Sensuality in a Bottle

LXV labels, enlarged on the walls of the tasting room.

In November, I spent a glorious week in Paso Robles, California, an area that Wine Enthusiast Magazine named the 2013 Wine Region of the Year.* (“Duh!” said one of my friends who owns a small vineyard up there.) I visited several vineyards and tasting rooms, doing private tastings and barrel samples, and I ended the week at the 3^rd annual Garagiste Festival, held at the glorious 280-acre Windfall Horse Farms.

I’ve said before that the Garagiste Festival (www.http://californiagaragistes.com/) is my favorite wine event, and this year's was no exception. Why do I love it so much? It gathers together, under one roof (in this case, the gabled variety, of an impeccably designed brick horse stable), over 60 winemakers who are just about the most enthusiastic, artistic, and in many cases experimental vintners on the planet. These are my people. I love talking with them, tasting their elixirs, and sharing the love of the grape with them and the discerning crowd that attends the event.

     

Sensual artwork adds to the experience.

Among those pouring this year was a new wine label, which captured my fancy. I got the buzz early about LXV Wines (http://www.lxvwine.com), and was told I must visit their new downtown Paso tasting room, which had opened in October. And so I did.

The LXV tasting room is a work of art. Its royal blue walls, sumptuous couches strewn with bright throw pillows, and erotic yet tasteful artwork on the walls said to me, ‘Come in, relax, and enjoy the pleasures of wine.'

“We wanted a tasting room where people just go ‘Ah’ when they walk in the door,” says Neeta Mittal, co-owner of LXV with her husband Kunal.  She adds that she wants customers to recognize the “zen-ness” of the place. 

The wines and the labels of LXV are inspired by the arts of Kama Sutra, the ancient Hindu writings on human sexual behavior. There are 64 arts, and Neeta says the 65^th is “you,” hence the name of the label.

It all began about six years ago when Neeta, a former dancer and choreographer, wrote a comedy film script set in Victorian England, about a secret copy of the Kama Sutra that finds its way into uptight Victorian nobility. While the script never made it to the big screen, the Mittals have brought the story to life in their wines. 

LXV owner Neeta Mittal provides a lovely tasting room experience.

“Our winemaker, Amy Butler, has an old world approach to wine — restrained, with respect for fruit and  where it comes from, and very little intervention when making wine,” says Neeta. “Amy believes she’s more of an artist than a techie wine maker, and I think this expresses itself in the wine. They are hand crafted.”

With names like Heart Note, Summer Satine, Crimson Jewel, and Rising Tempo, LXV wines are full of character yet subdued, and sensual but not brash. Each label features the portrait of a female artist – a dancer, an artist, a jewelry designer – captured in a moment of sensuality, as she indulges in her art.  The back labels carry quotes from the artists about what sensuality means to them. “The idea is to pay homage to an artist with every wine,” says Neeta.

You don’t just taste wine at the LXV tasting room, however; you experience the sensual art of pairing wine with food. First, you sip the wine, then you savor a neutral-flavored sheep’s milk cheese dipped in a spice mix with a second sip, and you finish with a third sip of the wine. The pairing makes the wine blossom in your mouth.

Spice mixes dipped in sheep's cheese enhance the wine's flavors.

For instance, Viognier is paired with exotic peppers; Rosè (a blend of Syrah, Grenache, Merlot, and Viognier) is paired with cinnamon; a Sangiovese/Petit Syrah blend is paired with lavender or pumpkin spices (think Thanksgiving); and  a Grenache/Syrah/Tempranillo blend is paired with a spice blend of cumin, cinnamon, nutmeg, and exotic peppers

“The reason for spice pairings is to experience wine at a deeper level,” says Neeta, who worked with a food designer as well as Lori Foster of Spice of Life (http://www.pasospices.com/), the shop next door to her tasting room. “This allows customers to experience the wine three times, and they all admit that they are able to unlock flavors that they did not before.” Neeta claims that the ambiance of her tasting room combined with her specific way of tasting keeps the customers in the room longer than they normally would stay. Did I mention that Neeta is also a marketing genius?

The pièce de rèsistance was the pairing of Francois Payard and Christopher Elbow** chocolate truffles with a barrel sample of the yet-to-be-bottled 2012 Cab Franc/Syrah/Merlot blend. It was divine.

By this point in the tasting, you will be ready to curl up on one of the couches and dream away, or maybe buy a couple cases of this handcrafted wine.

Visit the LXV tasting room at 1306-B Pine Street (13th and Pine), Paso Robles, CA 93446; I suggest you go with someone you love. 

Until next time, cheers!

* Read the full articles at http://www.winemag.com/Web-2013/2013-Wine-Region-of-the-Year-Paso-Robles/).

** Francois Payard’s and Christopher Elbow’s chocolates were both named Food & Wine Magazine’s 2013 Best Chocolates in the US (http://www.foodandwine.com/slideshows/best-chocolate-in-the-us).

Wine Shortage? Let’s Focus on Quality, Not Quantity

Languedoc, France, where "vine pull" has reduced acreage

It seems everyone is in a panic this week in response to Morgan Stanley Research’s report that a global shortage of wine was coming. “Data suggests there may be insufficient supply to meet demand in coming years, as current vintages are released,” says the report, according to various news sources.

With the bleak outlook for France’s 2013 harvest fresh in their minds, I was just picturing the hordes of wine aficionados running to the store to stock up their private cellars.

Many wine industry experts are dismissing this report, citing such facts as California’s record-breaking 2013 harvest and the stabilization of global wine consumption – it seems that while French citizenry’s yearly consumption has fallen sharply in the last decade, us thirsty Americans, and the Chinese, are picking up the slack.

You can throw statistics at the wine market and believe what you want … which is usually how these things work. You never really can predict how things will turn out, as weather and the economy can be so fickle.

I personally am choosing to believe that there has never been a better time to drink interesting, quality wines and there will always be wine for those who look for it.

Last week, in a French Wine Society (www.frenchwinesociety.org/) master class on the wines of southern France, I learned a bit more about what’s going on to contribute to the fears about a wine shortage.

Back in the late 1980s, a “Vine Pull Initiative” was introduced by the European Union specifically to reduce vine acreage in southern France and Italy, where a lot of table (and mediocre) wines were being produced. Subsidies were paid to winegrowers to “grub up,” or pull out, their vines. Economic pressures were severe enough by 2000 that many vineyard owners had a hard time making ends meet, as domestic demand decreased, and export prices fell.  Many vineyard owners – families who have grown in the same spots for centuries – opted to take the subsidy and in many cases replanted their acres with other crops, such as sunflowers, cereals, or olive trees.

But as old vines were pulled, in many cases they were replaced with better-quality grapes, which were much more suited to the geologically rich soils and climatic conditions prevalent there.

As a result, the Languedoc-Roussillon has become one of those areas of the world where quality wines are on the rise (reminding me of the Paso Robles and Santa Ynez communities in California). Championed by adventurous vintners with a strong sense of “terroir” – rooted in the soil, and nurtured by the sun and strong winds – their wines are modern yet also grounded in the deep history and sense of community that is prevalent in the area. In fact, a majority of vineyard owners process their grapes at coops, which allow them to share the cost and labor of wine production and marketing, furthering the social bonds. And, the region boasts the highest number of certified organic wine producers in France.

I tasted 52 wines different wines over two days from the Languedoc-Roussillon, ranging in price from $8 to $30, some of which were organic or biodynamic. I particularly liked the Chateau de Lancyre Rosé, the Mas de Daumas Gassac Blanc, and the Domaine la Tour Vielle Rimage (the latter is sold at the wine House, www.winehoue.com, in West Los Angeles for about $20). Not all 52 them knocked my socks off, but I was impressed by the overall quality and was captivated by the stories behind each wine. It was like being in the south of France for those two days. 

Unfortunately, most wine stores don’t stock many wines from the Languedoc-Roussillon so shop around and browse online for deals. You might find a gem.

Until next time, à votre santé !

Harvesting and Loving Life in Malibu

Hoyt Family Vineyards grows chardonnay in Malibu.

Malibu, California, is a beautiful seaside community that evokes images of expansive beaches, Gidget and Moondoggie, and fabulously wealthy celebrities – not necessarily vineyards. So, you might be surprised to learn that there are approximately 50 unique vineyard areas in the city of Malibu. And, Malibu Coastal AVA will soon be named a designated wine area.

In a 27-mile stretch of land wedged between the Pacific Ocean and the Santa Monica Mountains, vineyards as small as ½ acre backyards plots to 2,000+ acre expanses are growing grapes as distinct as morning-fog-loving chardonnay and pinot noir to heat-seeking cabernet and merlot. Like other wine regions of California, there are many distinct “terroirs” in Malibu, some producing artisanal wines of top quality.

Nestled in one of the many canyons and a mere half mile from the Pacific Ocean lies Hoyt Family Vineyards, the home of Carol and Stephen Hoyt and their two children. After spending some years in the hustle and bustle of Hollywood, the Hoyts moved up to this property in 2001, which promised them both easy beach access and land for a vineyard.

Carol oversaw the planting of their property in 2001, with chardonnay, merlot and malbec grapes. “We didn’t know anything,” quips Carol, adding “we basically planted what we liked to drink.”

While waiting for their first fruit, Carol decided to learn how to make wine, so with 100 pounds each of purchased cabernet and chardonnay grapes she did so in her kitchen. Carol’s Cab was the end result; the chardonnay met an untimely end when her dog knocked over the bottle and it broke.

Their first crop was harvested in 2004. Over time, realizing that the climate was not conducive to merlot and malbec (too cool), Hoyt decided she wanted to “do one wine really really well,” and grafted chardonnay grapes onto all the existing vines. She now has 1,600 chardonnay vines on just over 1 acre, all of which are hand-picked at harvest. Her award-winning “drink it all day” Chardonnay is light and refreshing, with well-balanced acid and hints of cinnamon, pear, and oak. Malolactic fermentation provides a soft buttery note. “It’s a California style chardonnay that pairs well with food but also can stand well on its own,” says Hoyt. (Priced at $30, it’s available at www.hoytfamilyvineyards.com).*

Now, like most people, I keep a bucket list of wishes. One of my items is to surf like Gidget – haven’t done that yet – and another is to work harvest in a vineyard. I recently checked off that second item when I was invited by Carol Hoyt to harvest grapes at her estate a couple weeks ago.

Carol Hoyt (center) and "crew."

Admitting that I probably had a glamorized vision of what harvest is like, I prepared myself to have my bubble burst. But I have to say, harvesting was a transcendent experience – at least the way Carol Hoyt does it.

Thursday morning, September 26, was a beautiful day, cool, but with a promise of sun. I arrived at Hoyt around 8am and found the workers going full-steam ahead, cutting the golden bunches, dropping them into 5-gallon buckets, and hauling them up the very steep slope to the giant white vats loaded on the back of a truck. (Hoyt trucks the grapes to a processing facility in Buellton, California, where the winemaking happens.)

I dove right in, filling my own buckets, and trudging up the slope time after time. It was a great workout and I found myself loving life.

As the morning wore on, more and more of Carol’s friends arrived and pitched in, as did her son and daughter and some of their friends – they took a day off school to work harvest! It was a festive event, where I met many wonderful people and experienced the great vineyard vibe that I’ve always imagined. Our group picked 2.5 tons of grapes in about 4 hours.

Afterwards, we feasted on tacos while drinking wine and sitting around the pool talking. Not bad.

Highlights of the day (besides the pitcher of Mimosas that Carol poured while walking around the vineyard) included:

Perfect, golden chardonnay grapes.

• My first experience with a refractometer, which measures grape sugar levels (called “brix” by the experts) and indicates to the vineyard manager when it’s time to pick.
• The “two-headed” vine – a vine that grew both malbec and chardonnay grapes (an example of grafting gone awry).
•  A headless rattle snake that was still rattling – not sure where the head went!
• The chickens and dogs running through the rows eating the dropped grapes (not to mention the bees).
• And, most important to me, the wonderful feel of a giant bunch of sun-warmed grapes falling into my hand.

The only thing I could have lived without was my bloody hands, which I got from nicking myself several times with the shears. On the bright side, I wore my Band-Aids with pride, telling everyone I met about “my harvest.”

Most importantly, I learned that vineyards are in fact a magical place; that harvest is a wonderful celebration of life, which brings out the best in all involved; that vineyard owners can be the nicest, warmest people on earth; and that I am so looking forward to the 2013 Hoyt Chardonnay because I have some skin in the game!

I also know I will do harvest again, any chance I get.

Happy Harvest to all vineyard owners and winemakers, and may it be a very good vintage.

Until next time, Cheers!

*Hoyt wines are also available to taste at Cornell Winery & Tasting Room in Malibu (http://www.cornellwinery.com/) and they will be pouring at the third annual Garagiste Festival in Paso Robles November 7-10 (http://californiagaragistes.com/).

Viognier, the Wine With Body

Viognier grapes have a thick yellow skin and produce wines
with a rich golden color.

One of the most important aspects of tasting wine, for me, is what is called "mouth feel." This is the wine geek term that means "body," the sensation  of richness and weight that the wine presents in your mouth. I think of it as "luxuriousness." When I sip, I let the wine roll over my entire tongue, coasting it with richness (or lack thereof). And the one wine that embodies mouth feel is the often mispronounced white varietal, Viognier.

The generally agreed upon pronunciation is 'vee-ohn-yay,' which is about luxurious to say as the wine is to drink. If you really want to sound like you know something, just call it ‘Vio.’

Viognier, a French grape that can trace its roots back a couple thousand years in the Rhône region, began becoming fashionable in the early 1990s based on the reputation of the famous Condrieu appellation in the northern part of the Rhône. Condrieu’s wines are 100% Viognier, not blended, are made in relatively small quantities, and are highly sought after as well as high-priced.  As Condrieu’s Viogniers gained fame, attaining a cult status, vineyards around the world began planting the vines. You’ll find sizable plantings in California, Australia, and South America.

The Central Coast of California is particularly suited to growing Viognier, as the vines do well in a hot, dry climate. Viognier grapes ripen rather quickly, which means that they can rapidly build up very high sugar levels. If harvest is not timed just right, these sugars can overwhelm the delicate fruit/floral aromas common to the varietal – peach, pear, and violet. The grapes also require careful handling once harvested in order to retain the flavors.

Viognier is a wine to drink young, although some exceptional ones can age. I like pairing Viognier with spicy dishes, like Thai and Indian food, as its glyceric – almost ‘oily’ – mouth feel provides a soothing contrast to it.

The Viognier grape is also used in blended wines, and is commonly partnered with other Rhône varietals like Syrah, Roussanne, Marsanne, Grenache Blanc, and Rolle, as well as Chardonnay (the latter blend common in northern Italy). The grape provides the smoothness factor in these blends.

Fortunately for wine consumers, some affordable and quite elegant Viogniers are available. A couple that I like are:

From Paso Robles, Vines on the Marycrest (VOTM) Viognier,* $26 (www.vinesonthemarycrest.com).

From Los Olivos, Tercero Viognier, $22 (www.tercerowines.com).

If you’re on a wine budget, Trader Joe’s (www.traderjoes.com) offers a variety of bargain-priced Viogniers and Viognier blends, notably Honeymoon Viognier, $6; Panilonco Chardonnay/Viognier, (from Chile), $4; and The Wingman Shiraz/Viognier, $7. 

So cool down your next spicy meal with a lovely, luscious Vio.

Until next time, Cheers!

* We’ll be sampling VOTM Viognier at the Wine, Women & Wednesdays Networking Salon on Wednesday, September 25 (details at http://www.winewomenandchocolate.com/september-wine-women-and-wednesday-rsvp/)