Wild About Wine

Pairings: A Veneto red and cheese

Sometimes incredible wine and food experiences have to be shared.  And, sometimes it is the sharing itself that makes the experience so incredible.  I recently found a limited-release Valpolicella by Roberto Mazzi ("Vigneto Poiega") in my cellar -- ok, in my basement -- and wanted to share it with a fellow oenophile. 

But, just quaffing the wine to celebrate yet another Friday would not have done justice to a producer that rates very high on my personal list.  I had to think what food might pair well with this classically styled Valpolicella. 

A quick visit to a well-stocked cheese shop led me to the section marked with a hand-drawn Italian flag.  In yet another confession, my cheese knowledge is limited to soft vs. hard, white vs. yellow.  So, I trusted that the cheesemonger-turned-artist with the flag and selected a healthy wedge of "Sottocenere" because it was 1) soft and 2) white.  But, truthfully, I selected it because the ingredient list included truffles! 

The Mazzi "Poiega" (2003) opened up beautifully, yielding an initial but very faint rustic aroma marking it as Old World followed by violet floral notes, anise and then mushroom-y earth tones on both the nose and palate.  If this wine could have tasted better, it did when partnered with a chunk of the truffle-spiked cheese on a slice of simple Italian bread.  The balance was incredible, alternating between the multi-layered flavors of the wine and the rich, melt-on-your-palate cheese.  The experience put my mind somewhere near Verona, sitting at an old and weathered picnic table under an olive tree, listening to the breeze as it moves through the grape leaves. 

Please excuse me while I check airfare to Milan...

Salute!
-Steve

Sometimes incredible wine and food experiences have to be shared.  And, sometimes it is the sharing itself that makes the experience so incredible.  I recently found a limited-release Valpolicella by Roberto Mazzi ("Vigneto Poiega") in my cellar -- ok, in my basement -- and wanted to share it with a fellow oenophile. 

But, just quaffing the wine to celebrate yet another Friday would not have done justice to a producer that rates very high on my personal list.  I had to think what food might pair well with this classically styled Valpolicella. 

A quick visit to a well-stocked cheese shop led me to the section marked with a hand-drawn Italian flag.  In yet another confession, my cheese knowledge is limited to soft vs. hard, white vs. yellow.  So, I trusted that the cheesemonger-turned-artist with the flag and selected a healthy wedge of "Sottocenere" because it was 1) soft and 2) white.  But, truthfully, I selected it because the ingredient list included truffles! 

The Mazzi "Poiega" (2003) opened up beautifully, yielding an initial but very faint rustic aroma marking it as Old World followed by violet floral notes, anise and then mushroom-y earth tones on both the nose and palate.  If this wine could have tasted better, it did when partnered with a chunk of the truffle-spiked cheese on a slice of simple Italian bread.  The balance was incredible, alternating between the multi-layered flavors of the wine and the rich, melt-on-your-palate cheese.  The experience put my mind somewhere near Verona, sitting at an old and weathered picnic table under an olive tree, listening to the breeze as it moves through the grape leaves. 

Please excuse me while I check airfare to Milan...

Salute!
-Steve

Was it a good year or a bad year?

It's time for a confession.  I caught myself in a mistake recently and am ready for the tongue-lashing to begin.  When asked if wines from France in the 2002 vintage were a good value, I mistakenly replied it was the year of the terrible heat wave that swept Europe where thousands perished.  That year was actually 2003. 

When I had a moment to verify through my notes and vintage charts, I quickly discovered the error and advised the inquisitive friend.  While the 2002 vintage in France was relatively mediocre it was certainly better than 2003 in a very broad assessment.  And, the Cote de Nuits reds and Burgundian whites of 2002 fared better in the ratings against other neighboring regions for that year.

Well, what is the lesson when asked about a good year or a bad year for a vintage? 

First, anyone can and will make a mistake.  The world of wine is expanding, literally and figuratively, at an incredible rate.  Staying current on all the defined regions, all the producers, their varietals, and the year-over-year vintage results is no small feat.  So, check your notes and avoid a hasty oversight. Note to self...

But, there is also another lesson underlying a yea or nay vote for the vintage in question.  That lesson is that reliable producers will deliver their best regardless of the vintage, either as a first label or, in difficult years, as a second or declassified label. 

And, therein lies value.  Because of misperception or misunderstanding, an entire vintage can get an unearned poor evaluation.  Wines of that vintage fall off in demand and so too will the prices as inventories stagnate, either in a warehouse, on the retailer's shelves or in a restaurant cellar.  If you know your region or your producer well, you can find good dollar-for-dollar value in wine selections from a less than perfect vintage.

Salute!

-Steve

Complex Relationships

Yesterday I attended a wine distributor tasting at the Boulder Cork. Usually these tastings are good opportunities but not my favorite experiences. Picture a dark room full of wine shop buyers and restaurateurs, walking around a large room lined with small table displays of wine. Everyone has a pamphlet of information with numbers and letters describing the wine, a pen, and a wine glass.  Usually there are loads of people and one has to squeeze their way, sometimes just an arm gripping an empty glass, between bodies to sample one's desired wine. They are in the middle of the day and some come to taste and some come to drink. To my joy, yesterday this was not the case. I walked in slightly early, to find a small room with a large table set with six glasses at each place setting, each filled with a sample of red wine. This tasting was for one producer, Nicolas Catena in Argentina. The vineyard manager, Celeste was there, who was a young, smart, female who spoke very decent English with much embarrassment. I liked her right off. As others arrived, we sat down at the family style table and Celeste began talking about the vineyards in Argentina and where each of our six wines were from. This is when I became really excited.  These were no ordinary wines.  These wines were made with much creativity and ingenuity.  Like in Bordeaux, Nicolas Catena blends his wines to achieve more balance and complexity, the Bordeaux blend is known as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with Cabernet Franc or another minor blending partner... the only question in this situation is, these wines are 100% Malbec. What Catena does is blend clones. Clones are all slightly different. They have over 400 clones of Malbec planted in an "experimental" vineyard (and the wine from this vineyard was actually quite nice!). From this vineyard they determined about 20 clones with desirable specific differences. When harvest comes, they pick different clones and different vineyards at different times, depending on how each has ripened. At the winery, the magic becomes the art of blending the right clones to make the most complex relationships while maintaining balance and symmetry in the wine. Exciting eh! My favorite was a wine grown at 5,000 feet in the Adrianna Vineyard. Wow was it dense. At that altitude the grapes grow thicker skins to protect their seeds from the sun resulting in less skin to juice which produces a very structured wine.  It smelled like a rainy tropical night of African violets and deep secrets being told in the shadows. Just Kidding....:-) but it did smell like violets and a smoothie of potting soil, herbs, and blackberries. On the palate the fruit was extremely concentrated (age worthy indeed) and the tannins were dense, direct and integrated. Yes very good. The quality of wines in So. America is getting better and better. Keep an eye out for the Catena wines, he also makes a fantastic Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay.   

Cheers

Jess

"Try it, you'll like it!"

How do I know if I can trust a wine recommendation?  Well, in some ways it might be like taking advice on a used car.  The exterior looks fine, but you’re really paying for what’s inside.  You want to know that it will be reliable; that you will enjoy it and maybe even that your friends will be impressed with it.

First, consider the source.  Whether the recommendation is in a restaurant or a wine shop, you will have to assess the level of experience behind the recommendation.  Is the sommelier or sales clerk spouting something right off the label or just relying on its “points” to promote the wine?  Or, has the recommendation come from a personal tasting experience, possibly even a visit to the winery?  To find the wait staff or sales clerk who is truly passionate about wine, expect them to light up like the Fourth of July when asked for a recommendation.  If their response is only tepid, don’t be afraid to ask for a wine that “knocked their socks off” in the same price range, with the same varietals or from the same region.   

Second, consider the price.  Value-priced wines tend to be mass market products; i.e. they have national distribution and are produced each year with a fairly consistent though often monochromatic flavor profile.  You’ll get reliability with these wines but probably not much else.  But, with that said, don’t be afraid to ask for recommendations for a new “everyday wine”.  When you step away from the wines with multi-million dollar ad campaigns, you might find some incredible and unexpected values.

If you are interested in spending, just for example, $20 or more for a bottle, expect a recommendation that elaborates on the flavor profile, the oak characteristics if any and the producer’s style – new world versus old world, fruity versus earthy, et cetera.  If you plan on spending more than $50 for a bottle, be sure to express what you have enjoyed in other wines or if the wine is a gift.  This will help the sommelier “zero in” on your palate preferences or any special occasion to find the best selection.

Finally, consider the return policy.  If you are in a retail store with good selection and sales volume, expect a generous return policy.  Low-volume retailers may not have the same allowances from their distributors and so their policies may be more stringent, if they are able to accept returns at all.  As a footnote, some states have regulations on the return of alcohol products and these will affect store policy. 

Salute!

-Steve

"What's wrong with this wine?"

"Patiently waiting to pour the rest of the table their glass of wine, the server looks to the host for a nod of approval.... "

Rest assured if you have a faulty wine, then you can return it to the place of purchase or refuse it at a restaurant. But first you must be able to recognize a fault. A wine fault is an unpleasant characteristic often resulting from poor wine making practices or storage conditions, and leading to wine spoilage. The tricky part about this is, many of the compounds that cause wine faults are already naturally present in wine but at insufficient concentrations to adversely affect it. Depending on your tastes, these attributes may impart positive characteristics, however in large quantities they can also make the wine less appealing. Kind of like weeds. Some weeds are really pretty but if they kill all your other flowers then not so much.

Environmental Issues  "I think this wine is corked." Yes we've all heard it, also called cork taint and is recognized by a certain moldy basement, kitchen sink, dirty sock smell. This is a common fault. At varying levels, about 10% of wine (with a cork) is fated with it (one reason to support the screw top!). Cork taint is attributed to the compound trichloroanisole or TCA. TCA is a mold growth thought to originate in the cleaning process of chlorine bleached wine corks and barrels. The chlorine bleaching process ironically is used to sterilize corks! While this will not harm you, it won't taste good. However it usually tastes better than it smells.                                                                         "This wine tastes cooked." Well it probably is. The ideal storage temperature for wine is generally 55 degrees F. Wines that have been exposed to high temperatures for one reason or another... in transit, left in the heat on a dock... left in a garage in the summer... stored in the cupboard above the stove...whatever the reason, will thermally expand and may even leak out. When opening a bottle of wine, be very wary if a track of wine is visible along the length of the cork, if the cork is partially pushed up, or if wine is visible on the top of the cork while it is still in the bottle. Most likely it has been damaged by heat. Often these wines become oxidized hence the color of red wine becomes more brick-ish. Which brings me to my next topic...

Oxidation Is said to be the most common wine fault. It doesn't take much for the process to occur; oxygen and a catalyst are the only requirements. Oxidation takes place throughout the wine making process, and even after the wine has been bottled. The oxidation of phenols in wine leads to loss of color, flavor, and aroma, or in other words the wine is "flat". There are a number of oxidation processes that can occur but most notably they are responsible for sour, metallic, nail polish remover, glue, varnish, or vinegar aromas and flavors. However to combat oxidation, some wine makers add anti-oxidants to wine, one very common one is sulfur dioxide....

Sulfur in various forms is added to wine and used in the vineyard as an antimicrobial agent and as an antioxidant. There are 3 sulfur compounds of note, all very different. Sulfur dioxide (a sulfite) is a preservative. Usually in the form of a powder and used in lots of food especially dried fruit and processed meats. However when it is overused in winery, your wine will be reminiscent of the bathroom after a match is burnt or mothballs. These wines are often called "sulfitic". Hydrogen Sulfide is totally different! It is a gas. It is a natural bi-product of yeast metabolism. However if the wine maker fails to control this your wine will impart a very distinct rotten egg aroma, the smell of Yellowstone Natl. Park in your wine glass. Even worse, Hydrogen Sulphide can further react to form mercaptans. Mercaptans cause wine to have skunky, oniony, and rubber refinery aromas. Very bad! So yes sulfur can be confusing, is it good or bad? Sulfur itself is a basic element, a soil and plant nutrient, long used as a natural fungicide in the vineyard. So just remember too much of a good thing is not a good thing and parents aren't always to blame for their offspring... but their spouse might be... just kidding :-) And finally the last fault that we are going to discuss today...

Re fermentation is caused by yeasts re fermenting residual sugar after the wine is bottled. Fermentation is when yeast eats sugar to form alcohol, CO2, and heat. So if there is re fermentation, their will be a spritziness to your wine because the CO2 is trapped in the bottle until you open it. This is actually how champagne bubbles are made, however unplanned re fermentation will result in volatile flavors as well as the spritziness.   

So now not only can you drink to your health, you can drink to the health of your wine!!!

cheers-

Jessica                                                                        

To decant or not to decant...

To decant or not to decant: that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler for the wine to breathe? 

With apologies to William Shakespeare, decanting a wine before serving can definitely affect the wine and your enjoyment of it in three ways. 

First, if it is an older vintage wine or even a somewhat younger but unfiltered wine, there is the possibility of sediment in the bottle.  Master Sommeliers are practiced at the art of decanting a carefully cellared bottle to reserve the smallest portion of the wine and the majority, if not all, sediment in the original bottle.  While you certainly wouldn't enjoy drinking the sediment, remember that it was originally and naturally suspended in the wine much like powdered cocoa in chocolate milk.  Sediment itself doesn't imply the wine has gone bad; it is just no longer "in solution".

A second reason to decant is for presentation.  Whether dining at a formal restaurant or when entertaining guests at home, the process of decanting -- and the elegance of the decanter on the table -- can enrich the ambiance of the evening.  It may also remove the pretense or label snobbery when your oenophile guest is allowed to assume the merlot in the decanter is a Chateau Petrus (approximate retail, $2000) rather than the L'Ecole No. 41 merlot you served (approximate retail, $30).

The final reason is that decanting a very complex, very young or just very tannic wine will soften the blow to your palate.  In the simplest description, decanting allows oxygen to work its magic on the aromatic compounds, or phenols, and the tannins.  The unfolding chemistry in either the decanter or, if you are truly patient, your glass will reveal many more subtle aromas and flavors than quaffing straight from the just-opened bottle.  As an example, a 2001 Mauro Molino Barolo is still very young and will be difficult to fully enjoy before 2009.  But, with an hour or longer to open up in a decanter, you will enjoy floral nuances, a smoother mid-palate and silkier tannins -- all elements which would be overwhelmed by the initial, powerful notes of earth, alcohol and tannin – that would not be evident if consumed straight from the bottle.

Salute!

-Steve

Let's drink about it!!

Hi there! Thanks for joining us. My name is Jessica Moore and I am a sommelier through the International Sommelier Guild. A year long program which came to an end with a 2 day exam (and tears of joy!) that gave me the title of Sommelier (if you don't know how to say the word or forget, think Somalia but ending with an "ehh" instead of "a"!). As pretentious as the word sounds, we are not, soooooooooooo.....

Let's talk wine. We all have opinions! Now that Spring is here (yeah!), those heavy luscious reds may become less appealing. We don't need deep contemplation! Not when the sun is shining into the evening! We need something refreshing to welcome the season! So try this, a Classic Cesar salad with pancetta or bacon, Parmesan cheese, home-made croutons on top of sweet Romain lettuce with a good dressing (preferably with anchovies as an ingredient- don't cringe its the best!) serve with a crisp rosé. A rosé will compliment the richness of the dressing without being too heavy for a green salad. One of my favorite rosés is from the Southern Rhone region of Tavel, right across the river from Chateauneaf-du-Pape, known for producing excellent dry rosé from a blend of primarily Grenache, Cincaut, and Carignan grapes. Tavel is the king of rosés! Since the 16th century Tavel produces arguably the best rosé in France. They are structured and slightly bodied (prepare to be surprised!) Tavel can age and is consumed in France year round, not just as a warm weather wine. Or if you prefer a new world rosé try one made from Syrah or Pinot Noir grapes, seen more and more and with rising quality. Rosés are meant to be lighthearted and light on the pocketbook so find one in the $15 dollar range. Something fun to try; get both and do a taste comparison with you friends and family. A Taste of Spring if you will!

Cheers! Tell me your opinions, loves, and hates! Eat, Drink, think!!