Late Harvest Wine: How Sweet It Is!

Late-harvest grapes drying on straw look odd, but they are oh-so-sweet!

I’ve been seriously studying wine for a couple of years now, and have committed to at least two more years of study for the WSET Diploma course. I’m really excited about delving further into the wonderful world of wine.

During my past studies – WSET Intermediate and Advanced programs – I tasted a couple hundred different wines, and learned how to do tasting notes and, hopefully, discern a faulty wine from an acceptable wine from an outstanding wine – whether or not I actually like the wine

During my studies, the one thing that surprised me most was my affinity for sweet white wines. “Sweet” wine has a new meaning for me since the beginning of my studies. It’s not the cloying, overly sugared and fruity stuff that I drank at the university pub back in my college days. That “wine” was sufficient then, as my only goal was to reach an altered state, not to actually taste and appreciate what I was drinking. Sweet now can best be described by words like honey, liquid gold, elegant, and sexy.

The term “late harvest” is key to the sweetness in the wines I love. The longer the grapes hang on the vine, into the cooler/colder months, the more they shrivel up, hence concentrating the natural sugar in the grapes, and producing that luscious, velvety smooth, honey-like sweetness

Over the last year or so, there have been three outstanding sweet wines that are now on my list of must-haves in my wine fridge – when I can find them. One is an Austrian Beerenauslese made from Welchsriesling and Chardonnay grapes, one is a late-harvest Viognier from the Central Coast of California, and one is a Petit Manseng (that’s a grape varietal) from the Jurançon region of southwestern France.

The 2009 Kracher Beerenauslese Cuvée (average $28, half bottle) has a pronounced honey taste and ripe stone fruit aromas, as well as subtle mineral characteristics. The wine has just enough acidity to balance out the sweetness, making it a clean, refreshing dessert wine. Beerenauslese, or BA, is a German classification that indicates a rare, expensive sweet wine, and “noble rot” often enhances its flavors. This Austrian wine is made from Welschriesling white grape varietal, which is unrelated to the German Riesling grape, but like the latter is a late-ripening vine whose grapes retain their acidity to balance out the sweetness. I enjoyed a bottle after a back yard barbecue last summer, and it was the perfect accompaniment to good food, good friends, and a beautiful West Los Angeles sunset.

The 2012 Starr Ranch Sweet Chariot ($22 for half bottle) is a late-harvest Viognier that I drank on Valentine’s Day, after a lovely meal, and while knocking back luscious See’s dark chocolates. I adore Starr Ranch wines, and think that Judy Starr and her winemaking team can do no wrong. Located on one of the most gorgeous hillsides in Paso Robles, California, her ranch is a magical place, producing grapes, walnuts, and persimmons. The Sweet Chariot late-harvest Viognier tastes of stone fruit – apricots and peaches – and also has a nice minerality. As the winery’s notes say, “Let it waft over you, feet up, content, on your patio.” Unfortunately, we’ll have to wait till a new vintage is produced, as the 2012 is sold out. I have my fingers crossed that I will score some more of the Sweet Chariot soon.

And I’ve saved my favorite for last. It’s my favorite because it was the game changer for me. I tasted this wine while in one of my WSET classes, and after class ran to The Wine House and bought as many bottles as I could find. The 2009 Chateau Jolys Cuvée Jean (average $22, full bottle) is a late-harvest Petite Manseng grown in the Jurançon region of southwestern France. Petit Manseng grapes are small and thick skinned, and are partially dried on the vine (known as “passerillage”). They are often not harvested until December, which causes a high amount of residual sugar to accumulate in the grape, creating a luscious, golden, elegant wine with notes of tropical fruit and a nice acidity to balance out the sweetness. I just love this wine, and have shared it with many friends, but it’s now hard to find. Try http://www.pywine.com/where-to-buy/ .

I hope to experience all of the above sweet wines again in 2014, and will make an effort to continue my studies of all wines, especially the late-harvest gems.

Until next time, Cheers!

Brunello di Montalcino: Reflecting Place, Philosophy, Vintage

Hills and vineyards around Montalcino, Italy

I usually write about wines that are on my budget – no more than $25, and most often considerably less. But there are some wines that will never be had for less than $50+ but which are considered by most experts to be worth every penny. For me, these are special occasion wines. Italy’s Brunello di Montalcino is such a wine. 

Once considered rare, Brunello has enjoyed a growing worldwide popularity in the last few decades, thanks in large part to the Consorzio Del Vino Brunello Di Montalcino, which hosted a tasting I attended last week in Beverly Hills, and to sommeliers like Taylor Parsons, Beverage Director at Republique in Los Angeles (formerly wine director at restaurants Mozza, Spago and Campanile) and speaker at the event. Parsons, who advises consumers on food pairings, believes that there is a move on the wine consumer's part to understand the details of wine, and he has a passion for Brunello that he’s eager to share.

Brunello di Montalcino is one of the gems of Italian red wines, and ironically is also considered one of the youngest. It was only in the mid-19^th century that wine producers around the foothills between Siena and Florence (which battled over Montalcino frequently), and strategically located overlooking three rivers, decided to break with Tuscan tradition of blending varietals and began to exclusively base their wines on Sangiovese. A series of experiments lead to the Brunello wine of Montalcino.

The Sangiovese grape is highly valued mainly because it can be aged long, allowing red wines of nuance and quality to be produced. It’s high acid and tannins also make it a good food-pairing wine. Brunello di Montalcino requires that the wine be aged a minimum of 24 months in oak casks, 4 additional months in bottles (6 months for “Riserva”), and cannot be sold until January of the fifth year following the harvest (sixth year for Riserva). A minimum of 5 years aging, when combined with precise winemaking methods and the fact that Brunello di Montalcino is now extremely fashionable, all support its hefty price tag.

But there’s more to the story. The municipality of Montalcino is a pristine landscape, and boasts just 3,000 acres of vineyards (compared to nearby Chianti with 41,000 acres) with ancient stone structures dotting the landscape. The vineyards are 1800 feet above sea level and bounded by rivers and protected by a forested mountain, creating a “territory made for wine,” per the Consorzio’s literature. Its soils are rich and varied, but different aspects (directions) of the vineyards create variety among crops. The climate is Mediterranean, tending toward dry. Irrigation is not permitted in the vineyards, so Mother Nature plays a big role year to year.

And the 2009 vintage, which we sampled last week, while a warm one, was not so warm that it affected the wines negatively. In fact, the wines —while not all full-blown yet – were highly drinkable and elegant.

Parsons says Sangiovese “is not just a tannic, earthy red.”  While it’s reflective of a place, a philosophy, and a vintage, he says, it is also susceptible to a heavy hand in the wine cellar. But Italians have “figured out the best place to grow it to be reflective of its terroir.” Because of its acidity, Sangiovese pairs well with rich, fatty meats – typical Tuscan foods – as the acid cuts through the fat. But, says Parsons, “the very thing that makes Brunello good with meat means your average drinker will not drink it as an aperitif."

  

Brunello di Montalcino achieved DOC classification in 1966, which, like France’s Appellation Contrôlée, specifies the geographic area, permitted grape varietals, and minimum alcohol level. It achieved the higher-status DOCG (the “G” meaning Garantita, or Guarantee), which means that in addition to all DOC requirements, the wines must be bottled in the region of production and are subject to tasting by the Ministry of Agriculture. All DOCG wines carry a numbered seal of approval on the bottle.

Three wines that I liked:

Belpoggio ($49-$59, www.belpoggio.it) displayed the sour cherry notes typical of Sangiovese, with powerful yet balanced tannins and acid.

Banfi ($90, www.banfi.com) had an iodine character, “like walking on the beach,” according to the tasting panel. I found this wine quite elegant and complex, with good acid but not too much tannin.

Le Chiuse ($60, www.lechiuse.com) was balanced and elegant with a nice minerality and smooth tannins.

You can find these wines at www.wine2u.com or check with your local retailer. And for a list of Consorzio del Vino Brunello di Montalcino producers visit www.consorziobrunellodimontalcino.it.

Until next time, Ciao!