highlighting vintage differences.

Wines produced from Hundsleiten’s 30-year-old vines are fermented in large casks and then aged for 5-6 months in a combination of large, wooden barrels (80%) and stainless steel tanks (20%).

Pfaffl Grüner Veltliner 2010, Hundsleiten Weinviertel DAC Reserve, Weinviertel, Austria, $31.00
Produced from the challenging 2010 vintage, Roman described this wine as being Burgundian in style, which was reinforced by the wine’s aromas and flavors of minerality, wet earth, citrus and restrained, but still noticeable, use of wood. The full-bodied palate was creamy, with long length.

Pfaffl Grüner Veltliner 2006, Hundsleiten Weinviertel DAC Reserve, Weinviertel, Austria, $31.00
While 2006 was a hot year, spring had arrived later than usual, preventing problems with overripe fruit as was seen in 2003. A less intense nose than the 2010, but with more pronounced notes of pepper, orange, wood and yeast.

Pfaffl Grüner Veltliner 2004, Hundsleiten Weinviertel DAC Reserve, Weinviertel, Austria, $31.00
Lots of rain plagued June, which was followed by a cool August, but a dry September and October saved the vintage. This wine showed some development with damp earth, wood and mineral notes, and just a hint of citrus aromas, which were repeated on the dry palate with the addition of a bit of pepper.

Pfaffl Grüner Veltliner 2000, Hundsleiten Weinviertel DAC Reserve, Weinviertel, Austria, $31.00
Near perfect conditions resulted in a great vintage and ideal ripeness. A spicy nose with concentrated orange fruit gave way to rich, ripe orange and tropical fruit on the creamy palate, joined by flavors of spice and wood, throughout the wine’s long length.

Although St. Laurent doesn’t qualify for DAC status, Pfaffl’s wines from this variety were also quite noteworthy.

Pfaffl St. Laurent 2009, Altenberg Estate Qualitätswein, Weinviertel, Austria, $44.00
From a good vintage, this younger wine showed earthy aromas, with a fuller body and more fruit than the 2004, with flavors of cherry, herbs, mint and oak.

Pfaffl St. Laurent 2004, Altenberg Estate Qualitätswein, Weinviertel, Austria, $44.00
This wine offered aromas of spice, earth and concentrated notes of cherry and mulberry. Its dry palate gave way to plum and spice flavors and, in sum, was gorgeous and complex with long length.

 

Romania’s Renaissance (Grand Cru Grapevine: October 2011)

Posted on by
Reply

Despite its 4,000 year history of viticulture, like many formerly-Communist countries, Romania found itself at the end of the Cold War with its vineyards in shambles. After years of state ownership, where quantity reined over quality, the wine had suffered greatly. However, during the 1990s, the country’s shift toward privatization has repatriated much of the land, with owners investing significantly in their vineyards and modern winemaking.

And, with the passage of two decades, things have changed for the better. Ranking 6th largest in world wine production, Romanian wines are worthy of a second look. As a victim of the original phylloxera epidemic, many of Romania’s vineyards were replanted to French varieties at that time. Today, a dual focus on both indigenous and international grapes has led to interesting combinations and as well as more commercially-viable wines. For example, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, priced at $7.00/bottle will play well with consumers. Meanwhile, the Feteascas – Alba (white); Regala (royal) and Neagra (black) – all take their name from the word maiden and are uniquely Romanian. The white maiden (Feteasca Alba) is the most popular Romanian grape.

The physical size and geographical diversity of Romania result in creating several different wine regions within the country, each of which has its own microclimate. However, in general, Romania is home to a continental climate, which is moderated by the Black Sea, Danube River and Carpathian Mountains. Dealu Mare, nestled at the foot of the mountains, features red wines, while Tarnave’s emphasis is on white due to its altitude and consequent cooler climate. Similarly, Cotnari, located further north, also focuses on whites. Murfatlar, on the Black Sea, produces both red and white varieties.

With Romania’s entry into the EU in 2007, marketing dollars have begun to flow into the country, permitting it to promote its wines overseas. Accordingly, a trade tasting was held in New York City in April 2011. Wines included the usual suspects – varietally labeled Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir were all on hand to be tasted. However, more intriguing were those produced either solely from indigenous varieties or from unusual blends of both the French and Romanian varieties.

TASTING NOTES

Cramele Recaş Feteasca Regala 2010, Recaş, Romania
Producer Cramele Recas is relatively large with 1,750 acres under vine. With its aromatics of floral and tropical fruit, this wine was reminiscent of Torrontés. The dry palate has high acidity, is medium-full bodied and showed notes of tropical fruit, melon and spice.

Cramele Recaş Solo Quinta 2010, Recaş, Romania
This wine joins Feteasca Regala (30%) with 30% Sauvignon Blanc, 30% Chardonnay, 5% Pinot Grigio and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, the latter of which is vinified as a white wine without any skin contact. The pronounced nose showed notes of citrus, apple, floral and herbs that continued on the dry, full-bodied palate.

Halewood, Pinot Noir 2009, Dealu Mare, Romania
Forty percent of the wine was aged in French oak. The nose offered floral, cherry and berry aromas while the palate provided medium+ acidity, medium tannins and rich cherry/berry flavors mingled with herbal notes.

Senator, Glia Babeasca Neagra 2008, Insuratei, Romania
The second most planted grape variety in Romania, Babeasca Neagra translates as “grandmother’s grape.” Floral and spicy on the nose, this wine’s palate has medium+ acidity and low tannins along with sour black cherry and spice flavors.

Murfatlar, Trei Hectare Feteasca Neagra 2006, Murfatlar, Romania
Murfatlar (a winery named for the region in which it is located) is the largest Romanian producer at 8,200 planted acres. The Feteasca Neagra was showing some development as well as complexity and balance. Dried herbs, dried cherries, earth and cocoa persisted throughout the long length.

Lovable, but Lesser-known Lombardy and its Lago di Garda Wines

Posted on by
Reply

When asked to name an Italian wine region, most people will probably answer Tuscany or Piedmont, while Lombardy is less likely to come to mind. Yet, this northwestern region boasts many high quality wines such as Franciacorta and Valtellina. Known much more for its lake district and its capital city of Milan, Lombardy has attracted U.S. visitors for decades, but its wines generally remain unknown even though its viticultural history dates back to the 1300s.

The sizeable Lago di Garda (Lake Garda) not only adds to the beauty of the area, but also serves as an important climatic influence. Formed by glacial activity, the lake is at the center of concentric hills, which flow westward and is responsible for the area’s Mediterranean climate despite its northerly locale (it shares a border with Switzerland). In addition to grapes, capers, lemon trees and olive groves flourish, marking the northernmost point for these plant species.

Among the red grapes, many indigenous varieties are planted here. Known for its spicy aromatic character, Gropello is the most planted variety with its plantings limited to the slopes of Valtènesi. The local rosé is called Chiaretto and shares the same recipe as the red wine Rosso Garda Classico: Gropello (30% minimum), Marzemino (5% minimum), Barbera (5% minimum) and Sangiovese (5% minimum). The difference between the two wines is in the winemaking. The Chiaretto, produced since the 15th century, has its must separated from the grape skins after a single night’s maceration,. The Classico moniker in Rosso Garda Classico denotes the wine’s origin from the traditional/original viticultural area.

The region’s white grapes are less obscure – Riesling, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay – with the exception of Tocai, which is also known as San Martino. Denominations for white wines include Lugana DOC, San Martino DOC and Benaco Bresciano Bianco IGT. The Chardonnay is also used to make sparkling wines, often blended with Pinot Noir, produced in both the Traditional and Charmat Methods.

That being said, Peri’s Peri Talento Brut IGT 2007 is 100% Chardonnay. Produced using the Traditional Method, the wine showed some yeasty notes along with citrus and apple, finishing cleanly on the palate.

Lugana DOC Perla 2008 from Perla del Garda, blends 90% Trebbiano di Lugana and 10% Chardonnay for a wine with high acidity, citrus notes and minerality.

The indigenous Lugana grape makes its appearance in the Lugana DOC although other white grapes are permitted. Marangona’s Lugana DOC Tre Campane 2008 made solely from this variety has nutty and herbal aromas along with citrus on the dry palate. The Lugana DOC 2008 from Monte Cicogna is 100% Trebbiano di Lugana with aromas of stone and hay joined by citrus, honey, herbal, and bitter almond notes.

The rosé Chiaretto Garda Classico DOC Giovanni Aranzi 2009 is comprised of 60% Gropello, 10% Barbera, 15% Sangiovese and 15% Marzemino and greets the nose with fresh strawberry and cherry. The dry wine shows off its fresh fruit and floral flavors on the palate finishing with a bitter almond note.

Among the reds tasted, the Benaco Bresciano Rosso IGT 2005 Nepomucceno from Cantrina (70% Merlot, 15% Rebo and 10% Marzemino) displays deep, rich black fruit and chocolate. The Cascina Spia d’Italia’s Garda Classico DOC Rosso Superiore 2007 includes the required grapes (percentages unspecified) as well as Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine offers aromas of black fruits, floral and vanilla while berries and bitter almond dominate the palate.

Speaking to a group of press and trade members, Santi Bonhomme, President of the Lago di Garda Consorzio, explained that a project to group all of the red wines under a single denomination – Valenèsi – was underway. This move may help to simplify these wines in the U.S. marketplace, but will not go far enough in demystifying them. I would suggest that Lago di Garda may be a better choice because perhaps it will be a fond reminder of vacations past for the American buyer.

Grand Cru Classes Invites a Wild Child to Dinner

Posted on by
Reply

As former members of Channing Daughters’ wine club, we annually received a bottle of the winery’s L’Enfant Sauvage Chardonnay. We have been fans of this wild ferment wine since our very first visit to the winery way back when and so were always reluctant to open the wine since we wanted to save it. Well, if you do that long enough, you end up with a mini-vertical. Once we realized what we had amassed, we decided to taste the wines together to more easily compare and contrast them, but determined that drinking five bottles on our own was a bit much. Hence, we decided to host a dinner party featuring these wines.

Communication with Channing Daughters’ winemaker, Christopher Tracy, revealed that the wines were still showing quite well and that, yes, he would be interested in joining us for the dinner if he were available.

Planning ahead, we selected a date in early December – sufficiently past harvest, but before the holidays – and were able to host local winemakers and other members of the wine industry. Christopher graciously offered to bring the two vintages we were missing – the 2001 and the 2008, permitting us to complete the L’Enfant Sauvage set.

Attendees:
Hosts: Tracy Ellen Kamens and Jared M. Skolnick, Grand Cru Classes
Christopher Tracy, Channing Daughters
Juan Micelli-Martinez, Martha Clara Vineyards
Bridget Quinn Micelli-Martinez, Palmer Vineyards
Kareem Massoud, Paumanok Vineyards
Karen Kankel, Paumanok Vineyards
Kelly Urbanik, Macari Vineyards
Rob Koch, All-around nice guy
Kristina Szama, Michael Skurnick
Lenn Thompson, New York Cork Report
Remy Charest, Palate Press

We kept the wines top of mind when designing the menu:
Gougères – to accompany the sparkling wines poured upon arrival
Tuscan white bean soup and black bean soup garnish (see above image)
Deconstructed BLT – Smoked pork belly, wilted spinach and oven-dried tomatoes on a bed of polenta
Wild Mushroom Risotto
Swordfish with Butternut Squash Purée and Roasted Cauliflower
Flourless chocolate cake for dessert

My tasting notes are a bit abbreviated as I was focused on being a good host and getting each course on the table.
2001 – deep gold, oxidized note, bruised apple; bruised fruit, butter and nuts
2002 – medium+ gold, lightly oxidized character, citrus, apple, nuts
2003 – deep gold, oxidized character, slight sweet aroma, bruised red apple
2004 – deep gold, cleaner nose, spice, oak and apple
2005 – medium gold, perfume, oxidation, spice
2006 – medium+ acidity, citrus and green apple
2007 – medium gold, citrus and apple
2008 – medium gold, spice, citrus, medium+ acidity

 

Italy by the Glass

Posted on by
Reply

On a hot, humid day in June, I headed to the Hudson Hotel for an Italian wine tasting. After ascertaining the exact location of the event from the hotel staff, I took the elevator to the top floor. After I walked down the long corridor, I checked in and proceeded to begin tasting. The winery representatives were at tables arranged on the perimeter of the room, while open doors at the end of the room beckoned. Unfortunately, the heat was just too oppressive to take advantage of the view afforded by the rooftop terrace, so I turned my attention to the wines.

The assembled group of producers was a bit of a hodgepodge, representing a diverse set of regions including: Abruzzo, Umbria, Lombardy, Sicily, Trentino and Tuscany. Despite the lack of an overtly cohesive theme, the wine line-up provided an opportunity to taste lesser-known varieties and appellations.

From the Tuscan seaside – the Maremma – Casal di Pari produces wines in the Montecucco DOC. Sandwiched between Brunello and Morellino, the hillside vineyards benefit from cooling sea breezes and are planted to Sangiovese, Merlot, Syrah and Petit Verdot. The two wines available for tasting were the Montecucco Rosso DOC 2007 and the Montecucco Rosso DOC Ciarlone 2009, the latter of which was more expressive even though the blends were precisely the same.

Italy’s northern region of Trentino is home to Marco Donati, whose family has been growing grapes in the area since 1863. The appellation wine, Teroldego Rotaliano DOC consists entirely of the indigenous Teroldego and was full of dark fruit with noticeable oak, smoke and vanilla. The Vigneti Delle Dolomiti IGT Situla Rosso 2009 is a mix of Lagrein, Teroldego and Marzemino and displayed notes of plums, berries and smoke.

The wine that stole the show was Terre de Trinci’s Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG 2004. As I walked through the room, I was constantly greeted by colleagues and friends who kept asking if I had tasted it yet. Continually waylaid by the aforementioned friends, I didn’t reach the producer’s table until much later. However, when I finally did, I was in agreement with their favorable assessment. Produced from 100% Sagrantino, previously only used to create sweet wines, Terre de Trinci was the first to make a dry version of Umbria’s native grape back in the 1960s. The wine’s complex aromas included Port, licorice, vanilla, berries and spice coupled with full body, medium+ tannins and long length. The producer’s Umbria IGT Rosso Trinci 2009 is a blend of 80% Sagrantino and 20% Merlot and, while not as complex, showed much of the same characteristics.

Another highlight was the wine from Cantina di Villa, based in the Valtellina denomination of the Lombardy region. Here, the Nebbiolo grape, made famous by Piedmont’s Barolo and Barbaresco, sometimes travels under the pseudonym of Chiavennasca. Of course, file that under the adage “a rose by any other name,” because these wines deliver on Nebbiolo’s promise. The Cantina had four separate wines available to taste starting with the basic Valtellina Rosso DOC 2006 (90% Nebbiolo and 10% Pignolo) which offered dried flowers and sour cherry. Moving up to the Valtellina Rosso Superiore DOC Incontri 2003 (95% Nebbiolo and 5% local varieties), these aromas and flavors were joined by dried cherries, dried herbs, rose and slight earth. The younger Valtellina Rosso Superiore Grumello 2006 was earthier with fuller body, but less developed. At the top of the range, the Sforzato di Valtellina DOCG Tinaia 2006 (100% Nebbiolo) was, in a word, gorgeous! (yes, my tasting notes include the exclamation point). More floral than the Grumello, the intricate production process of drying the grapes for several months prior to pressing, then repassing the must through the skins multiple times and aging the wine in large casks for a minimum of three years, showed in its richer, more concentrated palate. Notes of dried cherries and plums remained throughout the wine’s long length.

The preponderance of reds was unfortunate since the high temperatures really called for whites, but those to be found were less interesting – a typical Pinot Grigio from the Veneto, a Trebbiano-Chardonnay blend (untasted) and a Müller-Thurgau (also untasted because I had already assaulted my palate with powerful reds). However, all in all, the tasting offered a great selection of wines.

HARVEST East End Wine Salon – Mad about Merlot

Posted on by
Reply

The second annual HARVEST East End – wine auction and celebration of Long Island’s wines – took place this month (September 2011). Kicking off on September 3, wine salons were held at various wineries and other locations for three Saturdays, culminating in the Festival Tasting on the evening of September 17, immediately followed by the Havest Moon Gala at The Ludlow Farm.

As we neared our destination, signage directed us not only to Ludlow Farm, but also to the corn maze. We thought that was an interesting idea, but, in fact, the festival walk-around tasting took place under several tents, away from husks of corn. While the wineries were not hidden among the maize, we did manage to miss a few.

Prior to the main festivities, Grand Cru Classes was pleased to sponsor this year’s event once again by hosting one of the wine salons. Accordingly, on September 10, I presented my Mad about Merlot class, with a twist. The class is usually comprised of 5 or 6 Merlots from around the world, permitting attendees to compare and contrast the aromas, flavors and structure of Merlot wines from a wide range of terroirs. However, given that the salon was part of a celebration of Long Island, the wine selection was restricted to Merlots from the East End. Of course, the term “restricted” is quite a misnomer as the line-up proved to be even more diverse than usual.

Starting with Pugliese’s deep red-hued sparkling wine, the session presented participants with an overview of this much-maligned grape, while lauding its virtues both on Long Island and elsewhere. Next, attention shifted to a blanc de noirs — a white wine crafted from a red grape — with Lieb’s Merlot Blanc. If tasted under different circumstances (i.e. you didn’t know you were only drinking Merlots), it would be easy to mistake it for a Sauvignon Blanc. Adding back some color, attendees then tasted Croteaux’s rosé produced from Merlot clone #314 from St. Emilion. The rosé was followed by a wine created by members of the L.I. Merlot Alliance, all of whom provide a barrel of their Merlot for the annual project. While the Merliance wine was from a recent vintage (2008), the other straight Merlot (from Lenz Winery) hailed from the 2001 vintage, showed some beautiful development and inspired a McCall beef dinner later that night. Finally, guests were treated to Channing Daughters’ Madeira-style Merlot called Pazzo (which translates as mad or crazy in Italian).

Who knew Merlot, and Long Island Merlot at that, could be so varied? If anyone says they don’t like Merlot, they have to be kidding. With five completely different styles of wine, one would be hard pressed not to find at least one to their liking.

  • Pugliese Vineyards, Sparkling Merlot 2003, North Fork of Long Island (NY), USA
  • Lieb Family Cellars, Merlot Blanc 2010, North Fork of Long Island (NY), USA*
  • Croteaux, Merlot 314 Rosé 2010, North Fork of Long Island (NY), USA
  • Long Island Merlot Alliance, Merliance 2008, Long Island (NY), USA*
  • Lenz Winery, Estate Merlot 2001, North Fork of Long Island (NY), USA
  • Channing Daughters, Pazzo 2004, The Hamptons (NY), USA *

*With gratitude to the producers for their gracious generosity.