California Wine Country Tour

Believe it or not, it has been over a decade since I’ve been anywhere near the city of Chicago. And even my last foray to this neck of woods didn’t take me into vicinity of the city. Now, having been here for a short while, and having taken some time to move around Chicago, I can say without hesitation is is one magnificent metropolis.

This is what a city should look like. The skyline is remarkable, studded with stunning testaments to man’s artistic sensibilities. They Chicagoans have taken great advantage of the water nearby in the form of lakes and rivers and their parks are accessible and used to the hilt.

As for atmosphere, I’ve never been in a more masculine city. It just gives that impression. If they ever enclose this city in a dome, that dome will be lined with red leather and mahogany and girded by steel. And I swear, you can not take ten steps down a street without tripping over steakhouse. Add to all this the fact that they have 2 baseball teams and at one point in the plane’s descent into O’Hare I was able to lay my eyes on ten different golf course…and that from from just one side of the plane.

The only problem is weather: thunderstorms, snow and humidity. Ouch.

My purpose for being here is outlined in the previous post. I just a moment ago finished sitting on a panel with Craig Wold, president of the Wine & Spirit Wholesalers Association where he and I debated whether or not UPS drivers were capable of looking at an Identification card, finding the date of birth and then doing the math. I suggested the drivers were quite capable of this remarkable bit of mathematics. Craig was not so sure and thought it best to err on the side of caution by not allowing any delivery of wine to a home.

To be sure, the discussion in front of America’s alcohol regulators was a spirited one. Despite my slide into sarcasm on the issue of basic math, I think I was able to communicate to the audience that wine retailers merely want to be regulated. They want the opportunity to subject themselves to states’ legal and regulatory jurisdiction, they want to pay taxes on wines sent into the states, they want to file reports and all for the opportunity to serve the increasing market for fine wines that wholesalers have either no interest or no capability of serving.

And speaking of an increasing market in fine wine, the general counsel for FED EX who took the podium after Mr. Wolf and I confirmed that between 2005 and 2007 their wine shipments have increased 94%. I’ve got news for them…that’s just the beginning.

I did learn something, however. Regulating retailers appears to be a daunting task for America′s Alcohol Regulators. They see the potential of hundreds of thousands of retailers applying for permits if they allow out-of-state retailers to obtain permits to ship wine to consumers in their state. This is a case of their greatest fear being as far from the truth as possible. The fact is, in states where both wine retailers and wineries may ship direct, more than 80% of the permits issues are held by wineries, not retailers. This figure is consistent in every state where this set of licensing circumstances exist. This fact must be driven home.

One thing became clear as Craig Wolf and I went back and forth: wholesalers make their arguments against direct shipping on the basis of fear. Their strategy is to instill fear into the minds of legislators, regulators, police and healthcare workers. If these folks can be convinced that all hell and serious death will break forth if wine lovers are able to have their $40 Zinfandels delivered to them, they figure, they can stave off further direct shipping inroads. Nearly every statement Mr. Wolf uttered was fashioned to instill fear into the mind of the regulators in the audience.

For my part, I tried to talk about two things: 1) The necessity of bringing retailers inside their regulatory orbit so that state regulators could in fact monitor direct shipments from retailers as well as collect much more tax revenue and 2) stand up for consumers, who’s interests and desires are almost never discussed in either regulatory or legislative forums when direct shipping is the topic.

I explained that if their concern is unregulated and illegal shipments, they should probably get over their fear because there is very little they can do to stop consumers from doing whatever they have to do to get that simple bottle of wine not available locally but available in another state. The reason for this is that consumers simply have no respect for laws that they view as arbitrary, protective of certain financial interests and that actually serve in no way to protect the welfare of heath of the citizens of states. At some point, regulators and legislators are going to have to take consumers’ interests to heart. They are, after all, the people the regulators are their to serve. I explained that if they do not take into account consumers’ interests, they will continue to see the laws they enforce, their own enforcement efforts and the legislators that enact these laws ridiculed and dismissed as tools.

I am still convinced that in all but a few cases, consumers will end up earning the right to access the wines they want via direct shipment from retailers only as a result of litigation that forces states to change their laws. What a shame that millions of dollars must be spent on court proceedings only to find out that a far less expensive route could have been taken with simple legislation.

I hope to see a great deal more of this city over the next three days. It is a magnificent place to be.

Original post by Tom Wark

Chaumette Vineyards & Winery will hold its third annual F

It can be an expensive endeavor to be a fan of European wines, but if you like earthy, Old-World reds, or are just in the mood to experiment with something different, we suggest a dry table wine from Portugal.

Original post by Tim

The Kingsmen Shakespeare Company is hosting a wine tasting and silent auction from 3 to 6 p.m. July 13 to raise money for its theater programs.

Original post by Tim

We all understand the power of brands. There was likely a time for most Americans alive to day when we used “Reynolds Wrap” when we meant aluminum foil. Some of us still say Kleenex instead of tissue and Xerox instead of photocopy. When one company pioneers a product that becomes so ubiquitous and common, it’s likely that the name will stick, even when we’re no longer using the original product.

There was a time in Japan’s history when sake was more easily referred to as Oyamazake, for exactly the same reasons. In 1882, the Shogun commanded that a sake brewing operation be established to feed the growing thirst for rice wine at the court, and like most of the time when the Shogun asked for something, he got what he wanted.

At it’s height, the brewing operation that sprang in the town of Oyama occupied almost fifty separate breweries arranged side-by-side on the Shonai plain in northwestern Japan. The amount of sake produced at the height of production is unknown, but it must have been truly staggering.

Today, several sake breweries call he town of Oyama home, but only one brewery can trace its history back to that massive brewing operation begun more than a century ago. Named Ohyama, or “big mountain,” this modest brewery continues to carry on the traditions of sake brewing much as they were established before the turn of the century.

Ohyama makes several sakes, but perhaps one of their best is this very special nigori, or “unfiltered,” sake. Unfiltered in the world of sake means much the same as it does in the world of wine. The process of making sake eventually yields a big soup of mushy fermented rice and alcohol in the same way that the end of fermentation for grapes results in a big tank of grape skins, wine, seeds, etc.

In order to get sake out of the mash, the sake must be pressed off of its lees (the solid bits of rice and yeast that are left). This usually involves putting sake into canvas bags and then squeezing those bags in a pneumatic press so that the sake squirts out and the rice and such is left behind. The resulting sake is a milky, cloudy color as it still contains a lot of rice starch and yeast in suspension.

At this point the sake is usually cold filtered through charcoal or other mediums to clarify the sake, but occasionally, brewers will simply stop here, and this cloudy, sediment filled sake is known as nigori. The rice starch gives the sake a milkier, slightly sweeter flavor which makes nigori a nice aperitif, as well as a good match for stronger flavored foods.

Interestingly, if you were to travel back in time, say, to 1882, when Ohyama was busy making sake for the Shogun, all the sake would have been unfiltered because they hadn’t invented the filters yet. Clear sake is quite a modern phenomenon.

Unfortunately while nigori sake is also an increasingly popular phenomenon, much of it is extremely low in quality. In some sake drinking circles, nigori sake is the equivalent of white zinfandel, an entry level brew that is easy to drink and doesn′t take much to appreciate. As a result most nigori sakes are made from relatively low quality rice, are often fortified with alcohol, and in some cases, are just downright nasty tasting.

Increasingly however, there are some breweries that are making extremely high quality nigori sake, and Ohyama happens to be one of them. This sake is a “tokubetsu” junmai nigori, which means “very special” junmai nigori. The Haenuki rice has been milled to less than 60% of its former mass (enough to qualify for ginjo status), and no additional alcohol has been added in the brewing process. These two facts, coupled with the extra care taken in its production have made for one of the finest, most delicate nigori sakes available on the market today.

Tasting Notes:
This sake looks like watery, fat free milk in the glass, and it smells very pretty, with aromas of rainwater, flowers, and faint hints of bubble gum. In the mouth it is smooth and creamy, with flavors of…well…cream, wet cedar wood, apple, floral notes, and a beautiful stony quality that lasts through a surprisingly long finish. This is one of the most refined, elegant nigori sakes I have ever had.

Food Pairing:
Even though it is refined in quality, this sake has the robustness of the nigori style, which means it is not so easily overwhelmed by stronger flavors (like many delicate sakes are). I’d happily serve this sake with any non-spicy south or east Asian food. It would go beautifully with a mild Vietnamese curry, for instance.

Overall Score: 9/9.5

How Much?: $15

This sake is available for purchase on the Internet.

Original post by Vinography: A Wine Blog

DiVine, left, a living-vine performer from San Diego, Calif., poses with an auction goer during the wine auction earlier this month (AP photo). ST. HELENA, Calif.

Original post by Tim

Owners of an area wine store hope to uncork the secret to success as an independent store after the demise of the chain that formerly franchised it.

Original post by Tim

Discover Los Angeles Wineries. Plan a wine tasting trip to Los Angeles Area Wineries. Find information on Southern California wineries.

Original post by Tom Wark

A decade-old domestic wine industry in India is expanding rapidly as Indians acquire a taste for wine. But high import duties continue to remain a barrier for foreign wine producers in the Indian market.

Original post by Tim

CRISP winter weather beckoned crowds to the second Maldon Food and Wine Festival at the weekend.

Original post by Tim

Dan Berger is one of the most respected wine writers in the country. He is a straight shooter, and he provides his readers with valuable information about trends in the industry.

Original post by Tim

Shake off the winter blues and head up to the Boland for an amazing week of fun-filled activities, all leading up to the sixth annual Stellenbosch Wine Festival, which takes place from 31 July to 3 August 2008 at the Paul Roos Centre in Stellenbosch.

Original post by Tim

Bruce Jack, the founder of Flagstone wines and the broker of the biggest international investment to date in the South African wine industry, has been named Wine Personality of the Year at the first Financial Mail Wine Business Awards held on Thursday, 26 June at Gallagher Estate in Johannesburg.

Original post by Tim

UK wine agency Crush Wines is looking to create a branded wine sold purely in 200ml or 250ml bottles.

Original post by Tim

European Union farm subsidy rules are hampering the ability of wine growers in southern Finland to sell their small-scale wine production.

Original post by Tim

VietNamNet Bridge - Yang Bay Tourism Park in the central coastal province of Khanh Hoa announced a record-sized

Sunday wine tastings could become an option for Pickens County vineyards.

Original post by Tim

If you have more than a passing interest in wine, you’ve no doubt heard some form of this common complaint: wine critic Robert Parker’s palate, with it’s emphasis for ‘hedonistic fruit bombs,’ has ruined the wine world, because now everyone makes (unappealing/monstrous/one-dimensional/sweet/spoofulated/choose-your-adjective) wines that taste the same and have the singular goal of a high point score from Parker.

I have long maintained that this “sky is falling” point of view (perhaps best typified by the irresponsible polemic, Mondovino) and in particular the demonization of Robert Parker’s palate as monolithic represents a sort of irrational fanaticism with little basis in reality.

My observations, for as long as I have been following the world of wine criticism, have led me to believe that, contrary to the whining and accusations of many, most of the world’s top wine critics tend to completely agree with Parker when it comes to most of the top wines of the world.

And now there’s actually been a study that seems to bolster my anecdotal convictions. Conducted by the Center for Hospitality Research at Cornell University, this recently released study was commissioned to examine the hypothesis that the ordered ranking of Bordeaux Chateaux into First Growths, Second Growths, etc. that has been in place since 1855 may no longer be truly accurate. In the process of testing this hypothesis, the researchers have produced the only statistical analysis I have ever seen that compares the rankings of major wine critics across similar wines. And while it was not the purpose of their research, their findings on the correlation of scores between The Wine Spectator, Robert Parker, and Stephen Tanzer are quite remarkable.

In short: these three sources are in near complete agreement on which wines are the best, and they have been for three decades. This result utterly refutes the idea that somehow Parker’s “skewed” palate has driven the wine market to a place that it would not have otherwise gone on its own.

Here′s one of the charts from the report that pretty much says it all (click to enlarge):

This graphic shows the ratings for nearly 50 of the top wines of the Medoc region of Bordeaux by these three critical sources. The researchers’ primary findings about these ratings are nicely visualized here, namely that there are incredibly strong correlations between all three raters as to which are the better wines, as well as which wines are relatively better than others, as well as the fact that the differences between these raters are consistent. Parker gives higher ratings (by about one third of a point) than the Spectator, which in turn is about a point higher than Stephen Tanzer. Over 30 years of data, even in the cases where there is significant disagreement between these raters, that disagreement is rarely more than two or three points, maximum.

The only way this study could have proved my suspicions any better is if it had included scores from European critics like Jancis Robinson, Stephen Spurrier, Michael Bettane, and Michael Broadbent.

But luckily enough, there’s a fairly easy way to answer that “what if?”, thanks to a phenomenally useful site called Bordoverview.Com, which lists the scores for several hundred top Bordeaux wines across the past 4 vintages and across a huge range of critics, including Parker, Robinson, Bettane, and the Spectator. A quick pass through the data on that site should be enough to put a nail in the coffin of the myth of the monolithic palate once and for all.

A comparison of the top 20 wines from each of the critics from every vintage since 2004 yields an overlap of more than 60%. I didn’t have the time (or the skill) to grab all the scores and run a regression analysis on them, but I’d bet good money that they’d show the same level of correlation, as well as internal consistency that was found by the Cornell study.

Of course, there will be people who will say, “well, that’s just the top Chateaux of Bordeaux, what about California, or Burgundy, or Italy, or Australia?” It certainly would be great to do this sort of analysis on scores from the critics for all those regions. But the reality is that the majority of wine critics don’t cover all those regions equally. Bordeaux, and the Left Bank in particular, is the ultimate benchmark for wine critics — every major critic covers nearly every one of these wines every year, and these are ostensibly the best wines on the planet if only judged by broad historical market prices and demand.

So let’s just put this one to rest, shall we? If anyone wants to persist in the argument that Robert Parker is ruining wine for the world then they need to answer the following question: how can that possibly be, when the rest of the major wine critics in the world seem to agree with him (nearly wine for wine) and when it appears that some have done so for decades?

I highly recommend you check out the report from Cornell, and that you spend some time playing with Bordoverview.Com.

Oh, and about that 1855 Classification? Looks like it needs a significant overhaul.

Original post by Vinography: A Wine Blog

Those of you that read my post last last March know that I am a fan of Scott Wright’s (pictured left with his wife Martha and daughter Pirrie) wines. He makes wines under the Scott Paul label in Oregon’s Willamette Valley and selects and imports some very fine Burgundy as Scott Paul Selections. What I love about the wines that Scott both makes and imports is their purity. They are wines made with a delicate hand that respects the vineyards from which they come. Balance, grace and refinement are the best descriptors of his wines. The easiest place to obtain these wines is probably directly from Scott Paul, which you can contact by email or by phone at 503-852-7305. If you′re lucky enough to stop by their tasting room in Carlton, you′ll find some of his French selections available on the tasting bar right next to his own wines from Oregon.

• Crémant de Bourgogne, Domaine Huber-Vedereau - 100% pinot noir and you can taste it. At $22 this is an amazing value, unfortunately only 100 cases were produced so grab a case while you can. The flavors and aromas are more fruit driven than yeasty lees driven, but there’s more than enough toasty character to keep it interesting. Very long and bright with a creamy texture. Lovely bubbly.

• Champagne Brut Réserve, Domaine Marc Chauvet - Here’ a Champagne very high on the "wow" meter. Grower Champagnes like this are so much better than the big commercial brands that it’s embarrassing. This is a wonderful wine with a lifting brightness powered by bubbles and brilliant citrus flavors laced over a complex base of fruit and toasty lees. A finish designed to exercise your saliva glands. 65% pinot noir, 35% chardonnay 100% delicious ($45)

• St. Veran, Champ Rond, Domaine Thibert Père & Fils, 2006 - Firm, crisp and mineraly with a bright green apple and honeysuckle fruitiness, this charming chardonnay is a great bargain at $24 as it clearly displays some of the best characteristics of the more expensive Burgundian chardonnays to the north. Match with some fresh dungeness crab and you will find inner peace.

• Gevrey Chambertin, Clos Prieur, Domane René Leclerc, 2006 - There is a wonderful grace and purity in this very fine pinot. Starting shyly at first, as befits its youth, the flavors grow and expand until you are totally seduced. The refinement in each aspect of this wine is very impressive with silky, but firm tannins tying everything together in a perfect package. It needs three or four more years to really open. For a Burgundy under $50 there is a lot going on in this wine. ($44)

• Pommard 1er Cru, Clos de Derriére St. Jean, Domaine Violot Guillemard. 2006 - The expected tannic punch never arrives in this surprisingly silky, velvety young Pommard, which is an AOC that usually packs structure to spare. However, this wine is still very closed and demands aging so it is not a wine to buy for dinner this weekend. I believe this will age into an outstanding wine.  As it comes from Burgundy’s smallest Premier Cru vineyard at a ¼ acre and produced only 23 cases, I think it’s worthy or getting the aging it deserves. As you are unlikely to find this in a floor stacking at SafeWay, I suggest you contact Scott Paul ASAP. ($75)

• Echezeaux, Domaine Jean-Marc-Millot, 2006 - Here’s pinot in all its glory. Richly textured, velvety, silky and endlessly aromatic with flavors that never seem to end and this wine is just getting started. Perfect color, beautiful fruit and richly complex tannins show everything that makes pinot great. (Price: if you have to ask…)

• Romanée St. Vivant, Grand Cru, J.J. Confuron, 2004 - I tasted this wine last March, and it’s just as beautiful and just as nowhere ready to drink as it was then. Given five or so years, this will be an outstanding wine. ($225)

• Pinot Noir, La Paulèe, Willamette Valley, Scott Paul Wines, 2006 - Not every American winemaker would like to show his pinot after such a line-up, but Scott Wright obviously knows his own wine. While he is not trying to make Burgundy in Oregon, you can tell what his palate has been honed on. While more fruit-forward and flowery than the preceding Burgundy selections this very fine pinot noir displays the balance and grace that brought winemakers from California to Oregon in the first place. While certainly drinkable now, I would wait a few years, which will bring out even greater complexity.

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Original post by Craig Camp

I’m off to Chicago for a few days for the National Conference of State Liquor Administrators Annual Conference. I get to appear on a panel with Craig Wolf, CEO of the Wine &amp Spirit Wholesalers Association. It should be…Interesting. Well be discussing direct shipping from two very different perspectives.

It’s a good opportunity to finally get some answers to some burning questions I have.

For instance, Mr. Wolf and wine wholesalers across the country have argued for many years now that since there exists the possibility that wine can get into the hands of minors as a result of direct shipment, we ought to close down this channel of commerce all together. We are not being asked to shut down direct shipping because there is an epidemic or severe problem or slight problem with minors obtaining alcohol via direct shipping. We are told we should shut down direct shipment of wine because it poses the possibility that minors can obtain wine via direct shipment.

So the question I really need answered is this: When will Craig Wolf and America’s wine wholesalers call for shutting down all brick and mortar sales of wine?

Perhaps more important, when will Craig Wolf and America’s wine wholesales call for a prohibition on wine being kept in the homes of parents?

It’s not just a possibility that minors obtain alcohol via brick and mortar sales and from the home. It’s a fact.

Will Mr. Wolf call for a new era of Prohibition? I’m doubting it. And I sure hope he does not because if we′ve learned anything about wine wholesalers in America, they tend to get what they want. I’m all in favor of them remaining wed to their hypocritical position: Keep open those channels where minors are most likely to get their hands on wine and close down those channels where minors are not likely to obtain wine.

The other question I’m dying to get answered is how can the wine industry gently break it to consumers, and get them to accept, that they have no business desiring products the wholesalers don′t want to make available. This is tricky one. I’ve been in the PR business for almost 20 years and still am not sure how to get wine lovers to agree that their desire to taste new, different and even obscure wines is a fool’s errand and that they should be perfectly happy with what the wholesalers say they should have access to. Maybe there will be a breakout session at the Conference on this issue. We’ll call it, “Screwing the Consumer, Gently.”

This is what consumers are being told when the state either fails to allow direct shipment by retailers to consumers or strips consumers of a right to have wine shipped to them by out of state retailers. Despite the fact that many states that prohibit retailer-to-consumer sales do allow domestic wineries to ship direct into their states, the prohibition on retailer shipping means that thousands of wines are unavailable because wholesalers don′t bring them into the state. The primary effect is on imported wines that can′t be bought direct from their wineries. But how many times has a California winery sold out of a wine or the local retailer has sold out of the wine, while retailers in another state still have some? “All the time” is the correct answer.

One of the things I’ll try to do as I address liquor administrators from around the country is impress upon them the concerns of the consumer. The consumer is so rarely discussed when issues of direct direct shipping is raised you′d think they have nothing to do with the subject when in fact they are the only reason the subject is debated at all.

Original post by Tom Wark

Learn about food and wine including the different types of wine; both red wine and white wine. Learn about food and wine pairing.

Original post by Tom Wark

Looking for a California bed and breakfast Cambria? The Blue Whale Inn is a spectacular California bed and breakfast in Cambria., located on the ocean near Paso Robles wineries.

Original post by Tom Wark

Enjoy the best views of the Napa Valley while dining at Auberge du Soleil in Rutherford. Auberge du Soleil is a romantic Napa Restaurant with great food and service.

Original post by Tom Wark

These days, with a newborn, I don′t get out to many large tasting events, but one I decided I shouldn′t miss this year was the annual Golden Glass tasting in San Francisco a couple of weeks ago. This tasting is an annual fundraiser for Slow Food USA, and has been called the best single wine tasting event in San Francisco by more than a few wine lovers I know. In addition to having a reputation for pouring a lot of great wine (mostly Italian) the Slow Food focus attracts many of the top artisan food producers and restaurants from around the Bay Area. So the snacks are pretty good.

Generally the Golden Glass is on a weekend that conflicts with many other wine tasting events for me, so I often don’t get a chance to attend, but this year I carved a couple of hours out of my schedule to wander the hall and check out what the event had to offer.

While past years have been almost exclusively Italian in focus, this year a significant number of producers from New Zealand were on hand, as well as smatterings of other regions like Australia, Spain, Germany, and Argentina. I cruised these areas, and after a little consideration, decided to focus my tasting efforts on the Italian contingent (which still made up more than 60% of the wine being poured).

After all the hype about this tasting from folks I know in the business, I have to say I was disappointed in the quality of the wines. That goes for both the Italians, which I tasted, and the rest of the producers, many of whom I was familiar with. Don’t get me wrong there was plenty of good wine there. But there wasn’t a lot of amazing wine being poured. Compared to the Tre Bicchieri tasting, held about two month’s earlier, this tasting was lackluster. However, there were some excellent wines to be found amongst a crowd of decent ones, so my scores follow below.

The food at the event was definitely some of the best I′ve had at any public wine tasting event, and might alone be worth the $50 entrance fee.

WHITE WINES

WHITE WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 9.5
2006 Cantina Prod. San Pauls Sauvignon Passion. $35

WHITE WINES SCORING BETWEEN 9 AND 9.5
2004 Barone Pizzini/Pievalta Verdicchio Castelli Jesi Class. San Paolo Pievalta. $30
2006 D’Antiche Terre Greco di Tufo. $21

WHITE WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 9
2007 Cornarea Roero Arneis. $26
2006 Pierpaolo Pecorari Sauvignon, Kolaus. $32
2005 Primosic Collio Ribolla Gialla di Oslavia Riserva. $20
2007 Ronco dei Tassi Malvasia Collio. $25
2007 Ronco dei Tassi Sauvignon Collio. $25
2007 San Michele Appiano Alto Adige Sauvignon Sanct Valentin. $45

WHITE WINES SCORING BETWEEN 8.5 AND 9
2007 Castello di Neive Roero Arneis. $16
2006 Collavini Broy Bianco Collio . $??
2003 Collavini Ribolla Gialla Brut. $35
2006 D′Antiche Terre Fiano d’Avellino. $21
NV Gigante Schiopettino Cof. $32
NV Gigante Pinot Grigio Cof. $25
2006 La Boatina Pinot Grigio Collio. $25
NV Livon Braide Alte. $30
2006 Marchesi Incisa della Rocchetta Roero Arneis . $??
2006 Marotti Campi Verdicchio Castelli di Jesi Classico Salmariano. $16
2006 Marotti Campi Verdicchio Castelli di Jesi Classico Luzano. $18
2004 Primosic Collio Bianco KLIN. $35

WHITE WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 8.5
2006 Barone Pizzini/Pievalta Verdicchio Castelli Jesi Class sup. Pievalta. $19
NV Gigante Friulano Cof. $25
2007 Livon Ribolla Gialla. $28
2006 Pierpaolo Pecorari Pinot Grigio, Olivers. $32
2006 Pierpaolo Pecorari Pinot Grigio. $30
2006 Primosic Collio Pinot Grigio Murno. $16
2004 San Michele Appiano Alto Adige Pinot Nero Sanct Valentin. $45

WHITE WINES SCORING BETWEEN 8 AND 8.5
2006 Accomo - Bricco Majolica Langhe Bianco

WHITE WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 8
NV Barone Pizzini/Pievalta Franciacorta Brut Barone Pizzini. $37
2006 Busso - La Badia Moscato d’Asti. $20
NV Livon Tiareblu. $25

RED WINES

RED WINES SCORING BETWEEN 9 AND 9.5
2001 Prunotto Barbaresco Bric Turot DOCG. $90
2001 Prunotto Costamiole Barbera D′Asti. $70
2005 Prunotto Mompertone Monferrato. $28

RED WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 9
2007 Cantina Prod. San Pauls Pinot Bianco Ploetzner. $25
2007 Caprai Grecante Grechetto Colli Martani . $??
2000 Cascina Adelaide Barolo Riserva Per Elen. $105
2004 Cascina Adelaide Barolo Riserva Vigna Preda. $100
2003 D′Antiche Terre Taurasi DOCG. $40
2003 Il Molino di Grace Gratius. $50
NV La Montagnetta Rosato Ciaret . $??
2003 Marchesi Incisa della Rocchetta Barbera d′Asti Superiore Sant’Emiliano . $??
2006 Marotti Campi Lacrima di Morro D’Alba Orgiolo. $22
2004 Podere Ruggeri Corsini Barolo Corsini. $45

RED WINES SCORING BETWEEN 8.5 AND 9
2004 Attilio Ghisolfi Barolo Bricco Visette . $??
2004 Cantina del Pino Barbaresco Ovello. $50
2004 Cascina Adelaide Barolo Fossati. $85
2004 Cascina Adelaide Barolo Riserva Cannubi. $84
2003 Fornacina Brunello di Montalcino DOCG . $??
2003 Il Molino di Grace Chianti Classico Riserva. $30
2006 La Montagnetta Freisa Bugianen
2003 San Michele Appiano Alto Adige Lagrein Sanct Valentin. $45
2003 Tenuta Caparzo /Borgo Scopeto Brunello di Montalcino Caparzo. $50
2004 Valle Reale Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Valle Reale. $21
2003 Valle Reale Montepulciano d’Abruzzo San Calisto. $38

RED WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 8.5
2006 Accomo - Bricco Majolica Dolcetto Diano Sori’ Bricco Maiolica. $20
2005 Attilio Ghisolfi Barbera d’Alba Vigna Lisi . $??
2004 Caprai Sagrantino di Montefalco Collepiano . $??
2005 Caprai Rosso di Montefalco . $??
2006 Cascina Adelaide Barbera d’Alba Vigna Preda. $36
2003 D′Angelo Aglianico del Vulture Caselle. $35
2005 Fornacina Rosso di Montalcino . $??
2004 Le Fonti Chianti Classico Riserva. $45
2007 Marotti Campi Rubico . $??
2006 Poderi San Lazzaro Sangiovese Polesio. $18
2005 Poderi San Lazzaro Grifola. $60
2003 Sassotondo Ciliegiolo Riserva San Lorenzo . $??
2007 Sassotondo Rosso Maremma Toscana . $??
2006 Valle Reale Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Vigne Nuove. $15

RED WINES SCORING BETWEEN 8 AND 8.5
2006 Cantina Prod. San Pauls Lagrein Gries. $28
2004 Castello di Neive Barbaresco Riserva Santo Stefano. $50
2006 Castello di Neive Pinot Nero I Cortini. $30
2003 Le Fonti Fontissimo. $60
2006 Poderi San Lazzaro Rosso Piceno Superiore Poderi 72. $20

RED WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 8
2004 Accomo - Bricco Majolica Nebbiolo Cumot. $28
2003 Busso - La Badia Barbera d’Asti Clotilde. $28
2006 Cantina del Pino Nebbiolo Langhe. $20
2005 Cascina La Corte Barbera d′Asti La Grissa . $??
2005 Cornarea Roero. $32
2003 D’Angelo Canneto Rosso Basilicata. $28
2006 D’Angelo Sacravite Rosso Basilicata. $18
2005 Le Fonti Chianti Classico. $30
2005 Podere Ruggeri Corsini Langhe. $20
2007 Ronco dei Tassi Collio Rosso Cjarandon. $25

Original post by Vinography: A Wine Blog

We learn about ourselves and our world through little mini revelations. I’ve had a few over the years as they relate to my life and wine. Here are my Top Ten Wine Revelations



10. Stony Hill Chardonnay

Stony Hill’s Chardonnays, those crisp, lemony, minerally, long-lived gems, were the first wines that possessed me and put me on a quest. I wanted to taste and/or have every single one ever produced. My collection, unfortunately stops somewhere in the very early 70s, meaning I’m missing at least about 15 vintages. Still, this was the first wine that spoke to me and my palate.

9. They pay you to work in the wine industry

Can you believe it? It still gives me the giggles.

8. Wine Producing Regions Are the Best Places to Live

Say what you will about ocean-side retreats, mountain vistas, the great cities of the world and deserted islands. It’s wine country, I discovered, that attracts folks that demand pleasure be given a greater space in their lives, who will support local efforts to provide that and who, as a whole, are usually very interesting to be around.

7. Austrian Ice Wine

This is a recent revelation I have Winemonger.com to thank for. Drinking these little bottled orgasms are akin to engaging in a violent wrestling match with a velvet-clad Scarlett Johansson.

6. There is No Relationship Between What’s On the Outside and Inside of the Bottle

If you think that the appearance of the bottle has anything to say about the juice inside then I want your contact information and that of your family because you are bound to be a great prospect for the sale of a bridge I’m in possession of. I would have been such a prospect until I got into the business of designing wine packaging and discovered that wine packaging is often an exercise in disguising what’s inside the bottle.

5. Wine is a Business That Brings Out the Hungry Dogs

It truly is a dog-eat-dog business. This I discovered when I first started dabbling in the politics of wine and discovered that all wine politics are about dividing up the spoils and that fairness plays no role in the division of wine’s profits. Folks will say, do and try just about anything to control as much of wine’s lucre.

4. Rose on a Summer Day is Better than Pot

I knew I was addicted to Rose & Summer when my mind habitually started drifting to this combination around January. Call me dreamy, overindulgent, hedonistic or just lazy, but to this day I can think of no better buzz than a 90 degree summer day and my own bottle of Dry Rose.

3. Top Critics know nothing about my palate

“This got 95 points? You’re fucking kidding me? This is swill!”

2. BV Private Reserve: Good Wine is Good

The year was 1985 and I’d begun my wine education by reading books and drinking cheap wine while in college. I had to steal this wine off the shelf by placing the price tag of a cheap wine over the BV Private Reserve Cab’s price tag. The college student behind the cash register had no idea what he was selling me so the caper went off without a hitch. I took the bottle back to my place, opened it and discovered I loved wine.



1. Serious Wine Drinkers Are Always More Interesting People

This is the single most important revelation that has hit me about wine. I has always been true and I suspect it always will. It appears that those folks that are attracted to wine in an unusually compulsive way also happen to be the folks willing to explore all sorts of interesting ideas, tend to think more deeply, tend to want to converse more seriously and tend to place great emphasis on living well. I′ll take that.

Original post by Tom Wark

It’s hard to believe that in the early 1990′s less than 100 acres of vineyards were planted in Chile’s Casablanca valley. In little more than two decades, this region of Chile has surged in growth and popularity, and is currently producing excellent wines that generally represent fantastic values on the world market. The region is currently home to more than 10,000 acres of vineyards.

Back when the grape acreage was still in the triple digits Agustin Huneeus decided that the Casablanca valley was one of Chile’s most promising wine regions, and that he needed to start making wine there. Not surprisingly, the world took notice. Huneeus was not just any aspiring winemaker. Indeed, by 1990 Huneeus could lay claim to being one of Chile’s first great modern wine pioneers.

In 1960 Agustin Huneeus entered the Chilean wine scene by becoming CEO and majority owner of Concha y Toro, the wine brand that would eventually put Chile on the wine map for the rest of the world. In 1971 the political climate in Chile became unstable and Huneeus left for the United States, where he took over the helm of the beverage giant Seagrams Worldwide for a time, as well as Franciscan winery in Napa. He went on to purchase the Quintessa winery in 1989.

The early 1990’s were calmer times in Chile, and Huneeus was afforded the opportunity to spend more time in his home country exploring the continually expanding wine regions, including the Casablanca Valley. These explorations turned serious rather quickly, and before long Huneeus was the proprietor of a brand new Chilean winery called Veramonte.

Veramonte, by now, is a well established producer of quality Chilean wines, and a recognizable brand for anyone who strays into the global section of their wine shops, as well as those who have a thirst for reasonably priced Sauvignon Blanc, of which Veramonte makes a seemingly never-ending supply.

Veramonte makes primarily single varietal wines with a sole exception: this wine called Primus. The story of this Bordeaux blend goes all the way back to Bordeaux in the 1800s, when a wave of French immigrants were setting off to the new world to try and make their fortunes. Being French, they weren’t going anywhere without their wine, and knowing that they were headed to an unknown world, the only way to ensure that there would be wine there was to bring the vines to grow it themselves. So off they went to Chile with vines representing the best of Bordeaux packed in wet sawdust and paper. Only a couple of decades later these few samples and others like them would be some of the only vines that were not utterly destroyed by the Phylloxera epidemic that ravaged Europe’s vineyards.

When Bordeaux got to replanting their vineyards, they did so carefully and methodically, but for some reason, they pretty much ignored one of the grape varieties that was originally common in their vineyards: a grape called Carmenere. To be fair, they also gave Malbec short shrift as well, and now Bordeaux is mostly Cabernet, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc, while Chile has been trying desperately to turn Carmenere into its signature grape.

Unfortunately, in my opinion, Carmenere isn’t that special of a grape, and the single-varietal Carmeneres I′ve tasted haven’t impressed me greatly. What Huneeus knew, however, and Chilean wineries are increasingly discovering, was that Carmenere is an excellent blending grape, and as part of blends that resemble the ancient wines of Bordeaux, it is beautifully expressive.

And that is why Veramonte’s top wine is a blend of Carmenere, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot. The best grapes from the top vineyard parcels are carefully sorted, destemmed, and fermented separately before blending and aging for 2 years in French Oak barrels, about 50% of which are new each year. The wine spends an additional year in bottle before release.

With the level of care, aging time, and the designation as the winery’s top wine, not to mention a snazzy, heavy bottle, it’s easy to imagine this wine as one of the more expensive Chilean wines around. Hell, it even tastes expensive. But I′m happy to say instead that it undeniably represents one of the best values in the wine world today.

Full disclosure: I received this wine as a press sample.

Tasting Notes:
Medium to dark ruby in the glass, this wine has a nose that would make even the most distracted wine taster immediately pay attention: perfumes of chocolate, cherry cordials, and vanilla waft from the glass. In the mouth the wine is beautifully balanced, with a polished feel on the tongue, and the flavors seem to burst in the mouth. Cherries, chocolate, and old wood paneling swirl in a storm of fine grained, dusty tannins and velvet texture. The wine’s finish is long and has beautiful aromas of cocoa powder and confectioners sugar. Surprising, unique, and totally delicious.

Food Pairing:
This is a rich wine, though not one slaked in oak, so despite its brawn, it is quite food friendly. I’d love to drink it with some lightly spiced slow-cooked pork on crunchy bread.

Overall Score: around 9.5

How Much?: $19

This wine is available for purchase on the Internet.

Original post by Vinography: A Wine Blog

Plan your own California Wine Tour with this guide to the California wineries, restaurants, and accommodations. Print free wine tasting coupons and winery maps for California wine regions.

Original post by Tom Wark

In Yountville along Highway 29,
Mustard’s Grill is one of Napa Valley’s best-known restaurants. It is a favorite among winemakers, locals and tourists. This year begins its 25th year of operation. Chef Cindy Pawlcyn opened Mustard

In Yountville along Highway 29,
Mustard

Winemaker Tony Soter is a member of that rare club that has made both exceptional cabernet sauvignon and pinot noir. I’ve always thought that the approach that each of these varieties requires is so diverse that it makes it difficult to find winemakers that can handle both with equal dexterity. Tony has proved over-and-over again that he can cross that bridge with style. Having known Tony and his wines for several decades now, since he made wines at Spottswoode, I think there is a "Soter-icity" in his wines that have made both him and his wines so successful and respected. The key elements to the Soter style are elegance, un-amplified vineyard character and balance.

For many years Tony has divided his attention between his projects in California and Oregon, but last year he and his family made the trek north on a permanent basis and officially set up housekeeping in Oregon full time. Fortunately for us, his winery in Oregon, Soter Vineyards has been slowly increasing production and more people will be able to enjoy these lovely wines made by Tony and his winemaker James Cahill. However, make no mistake, this is still a very small winery and many releases are essentially sold only on their website.

Their two new releases of pinot noir are the main focus of their production, full of Soter-icity and should be available in most major markets. It’s worth pointing out that both of these wines are under 14% alcohol, which unfortunately has been less common in Oregon lately. They are well worth seeking out.

• 2006 Soter, North Valley Pinot Noir - a relatively new wine for Soter that debuted with the 2004 vintage and they decided to keep. Crafted from a blend of estate and purchased fruit the North Valley delivers the Soter style at a more moderate price and in slightly larger quantities. Typical of the 2006 vintage, the North Valley is forward and fruity with bright touches of cassis and wild blackberries on the nose and on the palate. Graciously silky from start to finish those that like their pinot velvety will be well satisfied. It’ll be better next year, but why wait? (Find online)

• 2005 Soter, Mineral Springs Vineyard, Pinot Noir, Yamhill-Carlton District - The Yamhill-Calrton District is proving to be home to vineyards capable of producing rich, voluptuous wines of great character, Shea Vineyard being the most famous example. The Mineral Spring section of that AVA is the leg sticking down on the right if your looking north and is an area to watch. Soter’s young Mineral Springs Vineyard, situated high on a hill with a spectacular view of the Coast Range, has all the potential to be a great vineyard, which you will understand when you taste this very fine pinot noir. The color is a rich ruby that is just translucent. On the nose expansive aromas of wild strawberries mix with black raspberries, vanilla and black truffles. The tannins in the finish are wonderful for their silky, but firm character that bodes well for those with the patience to age. A perfect example of Soter-icity. (Find online)

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Original post by Craig Camp