Tom’s Wine Blog

www.tomswineblog.blogspot.com

One day on a walk home from work I stopped in a small local grocer looking for a cheap bottle of white wine to cook with.  I knew they had (and still do by the way) a decent selection of wines so I would probably find what I need.  I found what I needed up front near the register (a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc for $3.99) but as I usually do when I go anywhere that has wine, a compulsion inside me draws me to peruse the aisles for any under-priced gems or rare bottles.  One in particular I found to be one of my best buys in a while and want to share it with you.  That bottle was the Avalon Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from the 2005 vintage and it only cost me $12.99

“Unlike wines from the Culinary Industrial Complex, Avalon wines are original and uncut. Our wines reflect the true essence of Cabernet Sauvignon without pretense, hang-ups or apathy.”

So says the quote from the website extolling the virtues of Avalon Winery.  He is the long short of this winery.  The business man behind the wine, Derek Benham, started the Blackstone label (famous for their Merlot) right when Merlot hit its stride in the 90’s here in the US .  He later sold it 7 vintages into its genesis.  The winemaker, Alex Cose, was a banker for six years and must have made a killing or burned out as he left the banking business behind to seek out his dream to make wine.  After a few small jobs at some reputable wineries he landed at Joseph Phelps and later the eponymous Peter Michael, quite possibly one the best wineries in California .  The website (www.AvalonWinery.com) references many quotes from legendary writers and musicians, as well as to comparing the wine industry and their wines to the entertainment industry (mostly movies and music).

The wine was consumed over two days.  The first day we did not decant and upon first taste I deemed it was unnecessary as it had superseded my expectations.  It had the hallmark full flavored California fruit, nicely fine grained tannins and ample acidity to balance out the fruit.  Classic aromas of cassis, cherry and oak rose from the glass.  The palate was fresh cherries and cocoa with an herbal note on the back and the finish.  Clean and pure, the wine finished off with those supple tannins and acidity.  The second day the wine was even better.  It added a few more layers of complexity.  Blackberry and plum now mixed with the cherry, oak and herbal aromas and flavors.  The cocoa turned into dark, rich chocolate.  Sadly we only had about a glass and a half left.  Most wines in this price category turn bad after a day being opened.  I used no gas to preserve the wine.  Just a bottle stopper (clamp style) and the refrigerator!  Simply amazing!

Were not done yet!  The fruit is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon (I would guess about 85-95%) from Rutherford and Oakville (excellent sub-appellations in the Napa Valley – Hello!  Paul Hobbs, Schrader, Provenance, Plumpjack, Cakebread, BV, Mondavi Reserve, Opus One, Silver Oak, Rudd, Screaming Eagle are Oakville/Rutherford sourced Cabernet) ) with the addition of a minute portion of syrah.  This is great considering most people cut their Cabernet with Merlot.  You just don’t find many wines of this pedigree and quality for under $20, let alone under $15!  I will be buying a case VERY soon!  There is also a “California Cabernet” and I will be trying to source some over the next few weeks and will blog it if it turns out to be as good a deal as the Napa Valley bottling.  This will be my house red for the foreseeable future!

Cheers!

Also check out my other blog site:  www.tomswineblog.blogspot.com   

            If you are seriously thinking of getting into these wines, they have a very accessible price point.  The most expensive in recent vintages are only about $75 from what the recent wine shop I visited had for sale (Crush Wine & Spirits – NYC), with many great bottles priced around $20.  Wachau seems to be to Austria and Gruner what Napa is like to California Cabernet.  Try other, less known regions to the marketplace and buyers such as such as Kremstal and Kamptal for ideal varietal character and great price points.  Some say the soils in the latter two make for better Gruners, that’s up to you to decide for yourself. 

            Today’s meal was a spinach salad with zebra tomatoes and my own balsamic vinaigrette, broccolini in olive oil and roasted garlic, and pork tenderloin marinated in olive oil, garlic and herbs.  Not exactly what I would pair with a Gruner, or anything else specific, but the pairing worked well because of the refreshing acidity natural to a well made Gruner Veltliner.  Now on to the wine!

            This wine is a blend of different vineyards in Austria by the winemaker Graff Hardegg.  Veltlinsky is considered Hardegg’s value wine and interesting enough is bottled in a Bordeaux style bottle and not the traditional Riesling style (long, cone shaped and skinny).  The wine is straw yellow in color.  Aromas of flowers and blossoms dominate a nose also containing spicy granny smith apple notes.  On the palate, the acidity and peppery spiciness abound.  Fresh citrus fruits round out the palate.  The finish is white pepper, lime and that fresh acidity.  This is a great all around wine perfect with food!  Grab a dozen oysters, some mignonette, and drink up!

NON WHITE DRINKERS:  If you “don’t drink white”, please know that wine is about what tastes good and pairs well with food.  Not what color wine is and what people think of you when you have a certain color wine in your glass.  If you care about that, do you really have any preferences of your own?    I love cabs, merlot, pinot and syrah like any other wine geek, but not really in the summer when its 95 degrees and I am looking for something refreshing.  By all means drink what you like.  Heck, I have red with a lot of foods like fish that normally people would say only white wine will do on a 100 degree day.  It happens, but not many times.  Please keep an open mind!

Also check out my other blog site:  www.tomswineblog.blogspot.com 

Rose wines are hotter than ever this year.  I know, I know, every year you hear it but it never seems to actually be that prevalent.  Not this year!  I have been to quite a few wine shops around the NYC area and have noticed “pink” displays in the windows and at the ends of many shops’ aisles highlighting this great style of wine from so many different areas.  The most popular and world renowned Rose is from France .  The benchmark for roses, are those from Provence .  Spain, Italy, the US, South America and Australia are prominent pink purveyors as well. 

Now, let’s just make one thing clear – “traditional” Rose wine is NOT SWEET.  New world version may have a little more upfront fruit, but they lack any residual sugar that makes any wine sweet.  Old world Provencal Rose is bone dry with floral, herbal and fruit aromas, framed by refreshing acidity.  A good Rose has qualities of both a red and white wine.  It will have body and texture like a red and the bracing and refreshing acidity of a white wine.  Flavors are wide ranging from both sides of the wine color spectrum, red and white, as well as flavors found only in a rose.

This is NOT white zinfandel, the adult “Kool-Aid” concocted by the folks at Sutter Home which gets its sweetness from the residual sugar in the wine.  Residual sugar is the leftover sugar not fermented during the process of making the wine and not removed – yes that’s right, they don’t ferment it fully.  One more thing, it also has less alcohol for what that’s worth as less sugar is converted to alcohol.  There is nothing wrong with saying you once had it; many have had it as a bridge to wine from beer and spirits.  So long as you eventually learned about the rest of the world of wine, its ok, not everyone can start out with Mouton Rothschild!  Let’s face it, Americans are raised on sweet sugary sodas, juices, and milk with dinner from birth.  It’s only natural as you move away from that as a young adult you are inclined to be more familiar with a sweeter wine, it’s more palatable and bridges the soda to wine a lot easier.  Maybe that’s the reason for the explosion in super-ripe wines in this country as wine consumption is at an all time high?  Enough of that for now, that will take a whole other blog to go through.  Onto the feature winery and wines.

Domaine Tempier (www.domainetempier.com) located in Bandol (AOC), which is in Provence between Marseilles and Toulon on the Mediterranean , is the modern day benchmark for premium rose wine.  Bandol has made wine for centuries, but started to really hit its stride in the mid-20th century when pioneers like Lucien Peyraud championed Mourvedre wines.  Lucien married Lucie Tempier and together in 1940 took over at Domaine Tempier and made it into the modern version we know today.  Most wines at this estate are made of the grape Mourvedre.  In fact red wines with the name Bandol on the label by law must contain 50% Mourvedre in the blend.  Therefore, all of the rouge or red wines from this estate and others in Bandol are more than half Mourvedre, with Cinsault, Syrah and Grenache some of the remaining components.  The more Mourvedre, the better the Bandol wine is thought to be.  The amazing thing about the Mourvedre grape is it is unique from any other red grape in that it has a natural compound that resists oxidation.  Tempier wines can age for 50 plus years, some well over 100 years.  It’s not uncommon to have a 30 year old Tempier Rose and the wine is in a perfect stage of growth, many times much livelier than one would think a rose of this age would be. 

Domain Tempier Rose 2005 $32

Pink and copper in color.  Creamy and spicy aromas abound in the wines bouquet.   Surprisingly lighter acidity than I would have thought.  Rounder and creamier with cherry and fig flavors. The fig was at first odd as I was not expecting it and never had tasted anything like that.  It took a while to pin that flavor down, but man it was worth it.  The mouth feel was viscous and complex; you knew you had a wine of structure and flavor.  The finish was supple and smooth, with refreshing red fruits, spice and a little honey/waxy feel from that fig.  The wine is a blend of Mourvedre, Grenache, Cinsault and Carignane.

Domain Tempier Rose 2006 $32

Deeper in pink with a copper hue, the 2006 was just as excellent.  The acidity was a little more prevalent, but nothing you would notice without thinking about it – quite refreshing.  The nose was creamy but had more red fruit like strawberry and a touch of spice.  Red fruits like cherry and strawberry filled the mouth.  The finish was a little flashier than the 2005 with spice and red fruits.  Also a blend of Mourvedre, Grenache, Cinsault and Carignane.

Pick up a rose this summer and you won’t regret it!  Many examples of Rose can be had for $10-15.

“Think Pink!”

Also check out my other blog site:  www.tomswineblog.blogspot.com 

Vin de Pays de l’Hérault White Haute Vallée du Gassac 2005 – Daumas Gassac – (Region: Languedoc-Roussillon, sort of)

         Typical from the Viognier in the blend, the nose starts out with aromas of white flowers and apricot, followed up by spicy pear and baked apple.  On the palate a fresh beam of acidity ties together apple, lemon/lime and pear flavors, framed by stone and minerals.  The finish is clean and crisp with citrus and mineral flavors lasting 30 seconds!  90% of this wine is composed of the following grape varietals: Viognier, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, and Manseng.  The remaining 10% are a blend of 5 lesser known varietals such as Roussane, Rhole, petite Arvine, and petit Courbu du Bearn.  The note on the website says there could also be another 10 or so varieties (read below about the “lax” winemaking rules in the Languedoc-Roussillon region)

            Daumas Gassac wines come from a place little known outside the land of wines geeks (or France ) as the Languedoc-Roussillon.  Why sort of?  Well Gassac blends so many different grapes many from other regions such as the Rhone or Provence , that the wines are actually “non-appellation”.  A typical appellation would be Bordeaux or Burgundy .  West of the Rhone, northwest of Provence and bordered on the south by the Mediterranean, the Languedoc lies dead center in the south of France .  Many of the wines from the L-R are blended from a wide variety of grapes.  The L-R rules are relatively lax, so you can grow just about any grapes that make wine in this region and blend them any way you like, unlike in other classic regions where only certain varietals are allowed and certain blending practices permitted.  (i.e. Burgundy is mostly only Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and are not blended with other grape varieties). 

The most popular red varietals grown in the L-R are familiar grapes such as Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Cabernet Sauvignon and cabernet franc.  Common white varietals in the L-R are Chardonnay, Viognier, Chenin Blanc, Marsanne, and Roussane.  Many of the wines from this region are inexpensive because of the relative obscurity of the region to the mass markets, and make for some great deals.  Gassac wines are the most respected and well known from the Languedoc.

Daumas is a wily old man and VERY French.  Daumas is a classic old French vingeron and is very proactive in protecting and defending his and other fellow European wine making heritages.  He is very “anti-new world” (i.e. Parker, California, Australia , etc.) and very anti-Bordeaux.  Check out the flick Mondevino as he is one of the featured wine personalities alongside Robert Mondavi, Robert Parker and famous globe trotting Bordeaux consultant Michelle Roland.  It is interesting to see how his views clash not only with the Americans but even with his fellow Frenchmen.

Politics aside, its good stuff and his red is worth checking out too.  The red, or “Rouge” as it’s labeled as, is also kitchen sink blend mostly composed of cabernet sauvignon (80% in the 2003, 20% anything else I guess he could find or fit into the blend).

Try a right wing French wine, try a Gassac.

Also check out my other blog site:  www.tomswineblog.blogspot.com 

Price – $22-30 (the average is about $25)

Day 1 – Dark and brooding black in color framed in deep red – not much purple here.  Aromas of dark ripe berries, sweet oak, and mint jump from the glass.  In the mouth the wine fans out with layers of dark chocolate, blackberry, oak and mint.  Unctuous and concentrated with a solid tannic base, the wine soars with flavor and texture.  The finish is bold and sure; fruit, tannin and that Aussie accessibility make for a wonderful experience

Day 2 – Just as dark and red, raspberry and blackberry, subtle notes of cocoa, oak and mint (still!) make up the nose.  More complex flavors develop after a day of blackberry and raspberry, tobacco, spicy oak, dark chocolate and mint.  The tannin still remains and is even a little more obvious (good sign) as well as more acidity as the fruit from Day 1 has relaxed in its expression.  A wonderful, more precise finish evolves on day 2. 

Blend – The 2005 Dead Letter is a blend of 98% Shiraz and 2% cabernet sauvignon. 

Food – Perfect with lamb chops, ribs or even a filet mignon, though I had it with lamb on night 2 and it was excellent.  I am sure some mint and reduced sugar to the marinade or as a sauce would make the pair that much better given the mint notes in the wine.

The Dead Letter Shiraz is made by the folks at Henry’s Drive, makers of full throttle Shiraz and cabernet from Padthaway and McClaren Vale.  The Dead Letter is relatively new as the 2005 is only the second vintage of this wine.  I have had a few vintages of the reserve and the regular HD Shiraz and they have always been excellent wines that have impressed me each time.  Depth, concentration and 100% Aussie define these wines.

The 2001 Mount Eden Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Estate, Santa Cruz Mountains ($25-30) shows Bordeaux like aromas of smoky oak, cassis and lead pencil.  On the palate the oak structure and tannins surround a core of cherry and cassis fruits with a hint of sage and a dollop of vanilla.   The excellent tannin structure is supple and refined.  Long finish of smoky fruit and toasty oak.  Well made and one of the better Cabernets from a consistent producer from California .  75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, and 3% Cabernet Franc.

I first had Mount Eden about 7 years ago when I lived in San Francisco .  Immediately I was struck by what a great wine this was for such a weak vintage (1998).  I visited the Santa Cruz Mountain Wineries last spring but never made it to Mount Eden because they were not open on the weekends to visitors.  I did however make it to the renowned Ridge Vineyard run by the legendary Paul Draper and to Bonny Doon Vineyard, known for their eclectic artwork on the labels as well as the founding father of the Rhone Rangers Randall Grahm.

Mount Eden Vineyards is located on a 2,000-foot peak in the Santa Cruz Mountain Range about 15 miles from the Pacific Ocean in Saratoga, California .  Founded in 1942 by Martin Ray, Mount Eden was one of the first wineries to focus on small lots of single varietal Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Cabernet Sauvignon at a time when most of California was making jug wines.  Martin ray was a pioneer in the likes of André Tchelistcheff (Beaulieu Vineyards or “BV”) and John Daniel Jr. (Inglenook, Coppola and now Rubicon Estate).  Mount Eden claims their “…lineage of estate bottled Chardonnay and Pinot Noir is the longest in California ”.

Since 1981 Jeffrey Patterson has guided the winemaking and grape growing at Mount Eden . His emphasis is on wine growing rather than winemaking.  He lets the grapes make the wine and tries not to intervene. 

The Chardonnay and Cabernet are well distributed.  The Pinot Noir may take a little effort to hunt down.  

     Dark, rich and extracted, the 2002 Delectus Petite Sirah Spring Mountin ($40-50) is a big wine. The color is almost black with purple at the edges.  The nose reveals blackberry fruit, smoky aromas, and slight coffee notes.  The mouth feel is surprisingly lighter than expected because of its almost black appearance; though make no mistake it is still plenty endowed with tannin and rich flavor.  Blackberry, plum, loads of dark chocolate, and some coffee flavors standout and are framed by the firm tannins.  Finish is a bit tannic, but that’s a petite sirah!

            Petite Sirah, originally a French variety known as Durif, is just that, a small grape that makes a tannic wine because the juice to skin ratio is higher than most grapes.  The more the juice has contact with the skins when fermenting, the more tannin the wine will develop.  Petite Sirah IS NOT the same as Syrah.  They are not related in any way.  The vines for this vineyard were first planted in 1911 and are the oldest in the Napa Valley .  Miniscule fruit is harvested from the vines, about .7 tons/acre.  Harvest is not easy either as these vines are on steep cliffs and require special harvesting equipment and patience to pick.  

         Delectus is a small production winery I first heard of 2 years ago when reading about new wines in a Wine Spectator advance release publication previewing some upcoming scores to be published in the next month’s issue.  I had decided to check them out on a visit to Napa and was welcomed and treated to lots of friendly smiles, excellent wines, and a large tasting planned. Gerhard Reisacher is not your typical California winemaker.  He’s an eighth-generation winemaker who grew up in a small wine village south of Vienna in Austria .   We met Gerhard, his parents who were in for the crush that fall to assist and see their family, his wife and children and their loyal dogs.  Delectus makes 2 premium bottlings: the Sacrashe (Rutherford) Cabernet Sauvignon (which is what caught my attention originally) and the Cuvee Julia named after the Reisacher’s daughter.  The Cuvee Julia is the top of the line bottle from Delectus.  I was a member of the Delectus Wine Club for over a year and a half and enjoyed all of the wines I have received.  I highly recommend their wines and suggest their wine club if you like red wines, especially from California .  

We tasted the following that day:

2001, 2002 and then from tank the 2003 Petite Sirah. 

2001 and 2002 Stanton Cabernet ( Oakville )

2001 and 2002 Beckstoffer Merlot

2002 Syrah Mt. George (south of the SLD in Napa )  

     Tonight with dinner Lisa and I opened a bottle of Seghesio “Old Vine” Zinfandel from the 2003 vintage ($26-35 – we paid $27).  We had planned to have BBQ ribs and pulled pork for dinner and thought what better style wine than Zinfandel to go with dinner.  Red Zinfandel (not the pink stuff) pairs well with BBQ foods because the acidity in the wine pairs well with the vinegar base in the marinade and sauces of BBQ food.  The tannins match up with the meat and the spicy fruit matches perfectly with the overall heat and spiciness of the food.

      The “Old Vine” was great right out of the bottle and did not need any decanting.  The nose was full of licorice, cherry, spicy oak and a subtle hint of flowers (violets).  On the palate the wine explodes with spicy blackberry, raspberry, and black cherry.  The fruit mingles nicely with the oak from the barrels the wine was aged in before bottling, lending structure (tannin) and spiciness to the wine.  Overall it was well balanced, albeit on a high level with vibrant acidity, noticeable tannins, and ample fruit.  There is an abundance of alcohol at 15.2%, but surprisingly without the heat. 

      The Seghesio story starts when Edoardo moved to Sonoma from the Piedmont region of Italy in the late 1800’s.  Rich in tradition, Edoardo took with him his heritage and knowledge of growing grapes and making wine to California .  He started a family and settled in the Dry Creek Valley just west of Healdsburg.  Four generations later, the Seghesio family still runs one of the most successful and longest running wineries in California .  They make a variety of excellent and well received Red Zinfandels, as well as other Italian varietals such as Sangiovese (Chianti), Arneis, Barbera, and Pinot Grigio.  A few times a year I will have the entry level Zinfandel, the Sonoma County bottling ($15-20) and is one of my favorite go to Zinfandels.  The Cortina is another of their bottlings I have had and is also excellent.  It’s great to know that of the 5 Red Zinfandels they make, they are all distinctly different.

      The oldest of these “Old Vines” were planted in 1895 and together average 90 years in age.  The Seghesio family owns many of the oldest vines in California .  Old vines bear less fruit than your average 10-20 year old vine.  But, with that age you get more complex and distinct fruit than the younger vines can produce.  This is because all of the nutrients are focused to fewer grape bunches, thus concentrating the flavors and characteristics into those fewer grape bunches.  Old vine Zinfandels are not too common but can be found with a little effort.   

Cheers!