Tag: rhone

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FOOD & WINE MAGAZINE BRINGS THE WORLD OF WINE TO ASPEN

While the cooking demonstrations and wine seminars are the foundation of the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, another hallmark of the Classic is all the receptions, parties, and other special events. This year was no exception. I had so many invitations, I just couldn’t make them all … and believe me I tried.

 

But I still had many opportunities to discover new wines and meet new winemakers. For me, one of the best things about the Classic is the opportunity it presents to meet winemakers and winery owners and to taste wines from producers whom I seldom or never get a chance to try.

For instance, I had a chance to sit down with Michael Martini, the third generation winemaker for the Louis M. Martini Winery in the Napa Valley. Michael, who has been the winemaker for this family (a family that has an over 100 year old history of winemaking in California) since 1977, was anxious to tell me about (and have me taste) his wines. Mariola Varona Bayola, the Export Manager for Bodegas Martin Codax, also joined us. Martín Códax is a 27 year old Spanish winery that is best known for its Albariño. Confused that representatives of a California winery and a Spanish winery both were at this meeting? Don’t be, both are now owned by the Gallo family. And both were delightful lunch companions. And their wines – Martini Cabs and Codax Albariño – were equally enjoyable.

 

It was a treat to be able to attend a reserve tasting moderated by Master Sommelier Richard Betts on “The Extraordinary Wines of California’s Sine Qua Non.” Now, if you have never heard of Sine Qua Non, don’t worry. That just means you are not a wine geek. Sine Qua Non is a “cult wine” among the cult wines. You can only buy them if you first get on their mailing list and then wait only God knows how long to get in. Maybe you can find one on a restaurant wine list but it probably will cost hundreds of dollars. This is what is special about these reserve tasting’s. They offer rare opportunities to taste equally rare and extraordinary wines.

All of the wines we tasted reflected differing blends of various Rhone varietals – the reds presented different expressions of syrah and grenache, while the whites showed off combinations of roussanne, viognier, and chardonnay. My key take away from the tasting is that the wines definitely lived up to their hype. First and foremost, all six wines showed off beautiful fruit. The use of oak showed in balance with the depth of fruit and acidity.

 

It’s a ritual every year to wander the Grand Tasting Tent, where producers from all over the world display their wares, in the hopes of making new discoveries. As with previous years, I ended up on a sort of world tour. I don’t have room to list all the wines tasted but here are a few highlights.

Although Australia is best known for many great Shiraz, I’m glad I was persuaded to take the road less traveled and try some really outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir. From Penley Estate, a highly regarded winery in the Coonawarra region of South Australia, I enjoyed the “Phoenix” and Reserve Cabs and chatting with Proprietor/Chief Winemaker Kym Tolley. From the Yarra Valley region of Victoria, I really was impressed with Pinot Noirs from Giant Steps and Innocent Bystander, partly because one usually doesn’t think of great Pinot Noir from Australia but also because Owner/Winemaker Phil Sexton was pouring and explaining the wines. Before leaving Australia, I found one more wine I also highly recommend: the Vasse Felix “Heytesbury” Cabernet Sauvignon from the Margaret river region of Southwestern Australia.

 

Representing Portugal, the Esporão Assobio, which is made predominantly from touriga nacional, tinta roriz and touriga franca grapes, is a distinguished single vineyard red worthy of any serious wine drinker. If you think the only Portugal wine worth drinking is Port (and Port is great stuff), think again. There is a lot of great Portuguese dry table wine and Assobio is one of the best.

 

Wines from Spain for many years has hosted a whole tent as a separate location within the Grand Tasting park and it is always a great place to hunt for new wines. This year I was especially impressed with the wines at the “Drink Ribera” (that’s Ribera del Duero, one of Spain’s most important regions). My favorites were the Bodegas Montecastro, from high altitude vineyards, and Alejandro Fernandez Tinto Pesquera, from a pioneer of modern Spanish wine. Both are excellent representations of tempranillo, Spain’s most distinguished grape.

 

I finished my tour in the tent tasting several California wines, with the highlights being the following, all really outstanding, wines:

 

  • 2011 Franciscan Cuvée Sauvage Chardonnay
  • 2009 Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve
  • 2009 Simi Cabernet Sauvignon Landslide Vineyard
  • 2009 Franciscan Magnificat (Bordeaux-style blend)
  • 2009 Mt. Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve
  • 2010 Ravenswood Zinfandel Belloni Vineyard

As for the receptions, the annual Wines from Spain/Jose Andres Spanish Barbecue was another stunner. Hosted at an amazing trophy home/mansion in the mountains above the Buttermilk ski area, there were again delectable grilled meats and shrimp, tasty charcuterie, and a wonderful array of cheeses. Of course, there also were some excellent wines. I was impressed enough with three wines – Bodegas Roda Rioja  “Roda 1,” Bodegas Muga Rioja “Torre Muga,” and Bodegas Emilio Moro Ribera del Duero “C21 Malabrigo” – to actually write them down amid all the happy chaos.

But I was especially impressed this year with the reception for the “Chef’s Club by Food & Wine” restaurant. This is a special restaurant within the St. Regis hotel that features a rotating lineup of Food & Wine Best New Chefs doing the cooking. What was really cool was the collection of fine Colorado artisan producers presenting their creations in the courtyard. Kudos to Continental Sausage (Denver), Licious Organics (Boulder), Linger restaurant (Denver), Quixotic Tilapia Farm (Canon City), Magpies (Eagle), Aero Farm (Lakewood), Outrageous Gluten-Free Baking (Denver), Jumpin’ Good Goat Dairy (Buena Vista), Etalia Gluten-Free Breads (Boulder), Raquelitas Tortillas (Denver), and

Esoteric Foods “Zuke” Pickled Products (Boulder).

 

Needless to say, it was another year of discovery at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen. I already can’t wait for next year.

 

 

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J.L. Chave Seminar Demonstrates Greatness in Wine

One of the most common, thought-provoking, and debated questions in wine is “What makes a wine great?” In my experience writing about wine and attending countless seminars and tastings over the past fifteen years, this question is almost always looming. Sometimes it is the specific topic of discussion; other times it is the basic question underlying the stated topic.

This was the case recently at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen when I attended a Reserve Tasting called “The Rhone’s Singular Best: J.L. Chave.” I was sitting in a tent next to the Gondola at the base of Aspen Mountain. Almost filled with 100+ people, most of whom (not me) paid $250 to be there. Before us were eight glasses containing only about one-two ounces of wine each.

Staring at all those samples within inches of my mouth, my anticipation (which had been building since I was offered the opportunity to sign up for one Reserve Tasting and knew immediately the one I wanted) almost overflowed. Looking down at us (literally, not metaphorically, from the raised stage) were sommeliers Richard Betts, Robert Bohr, and Bobby Stuckey, F &W’s Ray Isle, and winemaker Jean-Louis Chave.

With Chave, making great wine has been a family heritage in Hermitage since 1481. Still, the 41 year-old Jean-Louis told us, “The vineyard is more important than who is making the wine. The vineyard was here before us and it will be here after us.”  So, great wine begins with the earth, in this case the Northern Rhone, specifically Hermitage. At a total of just over 300 acres, this tiny region is not much bigger than most Bordeaux chateau and is smaller than many California wineries. Production of the red wine (syrah grape) is similarly tiny, while that of the white wine (blend of marsanne/roussanne) is downright miniscule. Chave makes a total of less than 4000 cases.

The vineyards of Hermitage are on a granite hill above a curve in the Rhone River with low-yielding soils that also contain sandy gravel, flint, limestone and chalk. Importantly, they are on the left bank and are south facing (“because the vines look for the sun,” says Chave). Although it can get warm, he said the climate generally is cooler, more like Burgundy than Provence, more Continental than Mediterranean.

Next to great terroir, I have found it always increases one’s chances of getting a great wine if you choose a great producer – one with a track record of quality like Chave. As Richard Betts noted, the Chaves also have a reputation of producing excellent wine even in a subpar vintage, such as 2004 (the red in our tasting illustrated this point).  Jean Louis and his father Gerard are committed to producing wine in the traditional way but not just for the sake of tradition. They know modern technology can produce clean, clear, stable wines but those wines are all too often bland, simple and without character. Chave wines are produced naturally without chemicals or machines in the vineyards and with minimal intervention in the cellar.

When nature cooperates to produce perfectly ripe raw materials, the role of winemaker is to make sure the true character of the grapes, the vineyard where they originated, and the characteristics of the vintage are translated in the final wine. As Chave explained, each year they try to answer the question, “What is Hermitage.”  And after listening to Jean-Louis’ comments, Robert Bohr was moved to remark that he is more of a philosopher than someone just trying to sell wine.

With the Chave approach to winemaking, blending skills are critical. Jean-Louis explained the élevage, or upbringing, of his wines, where they vinify the grapes from each parcel they own separately. Then, when each site is fully expressed in these wines, they “blend the terroirs” so the final wine is the best expression of Hermitage.  I found it revealing when he pointed out that they never talk about syrah, just the vineyards. As Jean-Louis put it, “the grape is just a vector for the soil to express itself in the wine.” But the truth is, as Bobby Stuckey asserted, syrah does well in many places but nowhere is it like this.” And as Stuckey declared, “There is no makeup on these wines.”

In the hands of the Chave family, the Hermitage terroir yields both red and white wines that at their best are powerful, yet elegant; well structured, yet generous; concentrated, yet harmonious; and long-lived. Both also often exhibit savory elements and fennel/anise/ licorice notes. They also are expensive, with the white priced around $200 and the red about $250 … a bottle!

The whites in our tasting also showed distinctive honey, apricot, and tropical fruit, and lush, viscous textures. The 2007 added grains and a hint of chalk. The 2003 was more woodsy, with forest notes. The 2000 showed the potential for development of these wines, with nut, caramel and roasted grain notes but still very fresh and ripe fruit.  The reds delivered high-toned red and black berry fruit, with fennel, white (?) pepper, and meat. The 2007 added eucalyptus. The 2004 was a little brooding, with cured meat and darker fruit. The 2001 showed development of an earthy quality and velvety texture but was still quite tannic, with plenty of ripe fruit.

Tasting these wines, I realized another key to their greatness is balance. There is amazing complexity but no component is in excess. Rather, all the components are seamlessly integrated.  Although powerful and concentrated, they are well proportioned and complex. They reflect the winemakers’ skill and philosophy but also the vintage and terroir. They are an expression of their origin – the region, people and culture of Hermitage. This is their greatness.

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Pink Wines Strike Refreshing Middle Ground

This is the time of year most of us wine critics write columns touting various white wines as the cool, refreshing antidote to summer’s hot weather. These days most of us also are singing the praises of pink wines. Of course, we are not talking about White Zinfandel. We are talking about dry serious wine and there are many quite tasty ones worth your attention.

Europeans, on the other hand, have known for a long time the joy of drinking a good pink wine. The most common label for these wines outside of Europe is the French word “Rosé” in reference to the color, of course. There are essentially two types of pink wine. The most common style is a made by crushing red grapes and leaving the juice in contact with the grape skins (the source of a wine’s color) only briefly. The other style is the result of a process called “saignee.” This is a technique in which a certain amount of juice is “bled off” after the grapes are crushed. Either way, the result is a wine with a shade of pink that is an ideal “bridge” wine: it approximates the flavor interest of its red siblings but drinks more like a white wine. The best are dry or occasionally only slightly sweet but deliver bright, fresh fruit flavors.

As such, pink wines arguably are the most versatile of wines. They make excellent aperitifs and can accompany a wide variety of foods. They are a fine choice at barbecues, picnics and a restaurant when you want a bottle of red and your companion wants a bottle of white. Because of their light body and lively fruit, pink wines are best when chilled and should be drunk young, so look for the most recent vintages available. Arguably the best rosés in the world are produced in France, where they take pink wines every bit as seriously as they do red and white wines. This is especially true in the south, where a wide variety of rosés are produced. Tavel, referencing an appellation in the southern Rhone Valley northeast of Avignon and southwest of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, probably is the best know pink wine in the world. Certainly, the wines are very good but this popularity probably also is because rosé is all that is produced here and the region does an effective job of marketing their product.

In fact, the 2005 Guigal ($16) was the best of my tasting. This sixty-year-old wine company is one of France’s greatest producers. Guigal makes a wide range of wines, including highly prized Hermitage and Cote Rotie. Clearly, this flavorful rosé (equal parts grenache and cinsault) benefits from that expertise. The 2006 Chateau d’Aqueria ($17), from an estate that was founded in 1595 and now is the largest in the appellation, is a more traditional Tavel in that it is a blend of red wines (grenache, cinsault, mourvedre) and white wines (clairette and bourboulenc).

Head southeast of Tavel and you come to the idyllic region of Provence and the French Riviera. Here, famed Chateauneuf-du-Pape producer Chateau Mont Redon makes L’Aire du Rossignol Cotes du Provence (2005, $15) from biodynamically grown grenache, cinsault and syrah vines averaging 35 years old. Over near the southwest corner of France, is the Languedoc. Although the area has about a 2500-year history of wine making there wasn’t much to recommend it tot consumers until about thirty years ago. Today, it is one of France’s most exciting wine regions. Domaine de Nizas is a good example of this new commitment to quality. Established in 1998 by Bernard Portet, the winemaker for Napa Valley’s Clos du Val and John Goelet, a direct descendant of the Guestier wine merchant family on Bordeaux, it is now producing several impressive wine. The 2006 Coteaux du Languedoc ($16), a blend of Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre, is a good introduction to the winery and the region. Before leaving France, how about a quick stop in Beaujolais? Here, Louis Jadot, for 150 years one of the most respected names in Burgundy and Beaujolais, also makes a fine Rosé. The 2006 Beaujolais ($13, screw cap) is made with gamay, the only grape allowed in Beaujolais.

The Spanish are as serious about their “Rosado” as the French are about Rosé. While there is a lot of good Rosado from Rioja (tempranillo grape), the region of Navarra to the north, although still more famous for the bulls of Pamplona, is a great source of Rosado from garnacha grapes. The 2006 Red Guitar ($12) is produced by Bodegas Ada, a 53 member cooperative established in 1941. The winery amazingly claims this wine is made from the same 60-100 year old vines as their red wine, which says to me it is made by the saignee method. Regardless, it is a flavorful, well-priced wine. The 2006 Julian Chivite Gran Fuedo ($12) comes from the oldest (1647) and still one of the finest producers in Spain. Chivite is best known for red wines from Rioja and Ribera del Duero but has relied on vineyards from their home base in Navarra to create this fine Rosado.

Now is also a good time to try California rosé. More and more wineries are producing quality rosés, perhaps sensing a growing interest among consumers. Here are a few good choices: 2005 Big House Pink ($10, screw cap). The whimsical “Big House” brand was created by the inimitable Randall Graham of Bonny Doon and includes a Red, White and Pink. This pink is produced by the saignee method an includes an eclectic blend of five grapes: sangiovese, barbera, zinfandel, carignan, and Mourvedre. 2006 I’M Rosé Napa Valley ($13). This wine is one of the new projects from the Michael Mondavi family. In fact, the brand is named after Michael’s wife, Isabel Mondavi and his son, Rob, makes it using the saignee method. It is quite full flavored, maybe at least partly because it is 100% cabernet sauvignon.2006 St. Francis Sonoma County ($17). This Sonoma Valley winery is one of my favorite Zinfandel producers. Although this blend includes only two grapes, I find the combination of 75% merlot and 25% syrah as unique as the Big House.

Finally, let’s head down to New Zealand for a 2006 Wild Rock Vin Gris ($16, screw cap). Wild Rock makes distinctive and affordable Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc from Central Otago vineyards located on the South Island. The label uses the term Vin Gris” or “grey wine” as a tribute to the French, which often used the term to denote a Rosé. Because of their light body and lively fruit, rosés are best when chilled and should be drunk young, so look for the most recent vintages available. Finally, one last point in their favor: they are eminently affordable. Most can be had for less than $20 retail.

As evidence of their growing popularity, pink wines now even have their own advocacy group: Rosé Avengers and Producers. Check them out at . There is also a new book dedicated solely to Rosé: “Rosé: A Guide to the World’s Most Versatile Wine,” (Chronicle Books) by Jeff Morgan, who is also a founder of RAP.