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A CORNUCOPIA OF INTERNATIONAL WINES FOR YOUR HOLIDAY GATHERINGS, PART 3

White Wines

 

This time of year – truthfully all year long – I like to try a wide variety of wines. Certainly Chardonnay remains the most popular wine among consumers. And if you are looking for ideas for the holidays, I previously reviewed a large number of Chardonnays here.

For our purposes in this column, the focus is mostly on the so-called “aromatic whites” – Riesling, Pinot Grigio, and Sauvignon Blanc – along with a mélange of international varieties. Most of the delightful wines in this column are crisp, fruity, and fragrant. For generally reasonable prices, these wines also provide a refreshing combination of acidity and in many cases moderate alcohol – perfect for parties and the variety of foods available during the holidays.

 

Riesling. My favorite white wine, a good Riesling is enticingly aromatic with bracing acidity and typically green apple, citrus and stone fruit flavors. Most intriguing, there often is a distinctive mineral component. The wines below provide at least some sweetness, unless otherwise indicated.

 

2012 Thomas Schmitt Private Collection Spatlese ($16). Nice green apple with hints of steel and stone. Light and soft and pretty with a good balance of sweetness and acidity.

 

2012 Thomas Schmitt Private Collection Kabinet ($14). Similar to the Spatlese but lighter and less sweet; nice sipper and versatile.

 

2012 Beast “Sphinx” Wallula Vineyard Columbia Valley ($25). From the U.S., I especially enjoy Washington State Riesling these days. This one, made with grapes from a biodynamically farmed vineyard, is aromatic, flavorful and dry – and excellent.

 

2010 Brooks “Ara” Willamette Valley ($25). Another very dry wine, the Ara is nicely citrusy and sports bracing acidity.

 

Other good options:

 

  • 2012 J.Lohr Estates Bay Mist White Riesling ($10)
  • 2012 Martin & Weyrich “Allegro” Riesling ($12)
  • 2012 Fess Parker Riesling Santa Barbara County ($14)
  • 2012 Kendall-Jackson “Vintner’s Reserve” Riesling Monterey County ($13)
  • 2011 Woodbridge (by Robert Mondavi) Riesling ($8)

 

Pinot Gris/Grigio. Pinot Gris, the so-called “grey pinot,” reaches its epitome in Alsace and can be quite fine in Oregon but I found the 2011 La Crema Pinot Gris Monterey County ($20) to be impressive in its own right. Citrus, lime and honeydew present with a body of some weight and richness of texture.

 

Pinot Grigio, usually indicating the lighter Italian style, is best known among Americans. Typically, it tends to fresh citrus and melon carried in a brisk, yet easygoing frame. The following wines, listed in order of preference, all are worth trying:

 

  • 2012 Franz Keller Schwarzer Adler ($25)
  • 2011 Francis Coppola “Diamond Collection” ($16)
  • 2012 Oak Grove California ($8)
  • 2012 Pepi California ($10)
  • 2012 McManis California ($10)
  • 2011 Murphy-Goode California ($13)
  • NV Camelot California ($7)

 

Sauvignon Blanc. The brisk acidity, zesty white and green fruits (often grapefruit or gooseberry) and distinctive herbaceousness of Sauvignon Blanc enable this wine to pair with multiple foods. The 2012 Matua Valley Estate Series Paretai Marlborough ($17) was my favorite of this group for its green apple, grapefruit, citrus, and strong green herb notes. It is fairly full and nicely concentrated, yet balanced. The following also are enjoyable:

 

  • 2013 Matua Valley Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough ($12)
  • 2012 Pepi California ($10)
  • 2012 Tin Roof California ($10)
  • 2012 Oak Grove California ($8)

 

Pinot Blanc. A wine that often is mistaken for Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc shows its own charms, as with these two. The 2012 Franz Keller Schwarzer Adler ($25) reveals nice stone fruits and intriguing “wet rocks” minerality. The 2010 Brooks “Runaway White” ($15), a blend of two Oregon vineyards, has nice apple and citrus in a juicy and lively frame.

 

Blends. A winery’s multi-varietal blend also can be a fun alternative. Instead of just the character of one variety, these give you a chance to experience the how different aromas and flavors can come together to make a whole that is better than the sum of its parts. Two eminently affordable examples of this include the 2012 HandCraft “Inspiration White” ($13). This is a vibrant, aromatic blend of riesling, sauvignon blanc, viognier, moscato and pinot grigio. Even more affordable is the 2012 Smoking Loon “White Loonatic” ($8), a fruit-forward, approachable blend of viognier, chardonnay, muscat, and symphony.

 

Spain. The Rueda region in north central Spain not far from the great Ribera del Duero region has long been considered the source of Spain’s favorite white wines. Verdejo, the indigenous varietal of the region, produces wines with a nice balance of minerality and acidity. The crisp Verdejo wines of Rueda carry a hint of herbs with notes tropical and stone fruit. The 2012 Oro de Castilla Verdejo ($12) emphasizes tight citrus, lime and steely notes, while the 2012 12 Linajes Verdejo ($12) shows similar citrus but also apple, fennel and savory notes.

 

Viognier. One of three esteemed white Rhone varietals – along with Roussanne and Marsanne – Viognier can offer the richness of Chardonnay with exotic, tropical fruits. This is typically a pretty expensive wine but the 2012 McManis ($11) and 2012 Oak Grove ($8) both offer a sense of that experience for very affordable prices.

 

Other Whites. I don’t want to close without turning you on to a few fine southern European whites to add some variety to your holiday palates.

 

  • 2012 Rocca Sveva Soave Classico ($17), citrus – oranges and lemons – and stone fruit in a light but pleasing sweet/tart drink
  • 2012 Monte Velho White Alentejano ($10), this light blend of native roupeiro, antao vaz, and perrum varieties reminds me of fruit salad with touches of caramel and butterscotch
  • NV Memoro Vino Bianco D’italia ($10), intriguing blend of French and Italian grapes  – viognier, chardonnay, vermentino, and pecorino – fun for sipping
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A CORNUCOPIA OF INTERNATIONAL WINES FOR YOUR HOLIDAY GATHERINGS, PART 2

Sweet Wines

 

I love Porto, period. Yes, it’s sweet, often very sweet. And it’s red! And this time of year I just can’t resist it. There are a variety of styles, so it can be confusing trying to decide which to buy. A good place to start is with a Ruby Port, the youngest and most accessible Port. Aged three years in large vats to retain freshness, expect straightforward, grapey fruit. Fonseca Bin No. 27 ($21) – quite intense with lively red fruits and good structure – is a fine representative of the type.


Late Bottled Vintage Port is made from good wines of a single year that didn’t quite make the cut for Vintage Port. But, after aging four to six years, it is ready to drink upon release and offers a sense of why Vintage Porto is so prized by connoisseurs. The 2007 Taylor Fladgate Late Bottled Vintage Porto ($22) is notable for its full body and blackberry fruit balanced with good acidity and soft tannins.


Tawny Port is known less for power and concentration than for complexity, purity of fruit and finesse. Tawnies are blended wines and the best indicate an average age. Expect admirable balance, elegance and complexity. The Taylor Fladgate 10 Year Old Tawny Porto ($35) presents pure vibrant fruit, hints of almonds, and fine balance.

 

There also are some interesting Port-style wines being produced in California. One I enjoyed recently is the 2008 Pedroncelli Four Grapes Port ($20). While many California producers make their Port-style wine using zinfandel, this wine uses the traditional Portuguese grapes Tinta Madera, Tinta Cao, Souzao, and Touriga Nacional. A little on the rustic side, it nicely conjures the character of a Ruby Port.

 

I also am aware many people this time of year host large holiday parties and, in an effort to offer a variety of wine drinking options to appeal to all their guests, look for sweet accessible wines for uncritical drinking. Here’s where wines like those from Sequin ($12) come in handy. Sweet and “delicately bubbled,” these wines can be sipped on their own or serve as a base for wine cocktails. There is a Rose, Pinot Grigio and Moscato.

 

Speaking of Moscato, if you like the sweet but not the bubbles, Smoking Loon’s 2012 “Blue Loon” Moscato ($8) might be right for you. It’s soft, fruity but not cloying with nice aromas and flavors reminiscent of fruit salad.

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A CORNUCOPIA OF INTERNATIONAL WINES FOR YOUR HOLIDAY GATHERINGS, PART 1

 

With all its holidays – Hannukah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, New Year’s Eve (at least) – and the associated company parties, family gatherings, and sundry holiday parties, the month of December may be the biggest month of the year for wine drinking opportunities. This situation presents consumers with opportunities and challenges – obviously many opportunities to drink various wines but equally as many challenges in deciding which wines to drink. With this in mind, I have organized this column basically as a shopping list to assist you in making those decisions.

 

First Up:Bubbly

 

More than any other wine, this time of year I look to sparkling wine as my first choice – whether it’s called Champagne, Cremant, Sekt, Prosecco, Cava, Spumante, or something else – and certainly it’s the prime choice for celebrations of all types. Of course, Champagne sets the standard an NV Brut is the most widely enjoyed style.  Really good choice here is the Laurent-Perrier NV Brut ($40) Its high proportion of chardonnay (50%) makes for a lively, fresh and elegant sparkler.

From Italy, Prosecco has achieved significant popularity in recent years and the Mionetto NV Brut Treviso ($14) is a solid example – fresh, pure and fruity. Another good choice is the Piccini NV Extra Dry ($16), which, despite its designation, actually reveals a bit of residual sugar. But it is hard for me to pass up the “Metodo Classico” of Ferrari, which grows it grapes on hillside vineyards in the foothills of the Alps not far from Lake Garda and makes it bubble using the Champagne Method. Their 2006 Ferrari Perlé ($35) – 100% chardonnay and aged five years – is elegant and refined.

And how about a “Methode Traditionelle” Sekt from Germany? I heartily recommend the 2008 Raumland Blanc de Noirs Vintage Brut Cuvee Marie-Louise ($45). A great surprise, this wine shows a lot of verve and esteemed character of 100% chardonnay.

Of course, there also are several excellent sparkling options from California. One of my favorite producers these days is Letitia in the Arroyo Grande Valley. The Laetitia NV Brut Cuvee ($25) is an enticing blend of pinot noir, chardonnay and pinot blanc, while the 2009 Laetitia Brut Rosé ($30) shows the enticing fruit and lush body of its pinot noir/chardonnay blend. If price is a major consideration, the Barefoot Bubbly line of sparklers always presents good values. At $10 a bottle, whether its for a cocktail party, toasting the New Year, or mimosas for a holiday brunch, Barefoot is the right bubbly.

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TRY VERSATILE CALIFORNIA PINOT NOIR FOR THE HOLIDAYS

 

This time of year, just about every wine and food publication issues its take on what wines to drink with your holiday meals. Well, I’m no different. In this post, I focus on California Pinot Noir.

 

Pinot Noir at its best is all about expression of its source. Wine industry folks use terms like appellation and especially terroir to encapsulate the influence of all the factors – climate, soil, and humans – that contribute to the making of a wine. With Pinot Noir, these seem to be even more important than with other wines.

 

With producers identifying more appropriate growing sites (namely cooler climates with longer growing seasons that enable the grapes to ripen while retaining good acidity), matching better quality clones to particular sites, cultivating with extra care, and employing improved vinification techniques, there are countless good to outstanding wines now available for consumers.

 

There are typical characteristics attributable to the pinot noir grape and accented with the judicious use of oak: aromas and flavors centering on cherry and brown (baking) spices, earthy, mushroom notes, silky texture, and purity of fruit. In California, there are numerous appellations in a 500-mile stretch from Mendocino in the north to Santa Barbara in the south where fine Pinot Noir is made. In my recent tastings, most of them were represented and produced wines I can recommend. It remains a challenge, though, to find a California Pinot Noir with a favorable price/quality relationship. Still, my tastings did turn up some good values for those of you on a tight budget.

 

Enjoy!

 

Excellent

 2011 La Crema Russian River Valley ($40) – layers of deep fruit, vanilla, floral notes, fine purity with a solid structure and an enticing, juicy finish

 

2010 Patz & Hall Pisoni Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands ($85) – a big, ripe wine, juicy dark berries, sleek texture, high alcohol, still balances these contradictory qualities

 

2011 Talbott Sleepy Hollow Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands ($42) – pretty fruit, touches of earth, toasty oak, spice, lush but lively texture, lingering finish

 

2011 Patz & Hall Hyde Vineyard Carneros ($65) – complex mix of intense fruit, floral notes and spice, nice touch of lively acidity and dusty tannins

 

2010 Goldeneye Anderson Valley ($55) – deftly combines power and elegance, vibrant fruit with firm tannins and earthy notes

 

2011 Guarachi Family Sonoma Cost ($65) – bursting with pure cherry fruit offset with toasty oak

 

Very Good

 

2012 La Crema Sonoma Coast ($25) – concentrated and focused, nicely integrated red fruits, floral and licorice notes supple texture

 

2012 Patz & Hall Sonoma Coast ($46) – tart red fruits, earth tones, touches of cola and toast lush texture

 

2010 Landmark Grand Detour Sonoma Coast ($35) – bursting with dark fruit, floral and herbal notes, toast, and a touch of anise, vibrant and balanced

 

2011 Davis Bynum Jane’s Vineyard Russian River Valley ($40) – layers of sweet black cherry and tart red plum, quite spicy, good acidity, and a full, sleek mouthfeel

2010 Alta Maria Santa Maria Valley ($28) – sweet, ripe fruit with floral notes, a hint of cocoa and an appealing freshness

 

2011 Cambria Bench Break Santa Maria Valley ($34) – red fruit with forest and floral notes, noticeable spice, big body and structure but silky texture

 

2011 Laetitia Resrve du Domaine Arroyo Grande Valley ($40) – pure red fruits, lively acidity, hints of oak and earth add intrigue

 

2011 Talbott “Logan” Sleepy Hollow Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands ($25) – juicy, upfront red fruit, appealing spice with lush, lively texture

 

2011 Frank Family Carneros ($35) – deep, ripe black cherry with light oak and spice notes, fills out nicely, silky texture but firming acidity

 

2011 Byron Santa Maria Valley ($29) – very spicy with pretty fruit and subtle mushroom notes, supple and expressive, yet good structure and tasty

 

2011 J. Lohr Fog’s Reach Vineyard Arroyo Seco ($35) – fresh plum and cherry with herbs, anise and earthy nuances, firm acidity, spicy finish

 

2012 Artesa Carneros ($25) – ripe and bright red fruits, floral notes, toasty oak and a hint of spice come together nicely

 

2010 Clos du Val Carneros ($30) – made in Clos du Val’s classic, elegant style with pleasing red liqueur fruit, a sharp focus and a welcoming texture

 

2011 Rodney Strong Estate Russian River Valley ($25) – light but pretty and vibrant red fruit with hints of spice, mint and oak, finishing smooth and silky

 

2011 MacMurray Russian River Valley ($27) – straightforward red fruit character with a soft but refreshing palate

 

Good

 

2011 Talbott Kali Hart ($21) – forward black cherry fruit, cinnamon accent, bright mouthfeel, and refreshing finish

2011 Carmel Road Arroyo Seco ($22) – earth and mushroom dominate fresh red fruit, touches of sweet oak and spice add interest

2012 Laetitia Estate Arroyo Grande Valley ($25) – an elegant vibrant rendition of the property’s fine quality fruit

 

2011 La Crema Monterey ($23) – lighter red cherry notes with touches of licorice and mushroom

 

2011 Cambria Julia’s Santa Maria ($25) – pleasantly juicy with nice plum fruit and spice lifted with good acidity

 

2012 McManis California ($11) – smooth, easy-drinking with cherry-vanilla layers from start to finish, a really excellent value

 

2011 Garnet Monterey ($15) – dark red and plum fruit, earthy notes, velvety texture, a very good value

 

2011 MacMurray Central Coast ($23) – light but tasty fruit with strong spice and a soft texture

 

2011 J. Lohr Falcon’s Perch Monterey County ($17) – simple and light but good, sweet fruit

 

2012 Murphy Goode California ($15) – basic, tasty cherry with a hint of smoke

 

 

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NEW BREWS FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON

Three breweries. Ten beers. Tons of fla,vor. Breweries everywhere are coming out with their seasonal and holiday brews to warm your cockles (look it up). Below is just a fraction of what’s available but each is guaranteed to please. Happy holidays!

 

Samuel Adams

 

 

Ruby Mild. The company says this limited release is inspired by the English mild ales popular in the 1800s. Its ruby color and prominent malty aroma comes from seven malts, including traditional English malts like Marris Otter and its light citrusy notes are attributable to East Kent Golding hops. There also are intriguing clove and brown butter elements in the nose. This pleasant easy drinking brew (5.6 ABV, 20 IBU) sports a light sour cherry flavor, with malty and chalky notes, finishing with a nice hoppy lift. An ideal accompaniment to holiday meals.

 

 

 

Fat Jack Double Pumpkin Ale. With more than 28 pounds of pumpkin per barrel, accented with more of those East Kent Golding hops and malts including rye Special B and smoked malt, this selection from the Small Batch catalogue actually does show classic pumpkin pie spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. In the mouth, roasted and smoked malts deliver hints of molasses and caramel and pretty high alcohol (8.5 ABV 25 IBU) but still with a smooth mouth feel. Obviously perfect for Thanksgiving.

 

 

Tetravis. A new addition to the Barrel Room Collection, Tetravis is modeled after a Belgian-style Quadrupel – blended, aged, and cask conditioned. While brewed with low bitterness Hallertau Mittelfrueh noble hops and Special B, Carafa 1, and Munich malts, it gets its unique character from blending in a special Belgian-style sour ale they call “Kosmic Mother Funk” that is a blend of Brettanomyces yeast and bacteria aged in Hungarian barrels for a year (and is blended into each Barrel Room Collection beer in varying levels). This one also is bottle conditioned with Champagne yeast. All this results in a heady brew that variously exhibits fruitcake, plum, currant, caramel, sour cherry, earth, molasses, raisin, fig, clove, and spice! With all this complexity and high alcohol (10.2 ABV, 18 IBU), this one is best with dessert or by itself after dinner.

 

Deschutes


Hop Trip Fresh Hop Pale Ale. “Fresh hop” means the Deschutes team brings just harvested hops from the fields of nearby Salem to the brewery in Bend within four hours of picking. Those include Salmon Safe Nugget, Centennial, and Fresh Crystal hops that are balanced with NW Pale, Extra Special, Cara-Munich, and Carapils malts. Refreshing citrus, pine and resin notes meld with grapefruit, spice, caramel, and tropical notes. Even at a friendly 5.3 ABV and 38 IBU, it delivers solid, mouthfilling, citrusy and spicy flavors nicely balanced with malty character.

 

 

Jubelale. A festive winter warmer ale, Jubelale, now in its 26th year, actually is the first brew ever bottled by Deschutes. With six types of hops and five types of malts, I found this impressively flavorful and complex. It opened with roasted coffee and chestnut (or was it chicory?) aromas that carried into the mouth. That palate carried its 6.7 ABV well and showed excellent depth, offering mocha and malt character, with a sharp hoppy (70 IBU) lift in the finish.

 

 

Chasin’ Freshies Fresh Hop IPA. Another fresh hop beer, this one comes from the Bond Street Series (their seasonal special release program). In contrast to Hop Trip, it is made with newly harvested Bravo and Amarillo hops (note: last year’s version emphasized Cascade hops) and at 65 IBU, nearly three-fourths more IBU. These are complimented with Pilsner Malt and Flaked Oats
. And it sure is fresh. There is a lot of grapefruit, fairly high alcohol (7.2 ABV), but also an earthy note and an intriguing suggestion of green grass.

 

The next two beers, like Jubelale, are best suited with dessert or after dinner. They also are capable of aging for up to a year.

 

Black Butte Porter XXV. This 25th Birthday Reserve of Deschutes’ flagship  beer uses cocoa nibs and roasted coffee from local producers. A final aging in whiskey casks imparts intensity and complexity. This well structured drink has so much going on I picked up layers of chocolate, coffee, anise and dried fruit – fig, currant, berry, plum, cherry, and date. And it packs quite a punch with 11.3 ABV and 65 IBU.

 

 

 

Abyss 2013 Reserve Imperial Stout. The eighth vintage of this extreme stout is a powerhouse – note its 11.0 ABV and 70 IBU. It is made with licorice and blackstrap molasses, vanilla bean and cherry bark all aged in bourbon, pinot noir and Oregon oak barrels. What you get out of all this is a concoction that offers hints of molasses, licorice, chocolate, and caramel in a frame of great depth and complexity.

 

 

Oskar Blues

 

Old Chub. A really fascinating Scottish strong ale, its generous amounts of malted barley and specialty grains, with a dash of beechwood-smoked malt result in a full flavored brew – also evidenced by it 8% ABV and 60 IBU. Earthy aromas of mocha, date, caramel, and toasty brown sugar are followed by flavors of roasted grains, sweet malt, caramel raisin, cocoa, blueberry, mocha, and spice. Whew!

 

 

Ten Fidy Imperial Stout. And then there is this, an impressive stout, large scaled in every way (10.5 ABV 98 IBU). It is strong and full and complex but not heavy. Start with an opening blast of resin, molasses, roasted barley, oat, chocolate, caramel, and coffee balanced with strong hoppy character. In the mouth there is more of the same but you will immediately notice a roasted malt flavor (likely from the two-row malt and chocolate malt) finishing with a nice bitter note that actually seems understated given its high IBU.

 

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RIDGE LYTTON SPRINGS, THE EPITOME OF ZINFANDEL

FROM MY CELLAR:

 

Zinfandel is a curiously underappreciated variety. Forty years after its renaissance I still find myself having to explain to family, friends and acquaintances what it is, let alone just how great it can be. Even among my wine loving associates I am one of the few to list it among my favorite varieties.

 

So, I have made it part of my mission as a wine writer to sing its praises and have done so for all of the twenty years I have been writing about wine. I recently tasted more examples of what the grape can produce in California. I have a post on the website reviewing some impressive Zinfandel wines I tasted recently. In this post, I turn you on to the pleasures of the 2004 Ridge Vineyards “Lytton Springs” ($33 upon release in 2006).

 

It is worth noting that although the wine is 79% Zinfandel, 18% Petite Sirah, and 3% Carignane, the label focuses the vineyard. This is a common practice at Ridge, as CEO/Winemaker Paul Draper (who has been at Ridge over fifty years and is recognized as one of the world’s great winemakers) is known for his emphasis on site-specific wines. And Lytton Springs is not just a great zinfandel vineyard; it has been identified as one of the great vineyards in the world. We shouldn’t be surprised it is located in the Dry Creek Valley, which is well known as one of the most hospitable places to grow zinfandel.

Lytton Springs lies just north and west of Healdsburg on benchland and rolling hills. It benefits from foggy mornings followed by by warm, sunny afternoons and cool evenings. This and the not particularly fertile gravelly clay soils ensure that the grapes ripen slowly and achieve a balance that often proves elusive in other zinfandel vineyards.

 

Ridge had purchased Lytton Springs grapes beginning in 1972; then over the years took opportunities to buy various blocks until by 1995 they owned the complete estate including the winery. Sustainable and organic practices are followed in the vineyard and the winery. For instance, the new winery emphasizes energy conservation, solar energy, and environmentally sustainable construction materials.

 

In the vineyard, Lytton Springs supports 100 plus-year-old zinfandel vines planted in a “field blend” with petite sirah, carignane, mataro (also known as mourvèdre), and grenache. Draper’s and Ridge Vice President of Winemaking-Lytton Springs John Olney’s respect for the site is evident in the sustainable farming practices and moving it toward organic certification. This respect also means they maintain the field blend and focus on harvesting the grapes at optimal ripeness (too many wineries today harvest overripe grapes) to achieve wines that balance fruit and soil characteristics with manageable tannins and alcohol. Although Zinfandel can reach extremely high alcohol, this 2004 wine came in at an elevated but reasonable 14.5%.

 

The 2004 Lytton Springs is a beacon of what the zinfandel grape can achieve when grown in the right place and crafted by the right hands. Each variety and each lot were fermented separately with the natural yeast and the wine was allowed to undergo natural malolactic fermentation. After light egg white fining, it was aged on the lees and spent thirteen months in air-dried American oak.

Even at nine years of age the wine was still fresh and vibrant when I tasted it. Its aromas opened with pure brambly blackberry, accented with caramelized wood notes and hints of stone, and finished with a whiff of black pepper. Its beautiful, sweet tasting fruit was delivered in an excellently firm structure and a seamless texture that allowed the wine to slide deftly across my palate. The wine finished full and rich, with still some tannin. It easily could have kept for a few more years. After time in the glass, hints of black licorice emerged in the nose and especially the mouth.

 

I have been drinking Lytton Springs since the 1970’s (and every vintage since 1990) and the great balance of varietal fruit and terroir this 2004 delivered in an elegant, yet concentrated wine makes this one of my favorite Lytton Springs.

 

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GREAT AMERICAN BEER FESTIVAL CONTINUES TO IMPRESS AFTER 31 YEARS

 

Cover Photo © Brewers Association

 

The 27th Great American Beer Festival (GABF), held October 10-12 at the Colorado Convention Center, stands as a testament to the intrinsic appeal of craft brewed beer … and to the vision and hard work of the people at the Brewers Association (which organizes it) and to the craft brewers that have proliferated across the country in recent years.

 

rich mauro the peoples palate
scenes from GABF

While the rest of the American economy is at best slowly recovering, the craft beer world keeps expanding at amazing levels of growth. The Brewers Association, the not-for-profit trade association, which represents the majority of U.S. breweries, announced that during the first six months of 2013, American craft beer dollar sales and volume were up 15 percent and 13 percent, respectively. Over the same period last year, dollar sales jumped 14 percent and volume increased 12 percent. During the first half of 2013, approximately 7.3 million barrels of beer were sold by small and independent1 craft brewers, up from 6.4 million barrels over the first half of 2012.

 

According to the Brewers Association, there were 2,538 breweries operating in the U.S. as of June 30, 2013, an increase of 446 breweries since June 2012 and more than at any time since the 1870s. The Brewers Association also lists an additional 1,605 breweries (!) in planning at the year’s midpoint, compared to 1,252 a year ago. As of June 30, 2013, the count of craft breweries was at 2,483, showing that 98 percent of U.S. brewers are craft brewers. Craft brewers currently employ an estimated 108,440 full-time and part-time workers, many of which are manufacturing jobs, contributing significantly to the U.S. economy.

Not surprisingly, the GABF seems to get more popular every year, this year selling out in just 20 minutes during the public ticket sale (45 minutes last year). The GABF remains the largest commercial beer competition in the world. Here are some stats to make the point:

 

Festival Facts

  • 624 breweries (578 last year) served 3,124 beers (over 400 more than last year) and the biggest selection of American beers ever served), to 49,000 attendees (including ticketed attendees, brewers, judges, volunteers and journalists).
  • The 84 beer categories covered 138 different beer styles.
  • Winners were chosen from 4,809 entries from 745 breweries, from 49 states, plus Washington, D.C.
  • The top entered categories were (theoretically an indication of consumer interest):
  • American-Style India Pale Ale, 252 Entries (the most entered category for thirteen years running)
  • Imperial India Pale Ale, 149 entries
  • Herb and Spice Beer, 134 entries
  • American-Style Pale Ale, 124 entries
  • American-Style Strong Pale Ale, 120 entries
  • French & Belgian-Style Saison, 119 Entries
  • Wood and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer, 117 entries


Festival Sustainability

I’m also glad the GABF has continued its sustainability program and actually has worked to grow it. They have expanded their partner relationships and volunteers to increase the percent of material diverted from the landfill (from 70% to a goal of 80%). The diversion rate increased by 8% and total material recycled and composted increased 22%.

 

Program components included:

  • Disposable items at GABF were recyclable or compostable. No Styrofoam!
  • All glass and plastic bottles, cans, paper and cardboard were recycled (with a goal of diverting 100% of glass).
  • Plastic beer glasses were reusable.
  • Bulk condiments were used at concession areas.
  • Trained educators helped attendees put waste in the appropriate containers.
  • Attendees were urged to offset their carbon footprint to and from the festival by using a CO2 emissions calculation tool and offsetting the carbon through the Colorado Carbon Fund.
  • GABF has made donations to the Colorado Carbon Fund to offset their carbon footprint.
  • Hybrid taxis were available after each session.
  • House lights were kept at 50% during the show.

 

Colorado’s Winners!

 

The GABF is both a public/member festival and a privately judged competition. And once again Colorado was well represented among the awards. By my count, 35 Colorado breweries won 43 awards, all increases from last year. Only California, with 52 awards, won more. The Colorado winners are listed below.

 

  • American-Style Wheat Beer, Bronze: Super 77 Wheat, Wiley Roots Brewing, Greeley
  • Fruit Beer, Gold: Golden Knot – Chardonnay, Blue Moon Brewing, Denver
  • Fruit Wheat Beer, Gold: Peachy Peach, Pagosa Brewing & Grill, Pagosa Springs & Bronze: Lilikoi Kepolo, Avery Brewing, Boulder
  • Field or Pumpkin Beer, Gold: Elektrick Cukumbahh, Trinity Brewing, Colorado Springs
  • Herb and Spice Beer, 
Silver: Chai Milk Stout, Yak & Yeti Restaurant & Brewpub, Arvada
  • Chocolate Beer, Gold: Chocolate Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout, Great Divide, Denver
  • Specialty Honey Beer, Bronze: West Bound Braggot, Twisted Pine Brewing, Boulder
  • Gluten-Free Beer, Bronze: Gluten-Free Brown Ale, New Planet Beer, Boulder
  • American-Style Brett, Bronze: HopSavant, Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project, Denver
  • Kellerbier or Zwickelbier, Gold: Keller Pils, Prost Brewing, Denver
  • Smoke Beer, Gold: Second Hand Smoke, SandLot, Denver
  • Bohemian-Style Pilsner, 
Silver: Czech Pilsner, Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant, Broomfield
  • Dortmunder or German-Style Oktoberfest, Gold: Move Back, SandLot, Denver
  • European-Style Dunkel, Gold: Munich Dunkel, Carver Brewing, Durango & Bronze: The Fearless Youth, Grimm Brothers Brewhouse, Loveland
  • Bock, 
Bronze: Goat Rancher, SandLot, Denver
  • English-Style Summer Ale, Gold: True Blonde Ale, Ska Brewing, Durango,
  • Silver: Hanging Lake, Glenwood Canyon Brewing, Glenwood Springs
  • Classic English-Style Pale Ale, Gold: 5 Barrel Pale Ale, Odell Brewing Co., Fort Collins & Silver: Extra Pale Summer Ale, Dry Dock Brewing Aurora
  • English-Style India Pale Ale, 
Bronze: Enterprise IPA, Dry Dock Brewing, Aurora
  • International-Style Pale Ale, Bronze: IPL, AC Golden, Golden
  • American-Style Pale Ale, Silver: Featherweight Pale, Cannonball Creek Brewing, Golden
  • English-Style Mild Ale, Gold: S.S. Minnow Mild, Dry Dock Brewing, Aurora,
  • Ordinary or Special Bitter, Gold: Sawtooth Ale, Left Hand Brewing, Longmont &
  • Silver: HMS Victory Amber, Dry Dock Brewing, Aurora
  • Scottish-Style Ale, 
Bronze: Redhawk Ale, Rockyard Brewing, Castle Rock
  • Irish-Style Red Ale, 
Silver: Colorado Boy Irish Ale, Colorado Boy Brewing, Ridgway & Bronze: Ragtop Red, Rock Bottom Brewery, Broomfield
  • English-Style Brown Ale, Gold: Bandit Brown, City Star Brewing, Berthoud & 
Bronze: Longboard Brown, Rock Bottom Brewery, Broomfield
  • German-Style Altbier, Bronze: Echo Amber, Echo Brewing, Frederick
  • South German-Style Hefeweizen, Gold: Big Horn Hefeweizen, CB and Potts Restaurant and Brewery, Highlands Ranch
  • German-Style Wheat Ale, Gold: Slam Dunkel, Steamworks Brewing, Durango
  • Robust Porter, Gold: Moonlight Porter, Rock Bottom Brewery, Broomfield
  • Foreign-Style Stout, Gold: Fade to Black Volume 1, Left Hand Brewing, Longmont
  • American-Style Stout, Silver: Battlecat Stout, Cannonball Creek Brewing, Golden
  • Sweet Stout or Cream Stout, Gold: Milk Stout, Left Hand Brewing, Longmont
  • Imperial Stout, Bronze: Hammer and Sickle, Renegade Brewing, Denver
  • Scotch Ale, Gold: Wee Heavy, Dry Dock Brewing, Aurora
  • Old Ale or Strong Ale, Bronze: Mule Kick, City Star Brewing, Berthoud
  • Barley Wine-Style Ale, 
Bronze: Release the Hounds Barley Wine, Bull & Bush Brewery, Denver

 

Special kudos goes to Colorado’s Left Hand Brewing, who tied for most gold medals won (three) with California’s Firestone Walker Brewing.

 

And it doesn’t end there! Colorado breweries won two of the three medals in the Pro-Am competition, which pairs amateur brewers with professional brewers who scale up the award-winning homebrew recipes. The Colorado medal winners, including the winning professional brewers and American Homebrewers Association (AHA) member homebrewers are:

 

  • Silver: Charlie’s Brown, New Belgium Brewing, 
Brewmaster: Peter Bouckaert/Grady Hull, and AHA member Mike Formisan
  • Bronze: Oatmeal Stout, Upslope Brewing, 
Brewmaster: Alex Violette, and AHA member Derek Ordway

 

Colorado breweries won two of the eight “Brewery and Brewer of the Year” Awards:

 

  • Brewpub Group and Brewpub Group Brewer of the Year: Rock Bottom Brewery, Broomfield, Team Rock Bottom
  • Large Brewing Company and Large Brewing Company Brewer of the Year: SandLot, Denver, John, Tom, Bill & Addison

 

And last but not least, Wheat Ridge’s Brewery Rickoli and owner Rick Abitbol were selected for the Samuel Adams 2013 “Brewing and Business Experienceship,” award by the company’s “Brewing the American Dream” program. Over the coming year, Arbitol and Rickoli will benefit from this mentoring opportunity offered as part of the company’s ongoing small business microlending and coaching program, which founder Jim Koch started in 2008. By the way, this is a really cool program by craft brewing’s largest brewer to support the smaller players in the industry. How many other large companies actively promote the success of smaller “competitors” in their industry?

 

Farm to Table Pavilion

I was glad to see the festival continued its emphasis on matching beer with food. This was prominently on display in the more intimate Farm-to-Table Pavilion where chefs created dishes using Colorado products to pair with selected beers from around the country.

I have been pleased to see craft brewers in recent years put more effort into making beers that are best drunk with food. The Farm-to-Table Pavilion presented a fine opportunity to discover how much local foods rendered by skilled chefs have in common with craft beer from small and independent breweries. This innovative event has quickly become a highlight of the GABF.

Colorado chefs Kelly Whitaker of Basta Pizzeria (Boulder), Alex Seidel of Fruition (Denver), Drew Hardin of Lola (Denver), Kelly Liken of Restaurant Kelly Liken (Vail), Kyle Mendenhall of The Kitchen (Denver), Lon Symensma of ChoLon Bistro (Denver), and Sean Clark of  El Moro (Durango) all clearly were having a great time serving their amazing food with great beers (special releases available only in the pavilion and not in the festival hall) from Great Divide, CH Evans, Real Ale, Rahr and Sons, Cigar City, Big Sky, The Bruery, Port City, Surly, Victory, Redrock, and Logsdon Organic.

And believe it or not, what I have covered here represents only a fraction of all the activities at the GABF.  I can’t wait to see what they come up with for next year.

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THE INFINITE MONKEY THEOREM: URBAN WINERY SETS THE STANDARD FOR COLORADO WINE

The Infinite Monkey Theorem (IMT) is an urban winery located in the emerging (some say “hip”) RiNo (River North) district of Denver, Colorado. The Infinite Monkey Theorem also is a thought experiment that some have suggested dates as far back as Aristotle. In its simplest form, it basically postulates that a monkey hitting keys at random on a typewriter for an infinite amount of time will eventually type something intelligible.

1979 album from the great British Rock group

IMT (the winery) Founder and Winemaker Ben Parsons apparently chose the name because he saw it as an apt metaphor for winemaking. A winemaker essentially takes grape juice; puts it through various treatments; makes certain adjustments; and then hopes it ultimately turns into a delicious finished product.

 

While the probability of the theorem ever being proved is highly questionable (remember, it requires infinity), it’s relevance is vindicated with every new vintage of IMT wine. The winery just celebrated its fifth anniversary and in this short time arguably has garnered more attention and accolades than any other Colorado winery.

 

I had tasted several of the wines before and even attended their legendary “S’wine at the Mine” event at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen. I also was aware IMT, since its beginning, has made a name for being an innovator and skilled at marketing. This includes its attention grabbing labels and embrace of alternative packaging – namely cans, kegs, and growlers.

 

So, I decided it was time to visit the winery itself. Ben wasn’t around the day I was there but I enjoyed the company of the assistant winemaker Adam Teitelbaum.

 

The winery is housed in a 29,000-square-foot building that used to be the home of a weatherization agency. Today, it is a central member of a rapidly developing neighborhood. This space has allowed IMT to develop its consumer program to include tours, barrel tastings, and service in the Wine Lab tasting room, as well as private events (like a VIP party for the US Pro Cycling event) and weekly open-house parties. It was explained IMT seeks to be in tune with the younger demographic that is coming to characterize the neighborhood, which translate to various efforts to make wine more accessible and fun.

 

 

 

Adam explained, being an urban winery means being deeply involved with its neighborhood. IMT also hosts a regular schedule of community events, often partnering with local restaurants to provide the food. This past summer included live music for
 “First Friday Art Walk”, “Third Thursday Summer Supper & Song”, and painting and yoga classes. There is even a garden on the premises that supplies produce for a local restaurant. IMT also partners with The University of Colorado Cancer Center, donating a portion of all sales to cancer research.

 

The winery also has demonstrated its commitment to Colorado, using almost exclusively grapes from the Grand Valley on Colorado’s Western Slope, not to mention a willingness to experiment with lesser known grape varieties and blends. Adam showed me a good example of this during the tour: resting bottles of (what the winery says is Colorado’s first) Champagne Method sparkling wine, made with Colorado-grown albariño grapes, and just waiting to be hand riddled.

 

IMT will produce about 10,000 cases for the 2012 vintage from 146 tons of grapes. The location has the capacity to produce 25,000 cases from 400 tons of grapes. In the meantime, we tasted through some very good wines. My notes follow.

 

2012 Sauvignon Blanc & Semillon ($20) – green apple and citrus given more intrigue with lightly smoky and pleasantly chalky elements, held up with refreshing acidity

 

2012 Cabernet Franc ($25) – opens with floral, red plum, cassis, and spice that all carry over into a tasty drink showing the promise for this grape in Colorado

 

2012 Syrah ($25) – enticing blackberry fruit with added complexity from mineral, leather, and pepper notes, this is a rich wine, with a luscious texture and solid structure; this was my favorite sample; and it’s sealed with glass stopper; really cool

2013 Syrah fermenting in open top container

The Blind Watchmaker series is the winery’s signature line. I assume it is named after the book “The Blind Watchmaker: Why the Evidence of Evolution Reveals a Universe without Design” by evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to pursue with my guide the relevance of this idea to IMT’s winemaking. Maybe next time. Regardless, the two wines reveal a design to please even the mot discriminating drinker.

 

2012 The Blind Watchmaker White ($25) – viognier and roussanne blend, aged nine months in neutral oak, showed nice butterscotch, honeysuckle and tropical fruits with good structure holding it all up

 

2012 Blind Watchmaker Red ($25) – petit verdot and merlot lead the blend with cabernet franc and syrah plus a dollop of viogier, blackberry, cherry and blueberry are wrapped in vanilla, followed by a whiff of graphite, solid fruit in the mouth flows along a seamless frame

 

IMT also produces varietal Riesling, Chardonnay, Verdelho (that’s right, the Portuguese grape), Petite Sirah, Petite Verdot, Black Muscat, Semillon, Malbec and a Rose, and just introduced its first dessert wine, a 2012 Orange Muscat.

 

The premier blend of the portfolio is the “100th Monkey,” a creative blend of cabernet franc, syrah, petite sirah, and malbec that has received high marks in national wine publications. The “hundredth monkey effect” refers to the proposition that once enough people adopt an idea or action, it can reach a threshold or critical mass that suddenly becomes accepted practice in the broader society. The idea has been promoted in popular culture through such works as Douglas Adams’ “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” and Ken Keyes, Jr.’s “The Hundredth Monkey.”

 

It is another fitting metaphor, as the folks at IMT seem to be operating on the principle that if they can attract enough people to try their wine, a tipping point will be reached and pretty soon everyone will be drinking it.

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FROM MY CELLAR

FROM MY CELLAR

 

2006 Mayacamas Chardonnay Napa Valley – Mt. Veeder ($35 on release)

This wine is all about delicious subtlety and balance. It reveals aromas of pure lemon and a suggestion of white peach with a layer of butterscotch and a steely note. These qualities carry over in the mouth where they are joined by stony (maybe flinty) qualities and nutty notes. It’s all delivered in a structure that is firm and crisp and picks up some viscosity midpalate, but stays light on its feet.

 

Those of you who prefer big, buttery Chardonnays may not like this as much as I do. I like some of those wines, too. But I find this Mayacamas much more satisfying. Everything is in proportion and no quality is overbearing.

 

The thin, rocky volcanic soil at Mayacamas’ mountain vineyard and the comparatively mild summers and but cold winters are conducive to high acid, intensely flavored grapes. In the cellar, this wine was spared malolactic fermentation and aged six months in larged American oak, then a year in smaller French oak barrels. It is typical for Mayacamas’ Chardonnays to reach maturity at five to eight years of age. And this one seems to have hit the mark right on schedule.

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ZINFANDEL IS RIPE FOR FALL GRILLING

I wonder how many wine drinkers will say, “Zinfandel is my favorite wine.” Count me in. I just love the lively wild berry (often described as bramble) fruit, brash texture, and spicy, peppery notes. It is especially enjoyable this time of year with all manner of grilled vegetables and meats, not to mention barbecue and other spicy foods.

 

And while the zinfandel grape, like so many other California grapes, actually has a European origin (Croatia!), it really is one of the few that makes indisputably better wine in California than anywhere else. And it is grown successfully all over the state. As it turns out, my recent tastings yielded enough recommendations – dominated by Sonoma, with three from Napa and one each from Mendocino and the Central Coast.

 

Outstanding

2010 Bella Dry Creek Valley “Barrel 32” ($55) – We shouldn’t be surprised this fourteen year-old Zinfandel specialist showed so well in my tastings. Winemaker Joe Healy has access to great old zinfandel vineyards and to another Zinfandel specialist, consulting winemaker Mike Dashe. This selection of Bella’s best barrels – aged 14 months 20% new French oak is big and brash, complex and rich, with tons of deep, extracted raspberry and cherry fruit, spices and sweet oak, a firm structure, yet a polished finish; Ageable

 

Excellent

 

2010 Bella Russian River Valley “Block 10” ($45) – aged in 20% new French and American oak, very ripe and rich combination of oak and intense blackberry fruit with chocolate, cassis, and black pepper, high alcohol but tastes balanced and finishes with friendly tannins, accented with 20% petite sirah; Ageable

2010 Amapola Creek Sonoma Valley Monte Rosso Vineyards “Vinas Antiguas” ($42) – After 15 years at Chateau St. Jean overlapping with 25 years at his own Arrowood Winery, Richard Arrowood, with his wife Alis, established a vineyard and winery on the Sonoma side of the Mayacamas Mountains and began producing wines under the Amapola Creek label. This unfiltered and unfined wine shows the pedigree of its mountain source and 118-year-old dry-farmed vines. It is dense, with cherry and blueberry fruit, licorice oak touches, pepper and spice notes, sleek texture, and noticeable but soft tannins.

 

2010 Bella Alexander Valley Big River Ranch ($38) – blended with 6% petite sirah, aged 12 months in 15% new French and America oak, full, rich, ripe and concentrated, loads of sweet blackberry and cherry fruit, spicy and earthy elements, a bit rough but reveals a certain elegance a solid structure

2010 Edmeades Mendocino County ($20) – New winemaker Ben Salazar has revitalized this long time Mendocino producer that is now part of Jackson Family Wines stable. Blended with 11% syrah and 10% petie sirah, aged 16 months in 20% new French and American oak, ripe, briary, cherry, raspberry, and blackberry, hints of oak, earth, and peppery spice, high alcohol, lively acidity but plump texture and soft tannins; Great Value

 

Very Good

 

2010 Bella Dry Creek Valley Maple Vineyard ($38) – aged 12 months in 20% new French and America oak, opens with an earthy (mineral?) note, then deep black fruits, but a bit rough, though nice blackberry and strong pepper flavors with smooth tannins

 

2010 Paraduxx Napa Valley “Z Blend” Red Wine ($48). Twenty years ago, when Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot specialist Napa Valley’s Duckhorn Winery wanted to produce a zinfandel-based blend, they decided to create a stand-alone label and winery. Following their duck theme, they named the new project Paraduxx, with a label displaying … well, think about it. The idea was to emulate the Super Tuscan wines of Italy and the Shiraz-Cabernet Sauvignon blends of Australia. Z Blend fuses 63% Zinfandel with 29% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot to make a complex, robust wine with the briary personality of Zinfandel and tannic structure of Cabernet.

 

2010 Paraduxx Napa Valley “C Blend” Red Wine ($52) – This flips the focus with 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Zinfandel, the power and herbaceousness of Cabernet compliments Zinfandel’s bright fruit, spice and broad palate.

 

2010 Dry Creek Vineyards Sonoma County “Heritage” ($19) – Founded in 1972 by David Stare, Dry Creek Vineyard was a pioneer of modern winemaking and viticulture in the Dry Creek Valley. Although the winery initially made its name with Sauvignon Blanc, it has recently gained much deserved attention for its Zinfandel. “Heritage” refers to the legacy of old vine budwood from Mazzoni Ranch vines in the Dry Creek Valley. Buttressed with 12% Petite Sirah, aged 14 months in 15% new French, American and Hungarian oak, this is a rustic, though easy going, expressive wine with peppery, smoky aromas and intriguing blackberry, chocolate and toast flavors buttressed with bright acidity and fresh tannins; Good Value

2010 Clos La Chance Central Coast ($15) – This twenty year old, family-owned winery produces wines from estate-grown fruit from vineyards near San Martin in Santa Clara County just east of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Blended with 11% petite sirah, aged 14 months in 20% new American oak, unfined and unfiltered. Really nice black cherry, black raspberry, and plum fruit are accented with a hint of vanilla. Fairly high alcohol, though juicy and spicy; great for everyday; Good Value.

 

Good

 

2010 Fritz Dry Creek Valley “Estate Grown” ($25) – Another family owned winery using estate grown fruit, this winery is over thirty years old. The wine is aged nine months in 30% new American oak, and is ripe and taut but a little of green, with solid acidity and tasty but somewhat shy fruit.

 

2011 Ranch Zabaco Sonoma Heritage Vines ($18) –This Zinfandel specialist, part of the massive Gallo family stable, has crafted a nice wine from grapes grown at three of their Dry Creek Valley vineyards. It is plump, with almost sweet black and red fruits, brown spices, and bright acidity, and is firm and spicy in the finish.