Three Cheers for TRIbella Aerator

TRIbella features three spouts, no drips

One of the things that wine geeks like myself relish is the ritual of opening a beautiful bottle of wine, popping the cork (or twisting off a cap more often these days), selecting a glass (will it be stemmed or stemless?), and then, the pour. It’s all just so elegant and rewarding.

Unless, of course, you over-pour, which is one of my peeves. I don’t like getting too much in my glass at one time. I also don’t like the little drip that often lands on my tablecloth.

I have now found what I think is the perfect tool to address my wine-pouring issues, the TRIbella™ aerator. I’ve had it a couple of weeks now and have been using it on all my red wines, because as an aerator, it’s not really for white wines. But I’m beginning to think I will use it on all my wine, no matter the color, as it’s just a beautiful way to pour wine. And a little sexy too.

The simple yet elegant device fits into a wine bottle the same way a wine stopper does. A rubber sleeve on the device creates a seal. Three holes in the bottom (wine side) of the TRIbella (hence its name) create three thin streams of wine out of the bottle. Held over a wine glass, the flow is quite pretty and creates a bit of froth in the glass from the exposure to oxygen. The amount of froth depends on how high you hold the bottle over the glass. You can get dramatic with you pour!

My favorite part of the TRIbella is that you can pour with no drips. In all my attempts to create a drip, I’ve failed, making this device perfect for winery tasting rooms or any event where lots of wine is being poured. 

TRIbella aerator in its handy carrying case

I’m not completely convinced that the wine poured through aerators does in fact benefit from oxygen exposure. I frankly cannot discern a difference between flash-aerated wine and wine poured without an aerator. But there is oxygen exposure, so my attitude is it can’t hurt the wine. I’ve also tried the Vinturi (www.vinturi.com) aerator and I find that one a bit clunky to use. TRIbella is three times more fun, in my opinion.

TRIbella comes in a handy carrying case, shaped and sized like an eyeglass case, making it easy to pack in a purse, pocket, or picnic basket. Through crowd-funding site www.kickstarter.com, creator Skip Lei raised 178% of his needed funds, and launched TRIbella earlier this year. It’s $40 and can be purchased at www.tribellawine.com.

It’s the perfect gift for the wine geek in your life.

Until next time, three cheers!

I Heart Central Coast Wine, Part 2

The Panel: Moderator Patrick Comiskey, Kimsey's Ruben Solorzano,
Steve Beckmen,  Pete Stolpman, Rusack's Steve Gerbac, Hilaire Clarke,
Michael Larner, Jonata's Matt Dees, and Keith Saarloos (out of picture)

The selection of Santa Barbara County as the setting for the 2014 Wine Blogger's Conference offered me a great opportunity to learn even more about this AVA, which I love so much.

What’s to love?

Well, as I Tweeted (yes, I’m learning to do that!) while at the conference, “Who needs Italy, France and Greece when we have Santa Barbara wine country!” My favorite wine friend and I often discuss the merits of living so close to the Central Coast, from our growing-ever-hipper little berg of Culver City in West Los Angeles. While we both love traveling in foreign countries, and plan to do more of it soon, we console ourselves with the knowledge that the countryside and wineries aplenty in Santa Barbara (and Paso Robles) are available to us in those years when foreign travel is prohibitive. And we don’t feel like we’re getting second best. The Central Coast is spectacular!

I've driven my car through Ballard Canyon, the newest AVA in Santa Barbara County, and been impressed with its topography and beauty – the perfect background for a video I was working on. I’ve ridden my bike through its glorious roads, viewing the vines up close and snapping pictures along the way during the Solvang Prelude ride, which I do most years. Just this year, I even ran through Ballard Canyon, trudging my way up Corkscrew Hill before descending into the gorgeous valley en route to the downtown Solvang finish line of the Santa Barbara Wine Country Half Marathon.

And now I’ve actually tasted Ballard Canyon, thanks to the “Syrah Territory: Ballard Canyon” session at the 2014 Wine Blogger’s Conference held mid-July in Buellton, Calif. And boy does it taste good!

The north-south running Ballard Canyon is a unique area of varying elevations, soils (limestone, deep sand), and climatic conditions (fog, wind, maritime influences). These conditions, combined with a rich, lengthy farming history in the area, have led to the realization that it is the perfect area to grow Syrah … uniquely American Syrah.

Syrah has never been my favorite varietal, as I’ve found it too intense, with its inky black color and dense ripe fruit and oftentimes harsh peppery taste. But now that I’ve experienced Ballard Canyon Syrah, I’m a convert. Syrah done right is divine. Session moderator Patrick Comiskey seemed to agree with my view that there have been a lot of disappointing California Syrahs up till now.

The panelists at the WBC14 panel included a star lineup representing eight Ballard Canyon vineyards, most with deep roots in the farming history of the Valley, with either their 2012 or 2010 Syrah vintages. The 2012 lineup included Kimsey, Beckmen, Stolpman Vineyards, and Rusack; the 2010s were from Harrison Clarke, Larner, Jonata, and Saarloos & Sons. Each wine, while unique, was elegant, silky, and lovely. (Actually, we did not taste Saarloos as their 2010 was sold out.) 

The 2012 lineup

The youthful but expressive 2012s offered plenty of dark fruit, including boysenberry, blueberry, and plums, as well as spices, like vanilla, cinnamon, anise, and dark chocolate. Yum. All of the 2012s but Kimsey (to be released this fall) are 100% Syrah; Kimsey co-ferments theirs with 5% whole cluster Viognier.

The 2010s were richer and more complex with explosive aromas and black pepper, minerality (from the limestone), nice texture, and a long, pleasing finish. Jonata’s, grown in deep sandy soil, had 5% whole cluster Viognier, while the other two were 100% Syrah. These wines were particularly elegant. And their prices reflected it.

With only a bit more than 3,500 acres of Ballard Canyon devoted to Syrah, the production of each of the wineries is relatively low, and artisanal-quality viticulture and vinification processes are the norm. The seven wines tasted ranged from $36 to $125, so they could not be everyday wines for me. But I love the fact that they are not mass-produced, commercial wines.  So for special meals screaming for Syrah, I will revisit Ballard Canyon’s offerings.

In my next post, I’ll focus on another WBC 14 winery excursion, this time to the Hilliard Bruce winery in Lompoc, where a new LEED- and SIP-certified winery is about to open.

Until next time,

Cheers!

I Heart Central Coast Wine, Part 1

I Heart Paso ... nothing says it like Heart Hill at Niner.

I’ve just returned from the 2014 Wine Blogger’s Conference (WBC 14) held in Santa Barbara County, just a car ride north of my home in Los Angeles, which included a one-day pre-conference excursion to Paso Robles wine country, a bit farther north.

What I’m writing here is going to sound a lot like a paid advertisement for the two areas, but I assure you it is not. Days after returning home, I’m still energized by and somewhat swooning over what I saw, experienced, learned, and, most importantly, tasted. I've been to both areas often, and while I've always been intrigued by it, I’m now in love!

What is so clearly apparent to me after this trip is that both Paso Robles and Santa Barbara offer amazing beauty, many hidden treasures — more pop up on each of  my visits — and an overall approachable wine and food community that is open, accessible, and eager to share its bounty.

Additionally, the opportunity to be around 350 other like-minded wine enthusiasts was not to be missed, and was about as rewarding an experience as any I've had in a very long time. Wine bloggers, like wine makers, are quite passionate about their subject. And, like many others in the blogosphere, our passion is usually not linked to a paycheck, but to the experiential, the transcendent, and the pure pleasure that our “little hobby” affords us.

Ancient seabed fossils add nuance to wines

Let’s start with Paso Robles (I’ll delve into Santa Barbara on my next post). A seminar at Niner Wine Estates (gorgeous) with six prominent wine makers provided us bloggers with the basic facts. Paso is a 1,000 square-mile American Viticulture Area, or AVA, that will, hopefully soon, be divided into 11 sub-appellations… the paperwork is in! (I’ll also write more on pending Paso AVAs in a future blog, as there is a lot to share on this subject.)

But generally, Paso Robles, which was voted Wine Region of the Year in 2013 by Wine Enthusiast, is an area of varied soils, created by the Pacific Continental Plate, with limestone and ancient seabed fossils being prominent. It has many microclimates because of its proximity to the Pacific Ocean, its many canyons running north/south/east/west, and varying elevations. As a result, Bordeaux varietals, Rhone varietals, Italian varietals, Spanish varietals, and others are all produced successfully in the Paso AVA.

There are currently at least 250 tasting rooms in Paso, and plenty of affordable hotels and motels. I stayed at the historic Paso Robles Inn, which was once a grand hotel that burned to the ground in the early 1900s. It was rebuilt with just one small portion of the original building still standing, along with the requisite ghost (not seen by me, darn it!).

Paso has its pioneer wine producers, like J. Lohr, Eberle Winery, Castoro Cellars, and Tablas Creek Winery, all of which have been instrumental in developing the area into the world-class region it has become. But there is also a strong sense of camaraderie among the vintners in Paso, with more established wineries working hand in hand with new wineries. Advances and innovations such as tannin management, sustainability, water management, farm worker education, and cover crop management are shared among the Paso wine growers and makers. LEED and SIP certification programs are also prominent.

The Dusi family has been growing wine grapes since 1925

This sense of community among the winemakers was apparent in our visit to Dante Dusi Vineyards, where five wineries — Brochelle Vineyards, McPrice Myers, J Dusi Wines, Tobin James, and Turley Wine Cellars — served us their Zinfandel, produced from the very vines amongst which we stood. If you haven't experienced this kind of tasting, you should. Dusi dates back to 1925, and thus far four generations of the Dusi family have worked the vines, including granddaughter Janell of the J Dusi label. Each of the winemakers at Dusi had a unique spin on the Zinfandel, and all were lovely expressions of this California standard

with roots in Italy.

Another Paso stop was the magnificent hilltop Daou vineyards in West Paso Robles, where the Paso Cab Collective of about 20 wineries provided tastes of their Bordeaux varietals. Sunset at Daou, with the ocean breezes blowing through the mountain pass was a hypnotic experience. And Cabs from Paso are world-class, in my opinion.

Caliza Pink

Brochelle Zinfandel

Rhone varietals also had their venue, at Tablas Creek, where the host as well as Calcareous Vineyard, Caliza Winery, Ecluse Wines, and Edmond August Wines poured. A favorite for me, of course, was the Caliza Pink, a Rosė made from Syrah and Grenache with a touch or Mourvedre. It was bright, fresh, and went down easy.

Our day excursion to Paso ended with a trip to Wild Horse Winery & Vineyards in Templeton and a Thomas Hill Organics lunch. The duck tacos and kale salad were a treat. Thomas Hill Bistro and Wine Bar in downtown Paso should be a stop on everyone’s itinerary as it’s a great example of the farm-to-table movement prevalent in the area, with locally sourced organic fruits, vegetables, baked breads, and grass-fed meats.

Next post, I follow the wine trail to Santa Barbara County, where WBC 14 delivered many surprises.

Cheer!

Wine of La Mancha, the Revival

Vineyard in La Mancha (Copyright: ©Richard Semik,/123RF.COM)

La Mancha, Spain, is the setting for Cervantes’ character Don Quixote, who gallantly tilts at windmills in a seriocomic effort to revive the ancient art of chivalry. 

There’s another ancient art in La Mancha – winemaking – and there’s no doubt that it is undergoing a serious revival and is capturing the hearts of wine lovers around the world.

As Spain’s largest D.O. (Denominación de Origen), La Mancha is home to about half of Spain’s total wine production, earning it the reputation as the world’s most extensive vineyard. And, it happens to be home to the world’s most widely planted white wine grape variety, called Airén, which is grown in few other places in the world, and few other places in Spain. But most importantly, the wines from La Mancha are some of the best values you can find on today’s market.

Out of necessity, D.O. La Mancha wines are a model for dry farming, with many drought-stricken Australian wine growers taking cues from the area. La Mancha’s location on the Meseta plateau, just south of Madrid, can be challenging for grape growing, to say the least, with 100+ degree summer temperatures, frequent freezing winter temperatures, wind, and drought.

But what La Mancha has going for it is a consistent soil throughout the vast region, 12-14 hours of sunshine per day during the ripening season, and consistent and steady winds that keep the vines pest-free and healthy. With the introduction of some irrigation and vine trellising systems in the last couple of decades, yields are up and more wine is being produced, but at good quality levels. “Young maverick” winemakers have entered the scene in La Mancha, introducing organic and biodynamic vineyards, and modern vinification techniques such as stainless steel tanks (replacing older concrete ones), fermentation temperature control (a big investment), cold soaking for deeper colored red wines, and whole cluster pressing for less-bitter whites wines.

In other words, D.O. La Mancha is keeping up with modern winemaking times.

A recent “Wines of La Mancha Tasting Seminar” in Los Angeles introduced me to a number of Airén wines,

Try some Airén at your next BBQ

which were simple, clean, crisp, and refreshing. There were also a large variety of other whites, reds, and blended wines from this ancient wine-growing region.

La Mancha’s 400,000+ hectares of vineyards grow 26 varieties of grapes. In addition to the drought-tolerant Airén (which, is being planted less, in favor of Tempranillo) white varietals include Gewürtztraminer, Riesling, Macabeo, Verdejo, Chardonnay, Viognier, Muscat, Sauvignon Blanc, Parellada, Torrontes, and Pedro Ximénez. Red varietals include Tempranillo (also known as Cencibel in Spain), Malbec, Garnacha (Grenache), Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Bobal, Graciano, Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Mencia, Moravia, Monastrell, and Pinot Noir.

The presence of several “international varietals” in this grouping reflects the fact that while La Mancha may be an ancient wine region, recent efforts to modernize it have including the planting of such new world varietals as Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Syrah.  According to D.O. La Mancha literature, year-over-year sales have grown 10% for the last 10 years, and La Mancha wines are being exported to most major wine consumption markets worldwide, including the U.S.A.

Most of the wines tasted at the L.A. event were priced from $10 to $20, making them some of the best, most affordable wines I’ve experienced. Noteworthy were:

Bodegas el Progresso’s Ojos del Guadiana Crianza, 2009. This 100% Tempranillo had some nice age

(“Crianza” wines must be aged for 24 months minimum, with 6 months in oak), which provided a lovely cherry red color, and a nice balance of oak, tannin, and red fruit, with a long, silky, and pleasing finish. Price, $10.

Bodegas Verguguez’s Nebbia Tempranillo, 2010. Also 100% Tempranillo, had a pronounced floral bouquet, with dried violets. This is a more full-bodied wine, with richer, deeper fruit, more aggressive tannin (but not overly) and a silky long finish. Price, about $15.

I was drawn to Dominio de Punctum organic estate and winery as I always appreciate wineries’ efforts to farm biodynamically and sustainably. It’s Uno de Mil Viognier has a fresh citrusy nose and palate, some creaminess, and white flowers and earthy spices. With just 12.5% alcohol, this fruity and refreshing wine was perfect for a warm sunny afternoon. Price, under $10.

I tasted a few Rosé wines at the event, most from Tempranillo or Grenache graped, all delicious. The Airéns were all young, fairly neutral, but clean, and crisp.

I know I will be heading toward the Spanish wine section of my local retailer as I like finding alternatives to my usual fare, and think a young, crisp Airén will pair nicely with BBQ fish or chicken, and a fruity, full-bodied Tempranillo will go well with my favorite tri-tip recipe. My pocketbook should be happy too.

Until Next Time, Salud!

Wine's "Big Box Theory"

My local food market just upgraded its wine section – in response to the pending move next door of beverage giant Bev-Mo! – and now offers more choices, more unique offerings, and a large selection of wines in boxes!

Gasp! Wine in a box? What is the world coming to, right?

There is more than one way to package wine nowadays – plastic bottles, boxes, aluminum cans, milk-like cartons – we are not limited to purchasing wine in a glass bottle closed with a natural cork. (For more on closures, see “Getting Closure: Corks or Screwcaps?”)

But before we look at the alternative packaging choices, let’s do a short review of ancient wine vessels.

Amphorae were used for centuries to carry and store wine.

Ceramic Amphorae can be traced back to prehistoric times. In the Bronze and Iron Ages, Greeks and Romans transported and stored wine (as well as olive oil, grains, fish, and other commodities) in these vessels. Pliny, a first century naturalist, wrote prolifically on contemporary wine-making practices, including how to keep the amphorae clean in order to keep the wine from being tainted. A trip to the Getty museum will offer many lively depictions of ancient wine vessels in use.

Sometime in the seventh century, amphorae were replaced with wood and skin containers. Wood is still used today for storing and aging wine, and wineskins, which are made from the skin of a goat or sheep, are still in use in some cultures.

Wine bottles as we know them came along in the 17^th century, when coal-fueled furnaces allowed for thick-enough bottles. Prior to that, the bottles were thin, and usually stored in straw so as not to break, and this is where the classic Chianti bottle has its roots.

For more than 400 years mankind has been using the thick glass bottle, which many consider to be the best container for wine ever invented. It’s inert, impenetrable, and available in different shapes, sizes, and colors. Most importantly, it’s traditional, and traditions are hard to give up.

So why use anything else?

Bota Box is eco-friendly.

Glass bottles have their drawbacks. They are heavy, which adds to transport costs; they are fragile; they’re rigid, making it harder to tightly pack and store them; they do not block out UV radiation, so fluorescent lighting can cause chemical decomposition in the wine (a problem in supermarkets); and once opened, a bottle will have space for air, which can oxygenate the wine (not good) unless replaced with an inert gas (who wants to be bothered doing this, right?).

Alternative packaging includes the BIB, or Bag-in-Box. While I’m not quite ready to take one to a dinner party, I know plenty of people who do. This type of packaging provides an easy way to carry a large quantity of wine – up to 20 liters – and to draw off one glass at a time, over an extended period of time, while keeping the wine relatively fresh. First popularized in Australia, the idea is to have a plastic bag inside the box collapse to avoid the ingress of air. The problem is that the plastic is not as impermeable to air as glass, so the shelf life is relatively short, give or take 9 months. That’s “shelf life,” not “life after opening,” remember, so it would be wise to check the packaging date when purchasing. Who knows how long it’s been sitting on the store shelf.

An example is the Bota Box (www.botabox.com), which states on the package, “Our eco packaging locks in great taste for a month or more by keeping out light and air.” Each box contains 3 liters of wine, available in 10 different varietals, and ranges in price from about $15-$22.

A straw comes with each can of Sofia

Aluminum cans for wine are much like a beer can, and therein lies one of their problems, image. But a can holds two glasses of wine, is light, strong, impermeable, and can live on a shelf for about 9 months.

An example: Sofia Blanc de Blanc Effervescent White Wine from Francis Coppola. Slick packaging includes a hexagonal foil-covered box containing four one-serving cans with a plastic straw attached to each – an adult Sippy cup (or not so adult!). I bought this one at The Wine House (www.winehouse.com), on sale for $12.99, but it can be as much as $20.

Tetra Pak, or cardboard “brick,” is another option. These are like the fruit juice and milk containers we all  are familiar with, and are low-cost, provide a good oxygen barrier and reasonably good shelf life. Tetra Paks are the only packaging that is truly aseptic.

I tried the CalNaturals (www.calnaturale.com) Cabarnet Sauvignon, from Paso Robles, California, made with organically grown grapes. I loved what the packaging says, “No awkward tools are required to open our package. Simply unscrew the cap, pour a glass and ENJOY!” I guess they consider a corkscrew an “awkward tool”!

CalNaturals's TetraPak

Wine is also available in plastic bottles. You will find these quarter-bottle sized bottles on airplanes. They are lightweight, but not impermeable to oxygen and therefore have a very short shelf life.  I have not found any for sale in local markets.

I love wine bottles, just like I love cork stoppers. I don’t foresee moving away from them any time soon, but I applaud the new wine packaging, especially when the intent is to provide a more eco-friendly and convenient alternative to glass bottles.

Wine connoisseurs are unlikely to stray from the classic bottle, and many will disparage the new-fangled packaging. But, as ReddCollection’s Michael Carpenter says in this nice video (http://tinyurl.com/nctpofz) (as seen on The Young Turk Network, http://www.tytnetwork.com) when asked about bottles, pouches, and boxes, “If it makes you happy, enjoy it!”

Until Next Time, Cheers!

Perfect Pinots and Charming Chardonnays

An East Coast friend was recently insisting that you just cannot get a good Pinot Noir from California, that Oregon was “the” place for it. In fact, he and his wife were planning a trip to Willamette Valley this year to experience the lovely Pinots at the source, in the cascading hills caressed by the cooling Pacific Ocean breezes. “Good for you,” was my response, and I agreed that Oregon produces many magnificent Pinots. In fact, I recommended he visit the Evening Land Vineyard (www.eveninglandvineyards.com), where consulting winemaker Sashi Moorman works his magic.

But I gently admonished my friend, and informed him about the beautiful, local (to me, anyway, in Southern California) AVA called Santa Rita Hills, just 90 minutes north of Los Angeles, which is producing some of the loveliest, most nuanced, and most drinkable Pinots – and  Chardonnays – I’ve had the pleasure of tasting.

My local wine retailer, The Wine House (www.winehouse.com) this week hosted a "focused tasting of the Sta. Rita Hills AVA" featuring 29 wineries and 58 wines, produced from grapes grown in the AVA. It was almost overwhelming for me, as I can for the first time ever say that there was not one sip of wine at this event that I did not like. The hardest decision I had to make all night was which wines to purchase.

Established officially as Sta. Rita Hills AVA in 2001 (note that the abbreviated spelling is in deference to the Chilean producer Santa Rita) is situated in the cooler hills of Santa Barbara county, just east of the sprawling and warmer Santa Ynez Valley. Just about 6 miles from the Pacific Ocean, the area benefits from the eastward jag of the coastline and the west-to-east running hills, which allow coastal fog and wind into the area. The fog lingers from late afternoon to early morning, and then burns off, creating a combination of warms days and cool nights, which is perfect weather for Pinot and Chardonnay.  Additionally, a wide variety of soils – clay, sand, silt, slate – provides conditions that have been described as Burgundian, adding intense minerality to the wines.

The weather and soil conditions also produce grapes with nice acidity – a key to any good wine. So, in addition to Pinot and Chardonnay, you will find Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, and Gewürztraminer – varietals known for their high acidity – as well as Grenache. 

   

The big-flavor wines that typified the AVA in the early 2000s are giving way to much more refined, mineral- and “terroir-“driven” examples. Several vintners at the Wine House event had two versions of their Pinot Noirs, from two different “micro-lots” (patches of earth) in the Hills, and the comparison was quite interesting. For instance, Transcendence’s (www.transcendwines.com) Joey Gummere had  tastes of his 2012 ‘F’ Street Pinot alongside his 2012 Encantada Pinot. The former ($34.99) had a beautiful fruit on both the nose and palate, while the latter ($44.99) was all about the minerals. Delicious in both cases.

Longoria's "Lovely Rita"

Richard Longoria of Longoria Wine (www.longoriawine.com) has been making wine since 1982, long before the area achieved AVA status. His two Pinots were the 2012 Lovely Rita ($29.99) and the 2011 Fe Ciega ($46.99). Lovely Rita had the classic Pinot aroma and taste of sour cherry as well as some spices, while the Fe Ciega offered much more, as it “is one of the most elegant, refined vintages of Fe Ciega we have produced,” per Longoria.

Other notable Pinots included Montemar (www.montemarwines.com) 2011 La Encantada ($49.99) and Rio Vista ($44.99); 2012 Wan Fiore Project Pinot Noir ($45.99); Pali Wine Co. (www.paliwineco.com)  2011 Pinot Noir “Fiddlestix” ($53.99); Lindley 2011 and 2012 La Lomita Vineyard (both $54.99); and Kitá 2011 Pinot Noir Hillard Bruce (www.kitawines.com, ($59.99). (Kitá is a Chumash Indian word meaning “Our Valley Oak,” and winemaker Tara Gomez is a member of the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, who provided a scholarship to help her study enology at UC Fresno.)

LaFond Chardonnay

A few Chardonnays were also notable, including the 2012 Lafond (a bargain at $21.99). This was oaked, but not too much, with good minerality and acidity. The Crawford Family 2012 Chardonnay Tin Shack ($41.99) is stainless steel aged, with nice acid and minerality, and a touch of grapefruit on the palate.

Many of the Sta. Rita Hills producers have tasting rooms located in Lompoc, Los Olivos, and downtown Santa Barbara. The “Lompoc  Wine Ghetto” (that’s pronounced “lom-poke” I was told several times during the event!) set up in an industrial park on the east side of town, has become the in spot for tasting rooms, so don’t just pass through this town on your way to and from the tonier spots in the Santa Ynez Valley. Stop, and enjoy a few tastes.

Until next time, Cheers!

Bordeaux for the Rest of Us

Bordeaux wine brings to mind words like chateau, age-worthy, expensive, status symbol, and even elitist. Not exactly wine for the budget-minded consumer.

Selection of wines at Grand Cercle Des Vins de Bordeaux

Bolstering this view, the March 31, 2013 edition of Wine Spectator stated that “the 2010s were the most expensive Bordeaux vintage in history” upon release en premeur in spring 2011. En premeur is a capital-raising pricing system used among the more prestigious properties in Bordeaux – where vineyard and wineries expenses are among the highest in the world – in which producers release a portion of their wine for sale the year following a harvest, after it’s been rated by critics. The costs up to and including the bottling of the wine are included in the price. The first release (tranche in French) is the least pricey (a relative term here!) with subsequent tranches getting pricier and pricier. 

Rated at 96 points and above on a 100-point scale, Wine Spectator’s top picks ranged from $103 to $3,400 a bottle (Chateau Petrus).

The en premeur system is high-stakes wine merchandising … an area of the industry that I, frankly, do not play in, nor do most consumers. So, when a colleague informed me about the Grand Cercle Des Vins De Bordeaux tasting event in Santa Monica last week I was excited to be afforded the opportunity to sample some wines that I don’t often get to taste.

There were three really cool things about this event:  1) The year 2013 was an annus horriblus (to borrow a phrase from Queen Elizabeth of England) in which some of the worst weather conditions prevailed to create a very tense growing season, with mixed results at harvest, and all the vintners at Grand Cercle brought along their vintage from that year. 2) To give a nice comparison tasting, most of the vintners also had samples of their 2011 vintage (in some cases they had their 2010), which was another less-than-stellar growing season. 3) Most of the wines were in the “affordable” category – under $30, with many being under $20. (Not all of the wineries have California or even US distributors; the goal of these trade events is to find one.)

The 2011 and 2013 growing seasons posed many challenges for Bordeaux grape growers, with rain, cool temperatures, hail, late bud breaks, forced early harvests, and general weather mayhem. As I tasted wines at the Grand Cercle (I stuck to the Merlots and Sauternes), many of the vintners I spoke with reported that their 2013 harvest was half of their normal output.

  

The 2013 vintages were obviously young, and had the fresh fruit liveliness that I personally love. The Merlots were ripe, but not dense. The 2011s, with two more years of barrel aging, displayed less fruit, but more spice, smoke, chocolate, and tannin – characteristics that develop with age.

Alain Raynaud pours his Chateau du Parc

Alain Raynaud, the driving force behind the event, is himself a vintner as well as Chairman of Grand Cercle. Four years ago Raynaud and his wife purchased Chateau du Parc, a petite, unassuming property in the St. Emillion commune of St. Sulpice de Faleyrans and produced their first vintage in 2011. At this event, Raynaud’s wines were among my favorites. A blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, the 2013 had a beautiful nose, with nice florals (violets), and lovely fruit on the palette, while the 2011 had black pepper, espresso, and subtle fruit, including red plums and blueberry. This, du Parc’s first vintage, was very elegant, a character Raynaud says he strives for, and achieves in my opinion. I was happy to see his price, too, at $19.99 a bottle. I’m hoping he gets a distribution deal soon so I can purchase some. 

  

Chateau de Myrat Sauternes

The Sauternes region of Bordeaux also experienced low yields in 2013.The Chateau de Myrat Sauternes from 2013, which is 88% Semillion, 8% Sauvignon Blanc, and 4% Muscadelle,  was very fresh tasting, and easy to drink, making me yearn for warm summer days in my back yard sipping glass after glass. The 2011 had more spice from the aging. This was one of the more expensive wines I tasted, selling for around $40 to $55, but worth it.

It will be interesting to see how the 2013 vintages age, but it may be a good idea to just drink them young. Dany Rolland, a vintner, on behalf of Grand Cercle stated in event literature, “2013 will be a wine to drink when it is young, revealing fruitiness and freshness; it should be a wine for pleasure, devoid of powerful tannin, just plump and not green; an appealing wine that will enable 2008s, 2009s, and 2010s to be left in the cellar out of mind so you can enjoy this cheerful, immediate balance.” 

I’ll drink to that!

Until next time, á votre santé!