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Txakolina: Adult Fizzy Lemonade

To state the obvious, the Basque Country is a complicated part of Spain. Since 1978 it has been deemed by the government an autonomous community within Spain's national border. This stems mainly because the Euskadi don't see themselves as Spaniards and feel instead that they are a distinct nationality. Much like the Catalans in the northeast part of Spain, the Basque's speak their own dialect (Euskera) and have stronger ties to their French cousins across the border (also who identify themselves as Basque). They feel their heritage is so distinct that they have created their own political party, local government, and have aggressively petitioned to sever all political, economic, & cultural ties with Spain. The intense belief that they should lie apart from the rest of the country has in the last 40 years has been at the heart of quite a bit of controversy.

[País Vasco: The central northern coastal region (in red) kissing France]

This controversy is mainly due to the actions of the nationalist & separatist movement, ETA, Eusakadi Ta Askatasuna (meaning "Basque Homeland & Freedom"). ETA has dominated the headlines in the Spanish & world news for its terrorist attacks since 1968 and is responsible for over 800 deaths. Luckily, there has been a ceasefire in effect since 2010 and we can take the time to understand the region outside of the shadow that has been cast by such tragedy.

Today, three years after the latest ceasefire, one wouldn't notice any physical signs of conflict nor major political fervor amongst the people. Were it not for the oft seen separatist slogans spray-painted on the roadside or banners hanging on bridges over the highways you might not think about it at all. In the cities people are averagely polite and cosmopolitan while in the countryside people are quiet and kind. They are vigorously Basque and proud of their nationality, but political activism has taken a more subdued tone in recent years.

[Pintxos: pronounced PEEN-choes]

It's hard to segue from tragedy to gastronomy, but perhaps it's important not to dilute this stark contrast that is at the heart of the region's character. Food and drink is as much a source of pride in the culture as their fiercely independent nature. Most well known internationally are Pintxos - local bar snacks many of which are pierced with toothpicks in order to make them easier to handle. They sit atop the counter and allow customers to order by simply pointing. Once consumed the cost of your meal is calculated by the number of toothpicks that remain. On the high end, there is also a very high concentration of Michelin-starred restaurants in the region; 36 restaurants in total, and 4 of them with the highest rating of three stars. This is sure to be due to the proximity to France and the close relationship it allows them. But it is also due to the access of diverse food sources and a crossing of cultures afforded by a cosmopolitan port city.

[Image from here]

In the restaurants of distinction wine is an important aspect of the meal, but contrastingly, local wine is mostly a simple thing in the region. There is much more serious wine coming from the northernmost part of Rioja, the sub-region of Rioja Alavesa, that in part resides within the boundaries of the Basque Country. Otherwise, most of the wine in the region comes from areas closer to the coast in a region called Txakolina (pronounced cha-ko-LEE-nah). Because of the climate and the humble origins of winemaking in the area, this wine is a simple, lightly frizzante white known as Txakoli - also spelled Chacolí (cha-ko-LEE). The region is made up of 3 sub-regions - Getaría Txakolina, Bizkaiko Txakolina, & Arabako Txakolina - all of which are located within minutes of the sea. Getaría, the eldest of the three regions, was only recently established as a Denominacíon de Origen in 1989. Bizkaiko followed in 1994 and Arabako in 2001.

[Let's just say the landscape isn't ugly]

Txakolina is geographically situated on the Bay of Biscay where Spain meets France on the Atlantic side. The Pyrenees mountain range, that acts as a natural barrier between Spain and France, melts away as it approaches the coast from the east. What remains is a beautifully green, hilly, and rocky landscape that dramatically meets the sea. Though grapes have been grown and wine has been made here for generations, this is a very young region for winemaking in a unified manner. The grape varieties specific to the region are called - though they are pronounced phonetically they are Basque tongue twisters: Hondurrabi Zuri (white grape variety) and Hondurrabi Beltza (red grape variety). Also grown are grapes of French origin: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Folle Blanche, and even Gros Manseng, Petit Manseng, & Petit Corbu.

Soil types are almost entirely clay or loamy clay, though there are more stony soils in Arabako. On less ventilated vineyards the vines are trained high off the ground (5-6 feet) on pergolas so the moist sea air doesn't dwell too long potentially causing the onset of rot. Vineyards with better airflow may be planted lower to the ground on wire-trained trellising systems.

[Vines are high off the ground trained to wires called the Pergola system]

This sea influence is evident in every bottle of Txakoli. The wine is simple. It is light and refreshing like lemonade in the summer; flavors are mostly sea-salty, mineral, & tart with fruit flavors of bitter citrus & green apple; it's low in alcohol (usually around 11.5%); and the wine is lightly fizzy as most producers intentionally bottle the wine with a bit of carbonation which gives the drinker the sensation of a light prickle on the tongue. A style of wine similar to the perhaps more familiar northern Portuguese white wine, Vinho Verde. It is a summer beverage meant to be consumed without thought and ideally with seafood and fried, greasy bar snacks (a la Pintxos).

[Notice the glass...NOT a wine glass] [Image from here]

Most dramatically the wine is often poured from a height a few feet above the glass in a thin stream. This is so that as it falls and hits the glass the wine splatters and releases the wine's gas causing a vigorous, frothy fizz to temporarily form. This pouring tradition brings both a theatrical element as well as a textural one. Both of which are cause for the "oohs" and "ahhs" of wine drinkers unaccustomed to seeing wine treated with such disregard.

I've personally poured this wine for almost a decade and in my opinion it is a tasty, easy-drinking wine that should be consumed inexpensively and commonly while thought of something along the lines of adult lemonade. Do not try and wrap your mind around the complexities of the universe as you drink this. Do not ponder the meaning of life as it fizzes in your glass. Instead, think of your friends and the wonderfully comedic & silly things you've done or seen in life. Such as...

...tripping, falling, and then laughing it off. ...hitting your head on a low ceiling. ...embarrassing moments on first dates. ...watching Pee Wee Herman in Pee Wee's Big Adventure.

[In my mind, the wine tastes something like this...you get the picture] [Image from here]

Island Wine of the Canary Kind

image from here

Spain is a treasure trove of unique wine coming from unexpected places....and the Canary Islands is one such place. Yes, I'm talking about the land of beautiful beaches where the Spanish mainlanders like to vacation. An archipelago of volcanic islands that is home to the 3rd largest volcano in the world - Mt. Teide. It boasts twin capital cities on two neighboring islands, Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria - The Minneapolis/St. Paul of the tropics. They even have their own brand of wrestling that they have developed over many generations called La Lucha Canaria.

[La Lucha Canaria - NOT an approved winemaking technique]

Located off the coast of West Africa (the little red islands on the map below), you might think they were best known for Ginger Beer or Mango juice. But very good wine is being produced on a relatively small scale, and though quantity is low there is a slew of interesting gems hailing from these volcanic islands.

[Closer to the coast of West Africa, the Canaries are far from Spain]

There are 10 established wine producing regions (or D.O.'s) on 5 of the 7 islands (click here for a complete DO listing). Five of the wine regions are concentrated on the island of Tenerife while the remaining 5 other regions are scattered across the other islands. Each class of wine is being made here as they come in a wide array of whites, pinks, reds, sparkling, and sweet. Each are unique and are made from varieties local to the islands. The Canary Island grape varieties used for wine are maybe closest linked to those of the island of Madeira than anywhere else. But even there, they only share a few grapes in common.

Common Red Varieties: Listán Negro, Negramoll, Tintilla, Baboso, Preto Common White Varieties: Listán Blanco, Gual, Malvasia, Verdellho, Marmajuelo

Over the last four years there has arrived of a surprisingly wide array of quality wines from Las Canarias to the United States. After tasting many them for the first time only a few years ago when they were first introduced into the US market I was hooked by the unique qualities these wines display. The wines are not overly complicated, not weighed down and overripe, but rather they are gentle, light on their feet, and cheerful. Below are a few that are worth picking up and trying.

FRONTON DE ORO

This is a small, family run operation that was never intended for mass production. Each bottling is in the realm of hundreds of cases - a miniscule amount. The property is covered in vegetable crops to support the family needs and are accompanied by a few plots of vines to make wine that was not initially intended for commercial sale. The property located on the newest declared wine region on the islands - DO Gran Canaria - which was established in 2000.

What I find most interesting about the wines are their simplicity and charm. They are not the flashiest...in fact there's nothing flashy about them at all. They are light on their feet and genuine in such a way that the unique peppery qualities (as in pink, white, & black peppercorns) of these wines are showcased quite simply. The straightforward winemaking technique used to make these wines is an important part of the wine's charm. They are not made in a way to coax out a stylized wine but instead are pure, sturdy, and remain true to the terroir of the island.

The Tradiciónal (with the word Tinto on the label - above left) is only based on Listan Negro & Tintilla that's aged in used oak barrels. It is the lighter of the two pictured wines with a lean quality that gently retains the peppery character of the wine's flavor. The Malpaís is 70% Preto with 30% split equally between Listan Negro & Tintilla. It sees 12 months in French & American 225L barrels providing a softer quality that is still quite light in body and gentle in attitude.

SUERTES DEL MARQUES

Now that we have the introduction to Canary Island reds out of the way, here is a look at a slightly more serious style of winemaking gusto via Suertes de Marques' wine called the 7 Fuentes that's made up of 90% Listan Negro and 10% Tintilla. In this cuvée that would be considered their entry level wine, 90% of the wine is aged in large concrete vats while the other 10% gets treated to 12 months in French Oak barrels. This wine isn't much heavier that the Fronton de Oro wines, but it shows a bit more polish and aromatically delivers a delicate, lightly scented perfume. Though it is more refined in character, it still retains the wild and rustic attitude of the wines from these islands.

Interesting Technical info: They work meticulously in the winery focusing on individual parcels by vinifying them separately. They are also one of the only (if not THE only) producers who are working with concrete. All of their vines are ungrafted.

LOS BERMEJOS

Although Los Bermejos makes wine on a larger scale compared to a few of the smaller operations common to the islands, I wanted to focus on their rosé made from the grape Listán Negro. This sultry pink beauty is one of those rosé wines that does better after a year of bottle age. This bass-heavy wine provides a refreshing blood orange & citrusy quality that is masked by a salty, volcanic mineral character. This is the rosado that puts to shame the bimbo-image of simple pink rosé that's good only for one night stands. It's serious, eye-catching, and not afraid to debate. Drink it with your thinking cap on.

Also from Bermejo check out their crisp, dry whites they make from grapes like Malvasía or Diego. Or if you need something to appease your sweet tooth, they also make a dessert wine worth seeking out - a Malvasía Dulce that's tangy, honeyed, & almost resin-like. In general, I find their wines are good introductions to the Canaries for people who are adventurous wine drinkers, but are looking for wines that exhibit a little more polish with less variation from bottle to bottle.

The Bermejo Estate [Photo Credit: Raul Mateos/Getty Images]

To illustrate just how visually stunning the wine culture out here can be, I had to use this photo (clipped from the NYTimes 01/16/2012 article) of the vines that are planted "en vaso" amidst their crater-like defenses that protect from the Atlantic winds. Were it not for these low walls and since the vines grow on the slopes exposed to the sea, the ocean wind would have no obstacle in its way and blow through the vineyards tearing the vines right out of the ground.

There are quite a few wineries that I have not listed here; producers like Monje, Buten, Viñatigo, and Tajinaste to name a few. Almost all of the wines that have been brought into the USA have similar properties and share similar principles that give a nod to sustainable winemaking practices (read "sustainable" as "good for the earth" principles). And what's good for the earth is good for the soul.

Drink & be merry.

Ziereisen

EDEL ZIEREISEN + HANSPETER ZIEREISEN = WEINGUT ZIEREISEN

During a dinner organized last March to showcase the wines of a producer making Alpine-style, low alcohol, delicate reds in the south of Germany, Weingut Ziereisen, I was reminded of something that is often understood, respected, and extremely valuable...but it is something that not often is mentioned. One of many, this particular secret to the wine business is that behind most great producers there is a strong, intelligent woman (or man) who helps brings clarity, focus, and vision to an emerging winery. Especially one at the early stages of existence that works hard, struggles, and frets over how to get people to understand why their wine is any better than their neighbor's wine. Not to mention that they often raise a family, keep an eye on the home, and contribute to the work in some aspect of the grape-growing and/or winemaking process.

On their first visit to the United States, the husband & wife team (Hanspeter & Edel) at Weingut Ziereisen in the southwest corner of Germany showed their wines at a brilliantly paired dinner at Tocqueville restaurant in Manhattan. At a small dinner of 20 or so people, our table of 6 people was comprised of a few New York City wine buyers as well as the matriarch herself, Edel. She is a former trade instructor who trained people looking to enter the hotel industry, a perfect companion to help educate a table of people who were mostly unfamiliar with the region. She regaled us with family stories, the importance of tasting wines from other regions to better understand their own wine, as well as the occasional playful joke directed at her husband's aversion to brevity when explaining his wine to others.

"Sit down and let the people taste the wines", she occasionally muttered with a wink as Hanspeter was still excitedly explaining the wine with little concern for time.

She was also instrumental in translating their local culture by explaining customs, the Swiss-German dialect that people use in the area, and the history of the region. A perfect ambassador to set the stage while Hanspeter stood at the front of the room talking about the philosophy behind the wine and telling a few stories of his own.

[Ziereisen is only a stone's throw from France & Switzerland]

Hanspeter's favorite story was one at the source of the winery's success. After the wine government in Baden (the German wine region where Ziereisen technically resides) refused to approve their wines because the house style was unlike any of the other wines of the area, he found himself in a difficult situation. Without their approval the wine label could not carry the name "Baden" and would potentially fall into obscurity as it would have be labeled as a simple table wine - the lowest German quality category. Making red wine in Germany, obviously better known for white wine, is already a challenge for winemakers. Even in the southern region of Baden where most of the production is red wine, to produce high quality red wine and then have it declassified is simply adding insult to injury.

Luckily for Ziereisen a very well-established gourmet grocer in Munich, Dallmyer, with a highly respected wine sales department, had already committed to buying some of his wine. But without this government approval he could not legally ship his wines unless they changed the label. A process that would cost money and time, but potentially more disastrous, might put this important sale in jeopardy.

With this on his mind he called the head of wine sales at Dallmyer and told him why there was a hold up on the delivery. Unintentionally on Hanspeter's part, this caused a battle of egos between one of the most important wine retailers in Germany and the regional wine approval board of Baden. With his feathers ruffled by the situation, the head Dallmyer buyer called the Baden regulatory board and insisted that the wines were up to par and that they should reconsider their decision. But the phone call didn't have the effect it intended as the local wine government stood by their decision. Now aggravated by the narrow-minded bureaucrats unwilling to see the value in the wines and determined to prove them wrong, the buyer decided to give the Ziereisen wines 3 department store-sized windows in front of their flagship store in Münich, decided to buy the entirety of wine from that vintage, and sold it as table wine at the same price. Controversy would prove to be good business as the wines received more attention, success, and helped create a name and a following for the winery in the local market of German wine consumers.

There's nothing wrong with a little Controversy...right Prince?

Though the wines are German by geography, the local culture has strong ties to Switzerland and France - something very evident in the wines themselves. When looking at a map, it's obvious to see why the ties to those neighboring countries is so strong. It's only a stone's throw across the Rhein River to France and about a 10-mile drive south to Basel, Switzerland. Their focus on Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) and Gutedel (Chasselas) is a further reminder that France and Switzerland are so close by. The reds are very similar in nature to Jura-style pinot noir: soft, light, and elegant. While the whites, with a searingly crisp character, are severe in their freshness and minerality in part because they are grown in limestone soils.

Also of note, with about one hectare (roughly 2.5 acres) of Syrah planted, they are the largest single grower of the grape variety in all of Germany. [Yes...they make Syrah.] The light, alpine quality of reds that is distinct in places like the Jura in France or Valle d'Aosta in Italy shines through, even with this thick-skinned red variety. It has classic notes of pepper, red berry, and black olive, but is uniquely laid on an airy, medium-bodied, delicately natured wine. Best described as curious and restrained, this is nothing like any Syrah I have tasted. (The closest comparison that I can make is to Arnot-Roberts who makes high altitude light-bodied Syrah in California).

The production is low, the wine is neither expensive nor inexpensive. So be prepared that these aren't the easiest wines to find and that they might seem expensive in the context of German reds. But if you find them they are worth exploring. Wines that have a distinct voice behind them...and I think they're saying something in Swiss-German.

Edel made sure we all learned Guete, which means "enjoy/cheers".

#Ziereisen #jura #wine #germany #pinot noir #chasselas #syrah

Out of the Cellar, Onto the Dinner Table

[That's right...Out of the Cellar]

Recently I tasted a few affordable wines that are well made, retain sense of place, and are...wait for it...yes...American! This is not to say there haven't been a heap of great wines coming from "Red, White, & Blue dirt" for many decades. But the vast majority of the ones that were really special were, simply put, out of my price range. I'm still waiting for my long lost uncle, who I have never met (and doesn't exist), to pass away and leave me all his riches so I can afford those great wines that come from within the contiguous 48. But until that happens, the great wines on my dinner table remain mostly European.

Yes, it's true, I do prefer the taste of dirt in my wine. I like to know what the soil is like that provides the bed for vines producing wine grapes. It is often less interesting when I encounter those soft, ripe, jammy red wines that commonly fill the bottles marked "Made in the USA". I find that they generally lack the angst and intrigue that comes from the vines on the other side of the Atlantic.

Because New York (where I live) is the port of call for most European wine to enter the United States, I have access to some fantastic wine made from very obscure regions in the Old World. Because of their obscurity, that they arrived here by boat, and are shipped in large quantities the pricing tends to be quite reasonable. This poses a problem for me when I look for American wine that I find interesting at similar prices. Cult wines from the west coast drench steak house menus across the country and although the wine goes down easily with a perfectly cooked rib-eye, it's not so easy on the wallet.

But I am not looking for cult wine. I am looking for solid, drinkable, interesting wine. Somewhere between Two Buck Chuck and Opus One there had to be something from the USA that might do the trick for the right price.

More and more I kept hearing from people that I trust in the wine community who told me I simply wasn't looking in the right places. Out there somewhere just waiting to be discovered were hearty, fruit-driven reds, that exuded regional identity, and wore their often high levels of alcohol with grace. I was sure they were right, but I wasn't sure how easy they would be to find here in New York. Most wine producing regions are notorious for keeping the best stuff for themselves and exporting/shipping the rest. Or, at the very least, they have to charge more once the wine is sent off to far away places. But I was determined to find these delicious American wines from the west coast that were both affordable AND interesting. So I kept looking...and I'm still looking.

Recently I came across a few gems that were worth writing about. Here are 3 hearty red wines from American winemakers who are producing quality wines, for reasonable prices, that aren't made in the massive, overripe, jammy style. They are all bold in character, balanced on the palate, and finish gracefully. I'd be happy with any of these wines on my dinner table any night of the week. And I could afford to have them there, too.

1. Broc Cellars 2011 'Carbonic' Carignan (Alexander Valley, CA)

2. Donkey & Goat 2011 "The Prospector" Mourvédre (El Dorado, CA)

3. Dashe Cellars 2010 Zinfandel (Dry Creek Valley, CA)

They are all priced around $25 in a retail wine store and I recently tasted most of these so although they are made in small quantities now is the best opportunity to find them on the shelves. Some of them might be found for a few dollars less or more depending on what store carries them. But either way, they deliver a lot of love for their price.

Thanks for reading. If you can find these wines, I hope they hit the spot.

#wine #California #ratt #out of the cellar

Back On Line Soon

[Mind has been a little hazy, but clear skies will come soon]

It's been a long drought of non-writing. But I have some new posts coming soon. Stay tuned Cork Dorks of the world. More on the way

Mr. T Makes Anything Cool

We held this tasting last night to celebrate the visit of Marcel Sabaté who is visiting New York this week. But the invitation I sent out was so perfect, I had to share it with everyone. Mr. T rules!

#Mr. T #Castellroig #Cava #Wine #Hotel Delmano #Wine Tasting

Teroldego's Shepherd: Elisabetta Foradori

[Image borrowed from here]

A joyfully honest image of Elisabetta. There is an exuberance and confidence that comes through in this picture that reminds me of the wine that she makes. Over the years I have had the opportunity to taste the Foradori wines over multiple vintages and each bottling displayed both polish & unfettered joy. Her wines show a vibrance that belongs to youth and a wisdom that comes with experience.

[Image borrowed from here]

The vineyards are located in the Italian region of Trentino, near the mountainous Swiss border. The fresh, cool mountain air of the Dolemites helps the grapes develop generous aromatic character that is showcased in the finished wines.

Her weapon of choice is Teroldego (a red grape variety) to which Trentino is its most expressive region. Teroldego has much in common stylistically with Syrah, to which it is linked genetically as its cousin. Though it is unique for it's mineral and perfumed floral character, much like Syrah it often displays smoky and savory qualities delivered over a bed of dark fruits and black pepper. The Foradori wines take this a step further by adding a refinement and elegance to the finished wine that raises its level of quality above many of the neighboring producers.

The house label (above left) is the Teroldego Rotaliano which is consistently one of the most approachable and delicious reds of the area. Soft and inviting, yet structured and serious. The Granato (above right) is a 100% Teroldego blended from select individual vineyard sites of higher potential that is then aged for 18 months in barrel. A great wine that needs many years to develop to show its power, structure, and finesse.

[Image borrowed from here]

And yes, she has joined The Amphora Underground making her Sgarzon and Morei red wine cuvees. After letting the wine (skins and juice together) macerate in amphora clay vessels for 8 months, the wine is moved into barrels for a further 3 months. Working this way she has found a way to evolve the house style by finding a new expression of her precious Teroldego. In body and aromatics there is a similar attitude that is reminiscent of the Lapierre and Foillard wines of Morgon in Beaujolais. Delicate, hauntingly beautiful, painfully refined.

Though the reds from Terlodego have brought her notoriety, her whites are not to be forgotten. The Myrto is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Manzoni Bianco (a crossing of Riesling and Pinot Bianco) and these grapes are vinified in both Stainless Steel and in Acacia Oak barrels. The Fontanasanta Nosiola is an amphora-vinified white where the wine develops more texture and structure due to extended contact with the white grape skins (like the amphora reds above, wine spends 8 months in clay and 3 months in barrel).

There is a great range of style within the house of Foradori. Elisabetta (and her team) is a passionate and gifted winemaker who brings nothing less than her soul to the wine she creates. I have never sat down to speak with her personally, but her wines speak to me with each glass. Proof yet again that when a wine speaks, people don't have to.

Re-Barrel del Duero

[Ribera del Duero - where they're not afraid of oak]

When our panel of tasters decided to shift the focus to Spain, I was excited and yet tentative to taste through a line-up of the wines of Ribera del Duero. Spain is the part of the wine sandbox where I've played the most. I've worked with it in depth for the past 8 years and I know that, in general, Spain is a schizophrenic mix of very ripe fruit, bold flavors, and fresh barrels. Despite this, there's no denying that when the wine is good, the wine is really really good. For all these reasons I'm the hardest on Spanish wine because I know what it is capable of.

Spain is so much more than just Rioja these days. With almost 90 quality regions in every corner of the country there is a frenzy of activity in the industry. As recently as 8 years ago there was a glut of Spanish wine at low prices, and quality was very high considering the value. Yet in the last 5 years as prices have gone up, deservedly so in many cases, new wineries have recently been established by the boat-load to take advantage of this popularity.

No Spanish wine region is more guilty of this generalization than Ribera del Duero (RdD). The great quality of wine made here is peppered with plenty of poor efforts by new wineries (and some old ones) cashing in on the history, fame, and wealth of the region. It is because the wide variation in quality between wineries that it makes overall regional quality practically impossible to maintain. This is the main reason why RdD has remained a DO (Denomición de Origen) and has not been elevated to DOCa status (Denomición de Origen Calificada -- the highest Spanish regional classification) even though it's home to the most famous winery in the country, Vega Sicilia.

[The billionaire's golden comb-over: a proper metaphor for Ribera]

I've always thought that RdD is the "Donald Trump of Spanish wine regions". The great wines of the region are elite, glitzy, oak-laden & spare no expense. This is the land of names like Vega Sicilia, arguably Spain's most collectable wine; Pingus, founded by Peter Sisseck who is the former head winemaker at Vega Sicilia; and Pesquera, founded by Alejandro Fernandez (the "Duke of Tinto Fino") who renewed the world's interest in the region by bottling 100% Tempranillo wines in the early 1980's. These wines are competing in class and price range amongst the bold wines of Bordeaux and Napa. Rich wines, rich prices.

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If your tastes veer to the fresher/vibrant reds that can be consumed young, don't fret as there is a tier of practically unknown young wines from the region that spend less time in oak and are less expensive. Though I should say they are harder to find. RdD promotes their richer wines because they receive more exposure in the press, but that's only a portion of what the region is capable of. Little attention comes to these youthful wines that can be fresh, simple, easy-to-drink and showcase the health of the fruit in the region. There are especially good examples when these wines are sourced from cooler microclimates in the area.

Ribera del Duero literally means the "banks of the Duero River". The Duero River helps moderate extreme temperatures common to the surrounding geography. It can be brutally hot during the days in late summer. In certain sub-zones, altitude provides much needed freshness for the predominant red grape variety Tempranillo, locally known as Tinto Fino. It's often blended with Cabernet Sauvignon and/or Merlot (and occasionally Syrah) which are found in small amounts usually accounting for up to 10% of the blend. It helps develop more complex aromatics and also provides greater balance in the finished wine as physiological ripeness of the grapes is more likely. Hot days, cool nights, arid climate, little rain -- these are all common to the area and central Spain in general.

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RdD label terms that denote minimum aging requirements:

ROBLE or JOVEN -- usually denotes some oak aging, but no technical minimums, and sometimes no oak aging at all. Usually made from younger vines, these wines are not meant to be cellared but are meant to be drunk young. CRIANZA -- minimum 12 months aging in barrel plus 12 months aging in bottle. Some more age-worthy than others, but always of good quality. RESERVA -- minimum 1 year aging in barrel plus 2 years aging in bottle. Long life ahead for most wines of this level. GRAN RESERVA -- minimum 2 years aging in barrel plus 3 years aging in bottle. Made only in the best years and are generally the most age-worthy.

Note: These are just minimums and many producers will exceed these minimums based on house style.

With all that said, here is the line-up that we tasted. All wines were tasted blind. Most of them were decanted (unless otherwise noted).

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The Cork Dork Rating Scale is based on a possible ★★★★. I do not rate wines that I wouldn't drink personally. So even the lowest score has value to me.

Less than ★: I'd buy her a drink (fun and somewhat interesting) ★: I'd call her back (tasty, shows great character) ★★: I'd cook her breakfast (impressive, stylish, well-built, delicious) ★★★: I'd travel abroad with her (eye-popping, stunning, above & beyond) ★★★★: Let's make babies (a masterpiece; 'nuff said)

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Wine #1: ★★½ Lopez Cristobal, Crianza, 2000 ($25)

Crappy photo of the label, but a very tasty wine. This was well-composed and very expressive. Sturdy, smoky, dark cherry-fruited, spiced and genteel. 11 years of aging on this wine served it well (impressive for a Crianza level wine). It is composed of all Tempranillo except for 5% each of Cab Sauv and Merlot. Roa, the town of origin, is one of the higher altitude sub-zones that serves up a fresher regional style.

Wine #2: ★★¾ Ramirez de Ganuza 2000 ($60--$75) (NOT RIBERA DEL DUERO)

I still remember drinking the 1995 vintage of this Rioja, the first time I tried anything from this producer. Serious, serious wine. The 2000 did not disappoint...except that this was supposed to be a Ribera del Duero tasting. But hey, I don't mind tasting good wine. Nicely concentrated that was between medium and rich on the palate. Impressive since it's almost 12 years old. Cherry fruit dominated the attack, then followed by black olive, smoke, herbaceous spices, and a tangy quality that was supported by the concentration of texture through the finish. Well integrated and a well made wine that still has much life ahead of it.

Wine #3: ★ Matarromera Crianza 2007 ($30)

I was disappointed by this wine, especially when I found out the identity of it. I remember much greater quality in the past from Matarromera wines and I expected to find a lesser producer behind this effort. The soft, medium-bodied texture lacked depth and concentration. The fruit tasted sugary and all other flavors were based on barrel treatment: coconut, sweet spices, cocoa, none of which were very well integrated into the wine. It came across as over-worked, over-saeasoned, and with little oomph behind it. I'd like to taste it again to see if this is consistent in all bottles, or if this was a one-off example. On a personal note, I hope so.

Wine #4: ★★ Condado de Haza 2006 ($28) [NOT decanted]

This is the second Ribera del Duero winery started by Alejandro Fernandez, well-known for his first winery, Pesquera. 2006 provided concentrated and rich wines, something local producers were very satisfied with since they knew the critics' point scores would soar. At first taste I wasn't thrilled by this wine because it was almost overwhelming on the palate. A bit like being beaten by a blunt instrument. But as I tasted, and then re-tasted, I felt the wine growing on me as there was an underlying freshness beneath its dominant murky, rich qualities. Bacon-like aromas hit me first. The palate was densely textured and displayed mounds of sweet cinnamon spice, jammy/juicy dark fruit, with a savory finish that lingered with baking spices. What saved the wine was enough acidity to provide balance for the rich characteristics of this powerful vintage.

Wine #5: ★★ Lezcano-Lacalle 2005 ($30) (NOT RIBERA DEL DUERO)

Cigales is a land-locked region just north and west of Ribera del Duero that also uses Tempranillo for most of their reds (many Bordeaux & Rhone varieties are also permitted). It is not known for a particularly high level of quality, but there are a few producers who have been doing exceptional work considering the intensely ripe fruit that comes from the region. To achieve freshness here is a labor of love. I was blown away to find out this wine was from Cigales. Few producers are doing anything of note, and its exciting to find a wine that excels in its category. Powerful and sooty, with cocoa powder and raspberry flavors. Though heavily oaked with silky tannins, it exhibited a balanced and savory demeanor. And most importantly, there was always a gentle nudge from the wine's acidity to make it behave properly on the palate. A very good effort from a little-known region.

Wine #6: ★★½ Vega Sicilia "Valbuena" 2003 ($150)

Inky black color. Aromas & flavors of black olives, blackberry, blueberry, black cherry...everything about this wine seemed like it was grown in an inferno. If it was a steak it was well-done, but somehow not a hockey puck. There was grace here somehow. Short on the finish, but when I revisited the wine 30 minutes later there was more on the back end. It seemed as if it was only just opening up. Probably would have done better with another 2-3 hours in the decanter before tasting it. This was a beast of a wine.

Wine #7: ★½ Valderiz "Valdehermoso" 2009 ($15) [NOT decanted]

The only Joven in the tasting group. Partial carbonic maceration made this wine hit a note that was both mildly composed and somehow awkward on its feet. Kind of like a teenager who hit a growth spurt and hasn't yet grown into his new frame. Medium bodied wine, stemmy, dark fruit, cherry, and it showed a bit more heat on the finish. Nice freshness via acidity, tannins a bit clumsy, but overall tasty and drinkable. Most people thought this wine was not from the RdD because of the frugal oak treatment and the brightness of the acidity. That's why it was interesting in the tasting.

Wine #8: ★★¼ Pesquera Reserva 2007 ($50)

Medium-bodied, focused, and hearty but not heavy. Tannins are strong but not aggressive. Smoky, grippy, gently spiced, and with cassis-like fruit. A nice showing of 100% Tempranillo raised in the traditional American oak barrels. Enjoyable and well composed. This is the kind of wine that brought the image of Tempranillo and the region into the forefront of the Spanish wine conversation.

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I hate to be disparaging about this region, but the more I taste wines from this region the less I'm interested in what is happening here. This tasting was relatively reflective cross-section of what the region purports itself to be: wine with moments of great interest, but mostly dominated by heavy handed oak treatment. Although it seems like more work in the vineyard and less work in the "barrel houses" would make for a more pure expression of the region, maybe all those trees who are sacrificing their lives in the name of wine are the main reason why Ribera del Duero receives the kind of attention it does at all. This is not to say it's not possible to make great wine in RdD without 200% new oak, but it is to say that it seems most wines coming from the region would have us believe that to be true. Food for thought.

[Definition of a Tasting Panel: a group of wine drinkers taking notes who can't wait to imbibe the good stuff when the tasting is over] [Drawing by Gene Ploss]

#Ribera del Duero #Spain #Wine #Oak #Donald Trump #Vega Sicilia #Pesquera

Drink Together, Think Together

[This is my first tasting group. Billy said his Cabernet could kick my Cabernet's ass. Shut Up, Billy!]

Back in 2005, after catching the wine bug a few years before, I was ecstatic when a few friends of mine started a wine tasting group and invited me to join. It sounded so official. We would all bring wine, taste it, talk about it, debate the quality of it, taste it again, reassess our opinions, and perhaps glean some magical insight into the world of wine. It was perfect for me because I was so thirsty to learn about as many kinds of wine as possible and this seemed like a great way to both be exposed to new wines and also to taste with people who had more experience than I did.

Part of my dilemma at this particular stage in learning about wine was to be able to differentiate between a good version of a particular wine and a bad version. I knew what I liked and what I didn't like, but now I wanted to know how to determine quality rather than personal preference. For instance, when tasting an Italian Dolcetto, how was I supposed to know if that was a good Dolcetto or a bad Dolcetto? Some were rich and fruit forward. Others were drier and lighter. Still others seemed bitter and overly acidic. At times it was hard to believe that these all came from the same grape and the same general area.

I needed a group of people that I could trust and with whom I could ask stupid questions due to my lack of experience. Since these were both my friends and trusted colleagues in the NY wine industry this seemed the perfect scenario.

[I thought we were in the trust tree...are we not in the trust tree?]

The best lesson I have ever learned regarding wine happened in our first tasting. Allow me to explain.

We set a date and time to meet, and decided that we would allow people to bring any wine they chose for our first meeting. I waited until the last moment to buy my wine (literally wine shop hopping an hour before the tasting was supposed to begin -- I am an incredible procrastinator) and found myself scurrying about trying to find a wine that would both impress the others and also stump them as to what it could be. You see, we were tasting the wines blind (meaning that the bottles were wrapped so that the identity of the wine was unknown until after tasting it) and I thought that the point of this kind of tasting was to bring something so outlandish and unique that it would be impossible for even the most experienced of taster to identify. I found out later that this is not the point of blind tasting (more on that later).

So after visiting a few wine shops around downtown Manhattan, I finally came to a wine shop that I had seen many times but had never entered. As I was perusing the shelves my eyes looked to the back of the shop. Practically hidden on one of the top shelves in the rear of the store there was a wine with a label in Japanese.

"A Japanese wine?", I thought to myself. "There's no way they will ever guess what this is."

I asked the clerk to get it down so I could take a better look at it. He looked at me strangely (probably because no one had ever asked to see that wine before), got a step ladder, and took the bottle down. I looked at it for a moment, no recognizable names anywhere on the label, and decided this was the wine that I was going to bring.

[Buying that wine was the equivalent of a white boy getting this tattoo because he thought it would look cool]

Excited by my purchase, though I knew nothing about it (the label might as well have said, "sell this wine to stupid white guy who knows nothing about wine...but thinks he does"), I made my way to the bar where we were meeting to taste. I walked in to the quiet corner of the bar where everyone had gathered and put my bottle on the table amongst the wines of the group (all covered to hide the identity of each bottle). We chatted while everyone got settled and soon got down to business.

People brought wine from well-known regions in France, Italy, and the USA, depending on what they had available to impress each other with. When someone brought out a bottle of 1990 Heitz Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon I started to feel like I might have been priced out of my league. Regardless of the the other bottles, as we drew near to tasting the wine I brought, I was excited to both get my first taste of Japanese wine and also impress everyone by my "savvy" choice. We opened it and all poured ourselves a taste from the bottle....and...wait for it.....well, let's just say, there was a lot of confusion on the faces of the tasters. Either confusion or it was just plain disgust.

[It's not a good sign when your wine makes people look like this]

The first question was "who brought this?" To which I proudly replied (perhaps foolishly) that it was the wine that I brought. People looked around and conferred with one another and finally someone said, "Is it some crappy southern French wine?"

"Ouch", I thought to myself. Although, once I tasted it I had to admit that the wine was pretty awful. But that didn't matter much to me since it was soooooo cool that I had found a wine made from Japan. So I held my poker face in spite of the negative reaction and gave my fellow tasters some time to taste the wine again to see if they hadn't missed something.

I answered the 20 questions people asked me about the wine, trying to guess what it was, and when the questions stopped it was finally time for the wine to be unveiled. I pulled the foil from over the bottle and...BAM!!!! "Japan!", I proudly exclaimed. "The wine is Japanese!"

A few people looked on with skepticism, others were outright confused, but everyone agreed that they thought the wine was just plain bad. I was so embarrassed. My big chance to make a statement of creativity and wine bravado with my new group of wine buddies had come crashing down on me. They'd never invite me back to taste with them, I thought to myself.

[What a stupid mistake. Guess that'll be my Rick Perry wine moment...now what was that 3rd department that I was going to cut, again?]

It was at this point that the bottle was pulled from my hands and was inspected by the group. The consensus determined that it was repackaged French negociant wine (meaning the grapes or juice were purchased in bulk by a French wine company to make an inexpensive commercial wine for export). Furthermore, people guessed that this wine had been sent from France to Japan (hence the Japanese label), then somehow brought to the US through an importer in California, and then impossibly made its way to New York. What a journey! Wait...so what does that make it? Oh yeah...I guess that makes it "crappy French wine" from no particular region, vineyard site, nor producer of value.

Finally someone asked me why I would bring a wine like this to the tasting. When I explained that I thought the point of it was to stump the group they explained that the point of a tasting group is to share each others wine knowledge through tasting wines together. It would be more valuable to bring a wine that we all would buy in a store or sell to a customer at the restaurant. By bringing a good example from a producer or a region if there was any confusion as to how to work with such a wine perhaps someone in the group would be able to provide some knowledge that would help put the wine into perspective.

[After this tasting I figured Gandhi had the right attitude. I might as well keep an open mind and try and be a little more humble within my craft]

So what was the big lesson I learned that day? I learned humility. I knew from then on that the moment I might think that I had cracked the code to knowing all there is to know about wine, that I actually knew nothing. How buddhist, no? But it's true. Every time I reminded myself that there was something else to learn, some piece of knowledge so important that might be right in front of me or hidden in a bottle far away, I always ended up learning something new and opened my eyes to a new experience. And I always found myself positively surprised.

In the end, my friends in the tasting group who all understood my good intentions, no matter how misplaced, decided to take me in anyway and give me the tools I needed to learn more. This perpetuated the oral tradition of wine. A way of teaching and sharing knowledge through dialogue and tastings. Yet another facet of wine culture that I thought worthy of facilitating.

[Just like telling stories around a campfire, wine tastings are a way to pass knowledge from one generation to another]

In the end, their patience with me paid off. They taught me the importance of terroir, how to take my time with a wine rather than passing immediate judgment at first taste, and how to learn about wine one glass at a time. On the very next tasting I took their advice and brought some tasty nuggets -- one of which was my first bottle of Teroldego by Elisabetta Foradori. A truly unique and amazing red from Trentino, Italy. Go and buy a bottle (usually less than $25) it if you have yet to try it. We were impressed by it, and so will you.

Thanks for reading.

A Treatise on the Loire & "The Lady Vouvray"

["Why are we here?" is too complicated a question. Let's just start with, "What should we drink?"]

In a conversation with a wino (err...I mean, sommelier) friend of mine we engaged in the age-old question, "If you could only drink wine from one region in the entire world for the rest of your life, which region would it be?" Over a bottle of something delicious she and I debated amongst choosing the usual suspects:

The joyous Champagne (my first thought) The spiritual Burgundy (her first thought) The strapping Rhone Valley (Robert Parker's first thought) The wealth of Bordeaux (the Chinese Wine Market's first thought) The aromatic kingdom of Alsace (my last wine induced hangover) The pixie dust-infused Mosel (Tinkerbell blessed this magical slate) The muscular Rheingau (I want a castle on the river) The precise Wachau ("TAKE ME TO YOUR LEaDERHOSEN") The incomparable Piedmont (flowers and tar taste good together?) The fabelled Tuscany (you & your sun-drenched rolling hills & beauty) The barrel-friendly Rioja (well, if Franco kept you around...) The singularity of Sherry (most hated greatest wine of the world) The depths of Madeira (world's best island wine, period!) ....and on and on, and on and on.

But as we continued down the line, there was a nagging feeling that once we chose one of these places we were essentially choosing to drink a very specific style of wine. And since the question regarded pigeon-holing ourselves to one region for eternity, we might want to think about a region that produced a broad range of wine styles. Which, of course, brought us directly (without passing "Go"; without collecting $200) to bringing the Loire Valley towards the top of the list. "But why?", you may ask...

[Textbook Info: The Loire Valley is divided into 4 sub-zones: from West to East, The Atlantic-exposed NANTES (Muscadet), ANJOU/SAUMUR (Savennieres, Coteaux du Layon, Quart de Chaumes, Saumur-Champigny), TOURAINE (Chinon, Bourgueil, Vouvray, Montlouis Sur Loire, Cheverny), and CENTRE (Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé, Menetou-Salon)]

...You see, the Loire Valley is home to the sea-salty whites from Muscadet, the earthy, red Cabernet Francs of Chinon, the immensely popular Sauvignon Blancs of Sancerre, and the wide array of wine styles from Chenin Blanc (made in versions light, medium, & full; dry, sweet, and bubbly) of Vouvray. The more we debated the question, the more we decided that it was important to preserve our ability to experience the widest possible array of wine styles. It was at this moment, when we determined that variety was the key factor in our decision-making process, that the Loire felt like the most likely...nay, the obvious, choice.

This is not even to mention that some of the most creative, outside-the-box and straight-from-the-heart winemaking in France is happening here. If organic, biodynamic, or sustainably worked land is important to you, the Loire Valley is your dream region. Cooler climates and well ventilated vineyards along the river valley are helpful to keep rot & mildew at arms length. This allows winemakers the option to use little-to-no chemicals on their land if they choose to work this way.

[Loire is a safe haven of Biodynamic Agriculture which is thought by many to be "trippier" than Burning Man] (Photo Credit: Frederic Larson for the SF Chronicle)

A significant group of winemakers also choose to use frugal (little to none) amounts of sulfur dioxide (SO2) in the wine itself. SO2 is synonymous with the dreaded "sulfites" contained in wine, long debated as a possible source of headaches & hangovers for many-a-wine enthusiast. Lower levels of SO2 (one of many steps towards less manipulated wine) is thought by some to bring more honesty to the finished wine. Though it should be noted that making wine without the help of any addition of SO2 is not an easy task. Those who do it well are responsible for stunning wine, simply put. However there are others who are not as adept at making wine this way and have given a bad name to the movement in the eyes of the critics.

These critics of winemakers working sans SO2 find this practice to be faulty. They cite the fact that its use is a proven method in modern winemaking that stabilizes wine and is necessary for preserving wine for long-term aging. Furthermore, they believe that without SO2 the finished wine is inconsistent and often flawed. I've had my fair share of wines that fall into this category, and were sold to me under the guise of "naturally made wine." But they are simply copycats who have not put in the time to learn what's necessary to make their wine. This method of winemaking is not necessarily for everyone. A fact often overlooked by many.

But the brilliant winemaking minds of the Loire (a few listed below) might say "tomAYto" to the nay-sayers "tomAHto". Working symbiotically with the principals of the natural world is an endeavor that's more important to them than simply extracting what they need from their land. They have devoted their time & efforts to figuring out how to make stunning wine without industrial chemical treatments throughout the growing season nor in the winemaking process. And for this they should be applauded. No critic can argue with that.

Nicolas Joly (Savennieres) -- the Godfather of Biodynamics, Jo Landron (Muscadet) -- Muscadet royalty with the best mustache ever, Olivier Cousin (Anjou) -- rebel winemaker threatened with jail time for his punk rock attitude and poor labeling choices (read about his AOC wine debacle here), Bernard Baudry (Chinon) -- could there be a better Cab Franc producer in the world?, Focault Bros. (Saumur-Champigny) -- the wines of Clos Rougeard might get you pregnant, Phillippe Foreau (Vouvray) -- it's disgusting how delicious & pure his wines taste, ...and on and on, and on and on.

[Jo Landron, joined by his mustache]

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With all this in mind, any time there is a chance to taste the wines of the Loire there is absolutely no "arm-twisting" necessary to get me to show up. So when the focus turned to Vouvray [click here for Vouvray regional info], let's just say that I got there early. Below are the tasting notes on a great line-up of whites showcasing the blue-blooded royalty of Chenin Blanc (100% of all Vouvray) from this blessed piece of earth.

There are 2 sides to Vouvray. The first is the "starlet" who is glamorous, refined, sultry, iconic, & ethereal (represented by the young Elizabeth Taylor). The other side is the "introvert" who is coy, elusive, mysterious, focused, & at times somewhat off-putting (represented by one eye, 4 well-manicured fingers, and a fashionably wrapped scarf). I used a 3rd image on wine #6 since the wine was not so easily categorized by either side. In any case, depending on your taste in women...err, I mean wine, both styles of "The Lady Vouvray" can be intoxicating.

A quick note: I reference wool, wooly, wooliness, wet wool, or wool socks quite a bit in my notes below. I'm using this in a positive way, especially since it often occurs when Chenin Blanc is the base grape of the wine. I know that it sounds like a strange thing if you are unfamiliar to it in wine and I suppose I could have used the term lanolin as a synonym for wool. But wool socks to me seems more familiar as well as comforting.

Full disclosure: I am not wearing wool socks right now.

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Note: All ratings are out of a possible ★★★★ (read prior blog post for further explanation of The Cork Dork Rating Scale)

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Wine #1: ★★3/4 -- Huet 'Le Mont' Sec 2006 ($30)

Aromas of apricot, lemon, lime, & mint. Palate is savory with minerally, nutty, sesame seed notes, and a wooly (like a wool sock) character. Initially the overall style came across as a bit lean with a rather quiet finish, though it opened up later by a bit. That being said, I have a sneaky feeling that there is much more to this wine than what was in the glass today. I hope I can steal away a bottle in a few years to see its development. I feel like it has more to say.

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Wine #2: ★★★ -- Georges Brunet, Demi-Sec, 2001 ($25)

Aromas of ripe apricot, sticky peaches (noble rot), lime, mandarin orange, tree resin, and freshly popped fireworks (gunpowder). On the attack the fleshy/lush texture was loaded with a generous helping of fresh white peach. The flavors were notably fresher and brighter considering the sweet-stickiness of the aromatics. The finish was mild, gentle, and pleasantly nutty. Impressive.

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Wine #3: ★★1/4 -- Sébastien Brunet, Sec, 2009 ($20)

Textbook aromas of wet wool and a savory nuttiness -- basically clean cut without much flair (not a bad thing). On the palate it had a lot more to talk about. Wooly, waxy, and hearty. It stung with mineral, citrus, and was loaded with acidity...though not aggressively so. Well composed. [Note: I have had Brunet's wine called "Arpent", also a Vouvray Sec, and it is still confusing if this is indeed the same wine, or something different]

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Wine #4: ★★ -- Chaussard 'You Are So Fine' Sec 2009 ($18)

Aromas densely packed with wool, green grapes, hint of something metallic, more wooliness, and dank basement (wet cement). Palate was harder to engage. Medium-bodied. I found more of the wool from the nose, but with more lemon citrus, and a leesy nuttiness. Contrary to the Brunet; Chassaurd was more talkative on the nose, and less-so on the palate. This wine is highly drinkable.

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Wine #5 & 8: ★★ -- Vincent Careme 'Spring' Sec 2007 ($24)

Two bottles of this wine (same vintage) were brought by two separate people. Even there I had two distinct impressions of the same wine, my overall score was the same in both cases. The first bottle was aromatically bright, flinty, very mineral heavy, and only minorly wooly. The second bottle on the nose was quiet, more wool, red apple skins, and a hint of savory spice. The first bottle on the palate was hearty in texture, but mild in flavor. Green grape skins, wool socks, lemon water. Not thrilling, I know. But the lingering finish tells me there is quality here. Perhaps just having a bad day? The second bottle on the palate was true to the nose; apple, zingy, rounder texture, wide mouthfeel, and an herbaceous spice. More expressive, though in a different way than the first bottle. So interesting to see the same wine twice. Goes to show you that there can be a significant amount a variation between bottles.

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Wine #6: ★★3/4 -- Jacky Blot 'Domaine de la Taille Aux Loops' Sec 2010 ($25)

This wine rocked. It was the only 2010 at the tasting and the first of this vintage I have tasted from Vouvray. It was fresh, vibrant, and though it says it spends time in 4-5 year-old oak barrels (which shouldn't impart any distinct oak aromas/flavors) I felt there was a hint of barrel on this wine. The wine was light on its feet with flavors that were tangy, orange zested, (and...you guessed it) with fresh wool socks, that all was wrapped up by a minerally flavored and acid-fueled finish. The real beauty of this wine was the vibrancy of it. It's a great cross between the two sides of Vouvray (part Starlet, part introvert). Highly delicious and a great value.

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Wine #7: ★★★1/4 -- Domaine du Viking 'Cuvée Aurélie' Demi-Sec, 1990 ($75)

I was sure that this wine was corked (if even only mildly) for the first hour it was open. Others in the group agreed, but the person who brought the wine to the table was sure that it was clean. It took a few hours, but finally any conceivable trace of off-aromas/flavors had vanished and left only a wine of great beauty and grace. Aromas were mostly apricot, peach and honey with traces of nuttiness and a gentle tangy funk. On the palate it was pure creme brulée (burnt sugar over cream), more apricot, and a gentle dose of honey. By the end of the evening, the finish on this wine was so long that it was dancing on my palate long enough for me to make it next door to the bar for a palate cleansing beer. A wine supreme...just needs a minute to open up. Or maybe a decant.

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Wine #9: ★★★1/2 -- Huet 'Clos du Bourg' Moelleux 1976 ($200)

Just when I thought the evening couldn't get any better...it did. We didn't taste this blind, since this was a bonus wine. The wine sat in the decanter for 10-ish minutes and as we stared at this brooding color that is normally reserved for thrice stained mahogany I knew it would not be long before it was ravaged by our eager bunch. Loaded with orange marmalade, peach skins, and baking spice on the nose. It was pristine on the palate, delicate on the attack, medium in body, and completely integrated. Full of flavor and gentle in every way. Best described as a wine that is as wise as its age. But this is where I stopped writing and started learning. Opportunities like this come only once in a while, and often at great expense. Having a tasting group can be advantageous for the ability to share both the moment and also the cost. No paper and pen, nor wasting time on analytical tasting would be appropriate for this wine. High praise.

Thanks for reading.

#Loire #Wine #Vouvray #Biodynamic Wine #Organic #Sustainable #Huet #Georges Brunet #Sebastien Brunet #Vincent Careme #Chaussard #Domaine du Viking #jacky Blot

Champagne: Better A Grower Than A Shower

Below are 5 killer Champagnes that all share 2 unique properties: first, they are all made using a single grape variety (often Champagne is a blend of grapes); and second, they are all made by the grape growers themselves. These "Grower-Producers" have created a small but growing movement that has shifted the way Champagne does business. Historically, growers sold their grapes to the big houses, or Grandes Marques (like Veuve Clicquot or Moet Chandon, for example), who were in charge of making the wine, marketing it, and selling it. [For more info on these kinds of Champagne, don't miss the link to Hugh Johnson's detailed video about the history of Champagne at the bottom of this article]. These big houses bought grapes from growers anywhere in the region of Champagne (click here for map), blended it to make a consistent product using wine from multiple vintages, and were usually using all 3 permitted grape varieties together. The 3 grapes are Pinot Noir (red skinned grape), Pinot Meunier (red skinned grape), and Chardonnay (white skinned grape). This model has brought us our toasty, frothy goodness for many winemaking generations.

But a small group of growers armed with just enough land and a dissenting point of view thought that Champagne could be more than this. The beauty of the Grower-Producer movement is the simple fact that the finished wine is more likely a clearer representation of terroir. This is due to the fact that all of the grapes used for the finished wine come from their own land. Instead of selling off the grapes to be used in a greater regional blend, they took a leap of faith and made the wine themselves.

I also believe that winemakers who both make the wine AND work the land are better equipped to understand how to produce wine in a given year. As the growing season progresses they have seen the development of the grapes during that particular vintage. This is inside information that winemakers who work in the cellar and only partially in the vineyards don't normally have access to. It's like a bit like a chef who grows his/her own vegetables, raises the livestock, feeds the hens who lay the eggs, etc. and then brings those ingredients back to the kitchen to prepare them properly. This will undoubtedly provide greater vision in the final product.

[Want to know more about Grower-Producers? Click here]

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Below are 2 sections: The 1st contains 3 Blanc de Blancs; the French labeling term that translates to "white wine made from white grapes". And the 2nd section contains 2 Blanc de Noirs; which means "white wine made from red grapes".

Note: All ratings are out of a possible ★★★★ (read prior blog post for further explanation of The Cork Dork Rating Scale)

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SECTION 1: White skins, white wines

These wines are the race horses of the Champagne community. Without the help of the red-skinned Pinot grapes, which provide more structure and weight, these 100% Chardonnay wines are lighter on their feet, with brighter citrusy fruit flavors, and tend to showcase the chalky-mineral side of Champagne. This chalkiness comes from the soil type where most Chardonnay is grown, a subregion called the Cote de Blancs, located in the southern part of Champagne.

★★1/2 -- Diebolt-Vallois, Blanc de Blancs, Brut NV ($40)

Like Mr. Miyagi catching flies with his chopsticks, this wine is super focused. This Blanc de Blancs from the town of Cramant dances across the palate with a chalky mineral precision -- it's like licking a rock. It's lean and clean with lingering lemon citrus notes. This is a finely tuned wine with sharp edges; just serious enough, but still knows how to kick it. Slurp it on it's own or shuck your favorite oysters with it. Not as rich in texture, so if you like your fizz on the lighter side this one's for you.

★★★ -- Guy Larmandier, 1er Cru a Vertus, NV ($50)

Most of Guy Larmandier's land is located on Grand Cru soil, but this 1er Cru comes entirely from the single town of Vertus. What surprised me most about this wine was the fact I had tasted it a few years ago and did not have as enjoyable an experience as this time around. Really stunning wine with a lot more muscle than I remembered. When I say muscle I'm thinking along the lines of Usain Bolt (long and lean), not some 'roided out muscle head. This wine can move. Lean and airy on the attack, then it moves into the lemon-soaked and floral mid-palate where there's plenty of meat on the bone, and it finally finishes with an aggressive mineral kick. It's like the 100-yard dash in your mouth...just try not to finish off the bottle in less than 10 seconds.

★★3/4 -- Pascal Douquet, 1er cru "Le Mont Aime", Blanc de Blancs, 2002 ($45)

Freakishly tasty. Perhaps not for everyone because the profile is in the bitter, chalky, flower stems, & lemon rind world of flavors. Even if it doesn't sound like it's going to blow you away, trust me when I say this wine has a lot of moxie. It's kinda like when Bob Dylan pissed off his fans by going electric; don't worry, the music is still the s#it.

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SECTION 2: Red skins, white wines.

The following 2 wines are made by 2 different producers who believe that the future of the Champagne lies in making impossibly serious wine, not simply that which bubbles. Much like producers in Burgundy who aim to find a unique expression based on their little speck of earth, Bouchard and Prevost (we'll call them the MIT and Cal-Tech of the producers mentioned in this article) are meticulous producers who fine tune their wines to march to a beat all their own.

Both of these wines were decanted for 45 minutes before tasting and served around cellar temperature (not well-chilled). This is recommended by the producers themselves and is another distinct aspect of these wines. The preservation of the bubble during consumption is less important than exposing the true nature of the wine in the bottle.

★★★ -- Cedric Bouchard, Inflorescence, "Val Vilaine", Blanc de Noirs, NV ($85)

Bouchard makes wine on an comparatively small amount of family owned land (just over 3.5 acres) to make this Champagne that's 100% Pinot Noir. A truly monumental wine of power and grace -- "floats like a butterfly, stings like a bee". The wine is rounder and fuller in texture than anything above. It's loaded with ripe apple, white cranberry, white strawberry, Meyer lemon, and an assortment of tree fruits (pear and friends). The layers of flavor and texture are followed by an impossibly long finish.

★★★ 1/2 -- Jerome Prevost, La Closerie, "Les Beguines", Blanc de Noirs, NV ($100)

This wine spooked the crap out of me...mainly because it was so hauntingly delicious. It's made of 100% Pinot Meunier that comes from Jerome's grandmother's single vineyard. And we all know how good things taste when Grandma is involved. Let's just say these vines are cooking with grease. Amazing depth on this wine. The wine has a distinctly waxy texture that is flooded with a mineral-tinged bitterness. Bruised apples, lemon and lime provide the base for the fruit which is followed with a mild dash of spice and rides a behemoth-size wave of acidity. If all of this doesn't sound impressive enough, the mouth-feel of this wine is mind-blowing. It feels like you put a Bose stereo system in your mouth and then turned the volume all the way up. Jolting and delicious.

Go find these wines and drink & be merry. [Got 15 minutes? Click here for an amazingly 70's-style overview of Champagne by Hugh Johnson. His voice is so soothing!]

#champagne #wine #grower-producers

The Cork Dork Rating Scale

[I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MINUTE TO THANK ED MCMAHON FOR BEING A SOURCE OF INSPIRATION FOR MY WINE RATING SYSTEM -- R.I.P. GOOD BUDDY]

For the first time on my blog I will start including a rating for each wine. This is a personal rating system that I have become accustomed to using based on my years of watching Ed McMahon on Star Search where child singers were judged on a ★★★★ rating scale (with quarter steps between stars).

WHAT'S THE POINT OF THE CORK DORK ★★★★ RATING SCALE?: Unlike more universal systems that tend to dilute the impact/importance of terroir (click on "Archive" above and read my Terroirticle from Aug.2011 for more info), this is an "apples to apples" scale where I am comparing similar wines of a common bond. I use it as a way to rate the overall impression of a series of wines so that I can compare them between each other. This means that a wine with ★★¾ from one tasting (of, let's say Austrian Riesling), should not be compared to a wine rated ★★¾ from another tasting (of say Barolo). I prefer to find the best wine within its own style rather than trying to find the best wine in the world.

I am rating wines based on intensity of flavors, structure, balance & integration, impression of terroir, typicity vs.uniqueness of wine (if I have a reference point wine to compare it to), and most importantly pleasure derived from the drinking experience. A wine rated ★ still holds great value to me. I just may not want to pay $100 for that bottle.

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WHAT THE STARS GENERALLY MEAN: all pricing below reflects the amount I'd hope to pay for the bottle in a wine shop. But I'm pretty tough on great wine when it comes to bang for your buck. The wines that I bother to rate on this site will impress you and don't cost a lot of money. That means that I'm not rating wines on this site unless they are delicious AND are a great value.

Less than ★ = it has something to say, but it's only mildly interesting (I might buy her a beer?). Average Price: I wouldn't spend more than $10.

★ = a solid wine that's tasty and has character (I'd definitely call her back). Average Price: $10 to $20 per bottle.

★★ - impressive; stylish; well built; very delicious (I'd cook her breakfast). Average Price: $20 to $40 per bottle.

★★★ - eye-popping; stunning; everything it should be and more (I'd travel internationally with her). Average Price: $40 to $100 per bottle.

★★★★ - A masterpiece; mind-blowing; it's a great wine, from a great place, that's made by a visionary producer under exceptional circumstances (Let's make babies). Average Price: No price is too great for this wine in the right situation...but I can't afford it myself since I'm poor and I just write about these things when I'm lucky enough to taste them.

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Okay...there are enough disclaimers here so that even if you totally disagree with me you can walk away knowing that you're entitled to your own opinion. As long as you don't mind being wrong...hahaha, just kidding.

Tasting Notes From An Exercise in Funked Up Wine

I recently sat down at a 2002 Meursault wine tasting with some friends of mine. After tasting through the wines that we each brought, I was disappointed to find that many of them were on the decline. Especially since the 2002 vintage in Burgundy was considered of very good quality. [Note: Meursault is a village in Burgundy well-known for it's Chardonnay-based white wines. It's sandwiched between the villages of Puligny-Montrachet and Volnay (see map) in the heart of the Cote de Beaune]

[NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD COMPARE 2002 MEURSAULT TO DETROIT]

Please don't ask how my friend came up with the idea of holding a focused tasting of only 2002 Meursault. Oh...I remember. It was because we had been tasting (and eventually drinking) mass-quantities of Champagne at a prior gathering and in a moment of bubbly elation she squealed out her inspired idea for the following theme. A few weeks later she tried to take it back, realizing that she may have spoken too grandly in her moment of starry-eyed intoxication, in an email that read, "In a fit of bubbles, I..." And that was it. Perhaps the alcohol still hadn't worn off.

In any case the following blind tasting was held with 7 tasters ("blind tasting" = bottles covered are in foil so the labels are not visible = tasters are less predisposed ideas as to quality of the wine being tasted = produces more honest tasting notes). Not surprisingly all the wines in the tasting were NOT 2002 Meursault since we were all purchasing wine from stores/auction/restaurants and there's not exactly a plethora of this vintage + village left on the market. But even the non-Meursault wines were somewhat related to the theme whether by vintage or nearby climat (vineyard site) location. Perhaps it even helped the tasting since people paid more attention to the wine in front of them, trying to determine if it was the one that wasn't from the tasting's theme.

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As I was researching this subject to put things in perspective after the tasting, I came across an entry from Dr. Vino's Blog that he wrote 9 months ago on a similar subject: "Assessing Risk & Reward in White Burgundy" (click here for article). A part of me wishes I read it before going to this tasting so that I would have gone in slightly more informed. But on the other hand, it was equally informative this way -- going in blind to a blind tasting. Besides, I can't say I've ever been to a tasting where a common theme was declining/declined wines. There was some life in most of these wines and nothing was fully gone, but many were questionable, for sure.

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[MY MAN SLY STONE: STRAIGHT UP FUNKY...KINDA LIKE SOME OF THESE WINES]

Read below if you'd care to read any of my tasting notes. I realize my system is a personal one (jump to the next post for what the ratings mean in "The Cork Dork Rating Scale"), but perhaps they can shed light on some of these wines that you may be interested in. I tried to honestly recall my impressions of the wines from the notes that I took and based on the rating I gave each wine. Each one was rated without taking into account my personal tastes...at least as best as I could help it, and based on my limited experience with aged white Burgundy. For this article I have added personal opinions as I reflected on the wines after tasting and rating. I should also note that the group was divided as to which wines were of better quality than others. This made for a slightly less conclusive argument at the end of the day.

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WINE #1: BOYER-MARTENOT, MEURSAULT-GENEVRIERES 1ER CRU, 2002

I hadn't had anything by this producer before this tasting (click here for technical info provided by the distributors website). Although I really had to get my nose deep into the glass to get much out of the wine aromatically upon first visit, on the palate there was enough wine-chatter to pull out a note: "★¾: Mild mannered, citrusy, pleasant medium-bodied oily texture, quiet on the finish, a good wine but not thrilling". However, after tasting through all the wines below (I revisited each one again a second time) I found that there was more in the glass on the second taste; 45 minutes, or so, later. Particularly of note was that it became more expansive on the palate. Texturally, the wine was more dynamic as the oiliness of the wine blended into a gently acidic finish which provided a more enlightened tasting experience. The main difference was that there was more cut to the wine; it was a little less fleshy than the others. This one grew on me over the course of the evening, even though it wasn't the most exciting.

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WINE #2: BALLOT MILLOT, MEURSAULT-PERRIERES 1ER CRU, 2002

The first time I tasted this producer a few years ago I bought a bottle from them because they made a red, and I had never tasted a red Meursault. It left a mark on me and I remember it being delicious (sorry I can't find my notes on that wine to elaborate). But this wine showed more straight out of the gate than the Boyer-Martenot above. From first taste: "★: Brie-like aromas, especially cheese rind, fleshy palate, also quiet on finish." But upon second tasting I added, "It was more interesting at first, less interesting now...Turned milk? Off bottle, or wine just too tired?" Oxidized, maybe? I quickly moved on to the next wine instead of dawdling. Wah-Wah-Wah. (Side note: isn't 'dawdling' a great word? I don't get to use it enough on a daily basis).

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WINE #3: LATOUR-GIRAUD, MEURSAULT-GENEVRIERES 1ER CRU, 2002

Just look at this label. I am at a loss for words. Well maybe one word: GAUDY. And you can't tell by the picture, but the bottle is a massive "mid-life crisis" sized bottle (overcompensating for something?). But who cares about the bottle, what about the wine? First taste, "★★: More tropical fruit. More alive on palate. Praline, brown sugar, shortbread and hints of citrus." But then, on second taste, I found the wine to be less interesting. A lot of make up, not a lot of substance. Even though this wine was not to my preferences, I had to give credit because it was not oxidized nor soured in any way which set it apart from the previously tasted Ballot Millot. I thought this might have been one of the wines NOT from Meursault or perhaps from a warmer vintage like 2003. Mainly because of the tropical fruit aromas and downright confected qualities on the palate. Burgundy forever likes to remind me how little I know. A humbling experience.

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WINE #4: VINCENT GIRARDIN, PULIGNY-MONTRACHET 1ER CRU, 'LES REFERTS', 2002

This wine was the first wine that was extraordinarily more expressive than the prior bottles. Something I noted in my tasting note. First taste, "★★: Fleshy, shortbread, lemon pith, grapefruit zest, kefir lime, and a hint of vegetal. Most forward." I too felt like this was an outlier, but I couldn't say that it was any more exaggerated in flavors than the prior wine. In retrospect, perhaps I only gave it only two stars because it didn't have the angularity I expected of a classic Meursault...because, well, it turned out not to be Meursault. The softer, fleshiness of the 'Les Referts' climat (vineyard site) comes from the fact that it is on the Puligny-Montrachet side of the border at the southern end of Meursault. It's eye level on the slope, staring directly into the heart of the Meursault 'Les Charmes' 1er Cru. Get a map -- it's easier to see than to explain. Definitely still together. Just over the border and it easily came across a more composed wine.

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WINE #5: BOYER-MARTENOT, MEURSAULT-CHARMES 1ER CRU, 2002

Speaking of the 'Charmes' 1er cru, the 5th wine of the night was from the first producer of the tasting, Boyer-Martenot, from this vineyard site. This wine left a better impression on me. With a few wines under my belt at this point in the tasting, I had a bit more perspective and felt like I was gauging quality for the vintage with a touch more accuracy. At first taste, "★★¼: cookie batter, butterscotch, lemon pith, grapefruit soda, and a sage-like herbaceous note." This seemed like it held together over the years and it also seemed a more honest representation of the region. For me, it was the most enjoyable Meursault of the night.

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WINE #6: DUPONT-FAHN, PULIGNY-MONTRACHET, 'LES CHARMES', 2009

This was the only non-1er Cru of the night. It was a tough read compared to the other wines because it had been decanted for about an hour, unlike any of the other wines of the evening. As a 2009, though I didn't know it at the time, it was easy to pick out that it was very different from anything else on the table. Even though the vineyard is a stone's throw from the source of wine #4, Vincent Girardin, even from that wine it was simply too different. My note was, "★★: brighter, nutty, more leesy, is this even the same region? Less texture, more oak notes." I gave the wine 2 stars because it was more enjoyable to drink since there was more freshness to the wine. The oak was powerful and was used to add a luxuriousness to the wine. Not my personal style of wine, but it fooled me in a good way, I suppose. It's a generous wine that's not hiding much and will no doubt provide a lot of joy for just about any oak appreciating wine drinker.

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Wine #7: Louis Michel & Fils, Chablis, Montmain 1er Cru, 2002

This was by far the most difficult wine of the night for me to engage. Let me start with my note: "No Rating: Oxidized? Stinky Cheese...I can't get past this intense ammoniated aroma of ripe, stinky cheese which is accented by intense mineral flavors. Having a hard time getting into this." So I sat there and stared at my glass. What was I missing? When we unveiled the bottle and saw that it was Chablis, at least I realized the sharpness of the wine was coming from the northerly regional difference andKimmeridgean soils (a limestone & clay soil-type containing fossilized oyster shells). But still, bad milk? After tasting it a 4th time, I finally got past the aromas which had blown off and was let into the wine. I added to my note, "Still stanky cheese, now mineral and sea shells. Nose still a problem, but cleanish on the palate with a long mineral finish that lingers due to high level acidity." Wish I had gotten a chance to taste it a few years ago. I bet she was a real pretty wine in her day. (Click here for technical info on this wine from the winery's website).

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Bonus Wine: Maison Mallard-Gaulin Meursault, 1994 (not tasted blind)

Fully Oxidized: like lush, juicy apple juice/cider with some baking spices mixed in. Perhaps interesting to taste, but glad I didn't have to pay for it. No rating.

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Based on these wines I'm not planning on buying any more 2002 Meursault after today. There may be more than a few of these wines that are still alive and well -- so don't go dumping bottles, or anything rash -- but based on this showing I'm not chomping at the bit for more. Drink at your own risk...or drink out of curiosity if you don't mind spending money on an experiment.

Olé, Bitches!!! The Cork Dork is on the Road in Spain

[Fluffy cotton candy sky country during a harvest sunset in Manchuela]

After 14 hours of trains, planes, and automobiles I finally found myself in Spanish wine country. Catching a cold just before leaving on this trip didn't help much. Even with 3 days of Nyquil and bed rest, I was only at 90% before leaving and missing that last 10% was something that I knew I was going to feel. But how could I feel sorry for myself when this beautiful harvest sky was there to greet me. As if saying, "Hey. You're in a beautiful part of the world at perhaps its most picturesque time of year. You've got nothing to complain about."

So I didn't complain. Well...I didn't complain except for Day 2 when an hour into the 9 hour drive to Galicia we had to pull off the road so I could violently extract my breakfast sandwich behind a gas station. In my defense I will only say this...it didn't help matters that I was riding shotgun amidst the aggressive driving techniques of Spanish winemakers who always seem to be practicing for the opening lap of a Formula One course. Let's just say that the term "flying winemakers" in Spain applies to driving habits, not air-based travel.

Whatever the case, at the end of the day it turns out that my over-stressed body breaks down after 48 hours of travel and almost no sleep. But I wasn't going to be a bitch to it, I just had to power through it. But first, some Aquarius -- Spain's version of Gatorade. Sometimes you have to rehydrate before you dehydrate.

FIRST STOP: MANCHUELA

[JUAN ANTONIO PONCE: a wily, precocious, and talented winemaker ferments the future of Manchuela]

After working in the winery with Ponce in 2009 (click here for my 2010 article on Ponce's winery), I came back to check in on him. And what's this?...now he's making white wine from 100% Albillo, called Reto? Sacré bleu!!!...or should I say Ostía!!! Reto's style -- crisp, mineral, nutty, fleshy, and focused -- expresses elements that you might find in an Aligoté from Burgundy, an Ugni Blanc/Vermentino blend from Provence, and a less-grassy/more-fleshy Touraine Sauvignon. It's not going to impress the score takers, but it will impress the soul searchers. Not to mention that it will impress anyone who knows how hard it is to make a white wine in this style from a warm climate region known for its reds.

What I love about Ponce is that his focus on work in the vineyard far outweighs the honest interpretations of the wines that he makes. He comes from the less is more school of enology where their motto might read something like "healthy grapes make healthy wine, so don't over-work the juice". Ponce's knack for taming, training, and refining the local grapes that others have dubbed unworthy, once again serves him well. This white is a unique expression that feels like a nod to the French tradition, but is spoken in perfect Spanish. Let's just say it has a lisp.

NEXT STOP: RIAS BAIXAS

[There's a CRAB in my wine: Extracting a bottle of under water aged "SKETCH" from below the sea] (picture by Friedericke Paetzold)

The tag team of Rodrigo Méndez and his partner in crime, enologist Raúl Pérez, are the types to think outside the box. Rodri (as he's called by his friends) oversees his family's seaside vineyards and their small Rias Baixas winery. At Forjas del Salnes, despite the small size of the winery, they somehow make a wide array of whites and reds. Here Raúl Pérez is charged with making some of the most compelling wines from Rodri's family holdings of Albariño and local red varieties most people have never heard of like Caiño Tinto and Loureiro Tinto.

The base Albariño is solid and the reds are unique, impressive, and graceful. But I can't stop talking about their top Albariño bottling called "Sketch". The first time I met Raúl 2 years ago we decanted a bottle of the 2007 and left it to sit at room temperature for more than an hour. After decanting it and allowing it an hour to open up the wine was ALIVE. Grace, power, focus, fleshy stone fruit, ripe citrus fruit, all encompassed in mineral-casing. Serious juice that was thrashing around in my glass like a freshly-caught fish out of water. Maybe it learned to act like a fish because it was aged in a cage 70+ feet under the sea for 4 years. How's that for thinking outside the box? (Click here for the video. If you don't speak Spanish, skip to the 3:00 minute mark so you can see the underwater scene and watch them pluck the wine out of the depths.)

This time when I joined their crew in Galicia for dinner, we tasted the first vintage of Sketch, a 2003. Not that there was much doubt as to the wine's longevity, this proved that the wine was built to last. Ummmm, yeah...we're still talking about Albariño, by the way. The hard edges of youth had rounded out over the 8 years it was in bottle, but it still retained its structure, concentration of fruit, and mineral flavor. Even from a warm vintage like '03 where the citrus fruit was riper and the acid was less laser-like, the wine aged gracefully and had the stuffing for many more years of aging. Old vine Albariño that's aged under water...who'd've thunk?

NEXT STOP: PENEDES CAVA COUNTRY (see previous post "Grapes of Math..." for more on this region)

[The effect that hail has on a Xarel-lo grape]

New Yorkers and our neighbors learned first hand how New York, Mid-Atlantic, & New England farms were devastated after Hurricane Irene. Above is an image that shows what kind of damage a speck of hail can do to a single grape. Luckily there was very little issue with Ms. Nature this year, 2011, in northeastern Spain (where this picture was taken). This particular grape was hit by a piece of hail and was rendered useless for wine production. In a bad year, were a hail storm significant enough and occur closer to harvest time (not an impossible proposition), no grapes would be healthy for wine production. And hail is just one of many natural forces that can attack the crop. Spring frost, extreme heat, cold weather at harvest, excessive rain at harvest, mold, rot, and that's not to mention insects and other animals that attack/eat vines and grapes. Just another reminder that sometimes Mother Nature provides, and other times she's just a real "Mutha".

NEXT STOP: PRIORAT

[The sleepy, picturesque mountain town of Torroja del Priorat]

This is the tiny hamlet of Torroja del Priorat (one of many similarly-sized towns in the region) where the wineries Trio Infernal and Terroir Al Límit are located. The population is around 165 most of whom are retired and living out their golden years in this quiet mountain village. Noticeably missing are the young people who have left to live in the cities nearby looking for less labor intensive work and more pay. But luckily not everyone left and they're still making some pretty serious wine in the Priorat.

I must admit I have not always been the biggest Priorat supporter even though, besides Rioja, it's only the second Spanish wine region to achieve DOC status (the highest classification a Spanish wine region can achieve). Aside from a handful of high quality wineries that started it all (where the wines are bred like thoroughbreds and quality cannot be denied), other wineries started popping up everywhere and were making less interesting wines that attempted to mimic these trailblazers. Because of the small size of the region and the growing interest in the wines, everyone was charging equally high prices for their wines regardless of the quality. That tarnished the Priorat image a bit, and dissenting voices in the press arose almost as quickly as their praise did just years before.

[Terraced Vineyards in Proirat: Let's just say it's not flat around here]

But after tasting a 2009 White Grenache called "Pedra de Guix" from Terroir Al Limit, a 2005 vintage 100% old vine Carignan called "No. 2/3" from Trio Infernal, and a 2005 Grenache/Carignan blend called "Coma Vella" from Mas d'En Gil (in the town of Bellmunt del Priorat) I was reminded that there are still soulful wines coming out of this region of alt pedigree. I may still be a touch weary, but my interest has been restored.

Also of note is that lately, thanks to the waning economy, there is a push towards making more second-tier and third-tier wines that are designed for early-drinking and sold at a lower price. Perhaps creating wines in this range will spark further interest in the region without forcing people to experiment only with wines of high prices.

NEXT STOP: MONTSANT

[Don't Fall In: PEP FOZ gives me directions on how to safely clip in using climbing gear to hang above the tanks while punching down the cap]

To give you an idea about what Pep Foz & Patri Morillo are like, the two partners and long-time friends that founded the winery Comarca in 2010, they named their company Ya Le Llamaremos, Inc. ("We'll Call You, Inc."). As in "don't call us, we'll call you," making fun of the phrase they heard over and over again while they were looking for work and fresh out of winemaking school 8 years ago. But soon enough they found the right situation and were hired by a winery that recognized their talents. Now, after years of working on multiple projects (the above mentioned Priorat, Trio Infernal, amongst them), they've put together enough money and started their own winery. Luckily, these guys are as serious about making great wine as they are about making each other laugh.

So I didn't think twice when they told me to clip in to their make-shift ropes course hanging from the ceiling. Instead I got to work on churning the fermenting grapes, juice, & skins in the tank below me as I was dangling there. It sounded like fun. Who said manual labor couldn't be lightened up with a little creativity? Besides, the surrounding National Park of the Sierra de Montsant is fertile ground for rock climbing, so in a way they were just using the gear they otherwise used for recreation. Oh...and the Grenache & Syrah based wines they made from their first vintage, 2010, taste pretty damn good, too. Blessed by a great inaugural vintage, the Comarca wines are very gentle, softly textured and light on their feet. Not overripe but rather they're balanced, berry fruited and dusted with flavors of black pepper and earthy spice -- they're like Spanish versions of Rhone Valley reds of the same blend.

NEXT STOP: RIBERA DEL DUERO

[A destemming machine process the grape bunches of Tempranillo straight from the vineyards located outside the winery]

I know it's not cool nor romantic to think about wine on an industrial scale with all sorts of gadgets and machinery, but not everyone can be a crazy recluse genius making delicious wine one bottle at a time out of a Van Down By The RIver.

In a conversation with Ribera del Duero brothers, Ricardo & Juan Estebán of Bodegas y Viñedos Valderíz, they reminded me that in many cases technology was designed to help the winemaker, not hinder him. The conversation arose when I saw Ricardo hooking up a machine that I didn't recognize to a wooden tank. When I asked what it did, he explained that it added a dose of oxygen to the tank in order to tame the reductive quality (something that eventually blows off over time) of the wines intended for early drinking. He said that this was the first year that they were using this system and when I told him I thought it sounded suspiciously like over-manipulation of the wine I obviously struck a nerve. Luckily we were already friends so he spared my life for making the comment.

He continued. By using this machine during the winemaking process, he would no longer have to manually extract bins full of grapes from the bottom of the vat and pour them back over the top which was the only way he could otherwise achieve the same effect. I should note here that this guy is a giant hulking man (see picture below) who is not afraid of manual labor. But the growing size of the winery makes it more and more difficult due to time constraints during the very busy harvest season to process the grapes without the help of certain technology. Most important to him is respecting the integrity of the grapes-soil-place (terroir) in the finished wine. As long as he feels that vineyard work is being respected and not lost during the winemaking process, he is willing to experiment with technology that will help him make better wine.

[RICARDO the "Manimal": How's this for working by hand?]

On a personal note, I sometimes struggle with this debate when deciding where to draw the line between too much vs. too little work by the winemaker. Too little work and the wine is often unstable, with many problems that may occur after bottling. Too much work, and the wine tastes over-processed and less like where it comes from: like a Twinkie (some people like it, but nobody thinks about what it's made from). There has to be a middle-ground. It's easiest to draw the line between producers who work by hand vs. employ the extensive use of machinery. But that line becomes less clear at times like the one I described above. What I do know is that the Estebáns work hard to preserve the integrity of their wines, and as long as the wine in the glass reflects the nature of the place I so far have little reason to doubt them.

NEXT STOP: RIOJA ALAVESA

[Getting a lesson on Rioja Alavesa soil tyoes by PABLO EGUZKIZA of the Compania de Vinos de Telmo Rodriguez]

A great thing to do after traveling around Spain meeting winemakers who are working in newer wine regions (and working hard to establish a regional identity) is to finish by visiting Rioja. As soon as you arrive, the region exudes a sense of winemaking history. There is a graceful, aged timelessness to Rioja wines and to the feel of the region itself. It comes across in every way: when you look at the vineyards; when you look at the people who have worked the land; when you speak to the people who make the wine.

Pablo Euzkiza took me on a short, but information packed, tour of a slightly higher altitude section of Rioja Alavesa where he is charged with making the Lanzaga wines in the town of Lanciego. During a visit in the vineyards, we stopped at this cross-section of exposed soil (pictured above) where he gave me a lesson on the varying levels, densities, and approximate ages of each kind of soil: alternating from calcareous clay, to sandstone, to broken stone. Mr. Eguzkiza explained that he currently works with wine in 9 distinct Spanish winemaking zones. But the more he explored the rest of Spain, the more he was reminded of the great quality of Rioja terroir. With all of the new winemaking areas of Spain being created in every corner of the country, it's nice to be reminded of where it all started.

BACK TO NYC

[Wine Goggles: Starting a new trend]

Life never looked so good than through my wine goggles. Just don't drink too much or you might think that your box-o-wine tastes as good as that 1981 Lopez de Heredia Rioja you've been hoarding. Not to mention you're more likely to make questionable decisions with your drinking buddies of the opposite sex. Oh, how beautiful it is to walk in Spain, even if it's while doing "walk of shame." Olé, Bitches!!!!!!

Grapes of Math: Precision Winemaking by Mr. Sunshine

Hopefully I'll never become terminally ill, but should one day I find myself facing a finite lifespan I will ask this guy for some of his magical elixirs. His wines are why I'm always hoisting the Cava flag up in the air and sounding off the Cava horn. They're the real deal.

[EACH BOTTLE OF CAVA IS HAND RIDDLED TO ENHANCE THE EFFECT OF THE LEES IN THE WINE. THE SAME AS IN CHAMPAGNE PRODUCTION]

Meet Marcel Sabate, owner and winemaker at Cavas Castellroig in the Penedès. I kid you not, this is one of the most meticulous, generous, fantastic, hard-working people I have ever met. When you taste his wines you're doubtlessly going to like them. They are honest, sturdy, and vibrant. They speak of his land's terroir - something he obsesses over so intensely that he has broken up his property into over 60 micro-climates based on soil type, aspect, altitude, and grape variety. But should you ever meet Marcel, you'll never stop drinking his wines. Simply put...since I've met him there never seems to be a rainy day in this guy's life. And if there's a chance that by ingesting his wines that we can internalize any of his general state of happiness and positivity, he won't be able to make enough wine to sustain the demand. He is one of the main reasons I believe that happy people make happy wine.

[INSTEAD OF USING PESTICIDES, THIS RELEASES INSECT PHEROMONES TO SCARE AWAY PESTS FROM ATTACKING THE VINES]

His Cava (the term for Spanish sparkling wine in Spain) wines are easily some of the purest examples of Penedès terroir in the region. Finely tuned, delicate bubble, bright and fresh in the glass. These are pristine expressions using the traditional 3 grape varieties: Xarel-lo (pronounced chuh-RELL-loh), Parellada (par-eh-YA-dah), and Macabeo (mah-kuh-BAY-yo). The use of only these 3 grapes -- the original base grapes of Cava -- is important because of the rising popularity of using Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in the area to make the wines more Champagne-like. His work is proof that using Chardonnay and Pinot Noir to beef up quality in Cava production is not necessary.

["MYYYY PRECIOUSSSSSSS"]

His white, red, & rosé wines span the gamut from simple & refreshing to complex, graceful and unique. For these wines he works with varieties beyond the 3 grapes for cava: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Ull de Llebre (local name for Tempranillo), & Garnacha.

His red wine based on Cabernet Sauvignon is hearty and concentrated, yet more gentle than heavy. And his Ull de Llebre rosé is magenta-hued, powerful, and is vibrant. It acts like a red even though it's most definitely pink. I would definitely call these wines masculine (meaning they're structured, assertive, & hearty), but I would not call them too tough. They're the kind of masculine that holds the car door open for you, or that lays his jacket over the puddle in the rain for you...you know: chivalrous.

[THERE'S MAGIC IN HERE: A XAREL-LO GRAPE FROM HIS TERROJA VINEYARD OF 90+ YEAR OLD VINES...and yes, those are my delicate fingers]

"Terroja" is the source of Xarel-lo vines that produce his finest still wine of the same name. A unique white wine that he vinifies in stainless steel tank on the lees for around 6 months. Careful not to use oak barrels for this wine, what is produced is a pure, Burgundian-styled white that retains the essential flinty spark that all Xarel-lo still wines contain. But the lees aging adds a generous mid-palate that elevates the wine into a league of its own. It is a uniquely Catalan wine that gives White Grenache (locally known as Garnatxa Blanca) a run for its money as the king of white grapes in both French and Spanish Catalunya. Terroja is easily one of my Top 10 whites of Spain (great...now I'm going to have find 9 other ones).

[WITH THE MEDITERRANEAN ONLY 15 MINUTES FROM HIS LAND, SOME OF HIS VINEYARDS STILL CONTAIN EVIDENCE OF THE SEA LIFE THAT 1,000's OF YEARS AGO SWAM IN THE WATERS THAT WERE ONCE OVERHEAD]

His Cavas are masterworks that combine simplicity with complexity. They speak of the sea and the nearby hills. They are light, savory, saline at times, and focused. His base Cava Brut can't be beat at the price, and all the way up the line the wines are stunning. The Gran Reserva Brut Nature is as sharp as Apollo Ohno's ice skates and about as muscular as his giant thighs. His crown jewel of frothy fizz is the Reserva Familiar -- easily one of the prettiest Cava's on the market. It's always a vintage bottling, but in order to keep the price lower he doesn't declare it to shun the added luxury tax imposed by vintage bubbly. This wine gives Champagne at the same price (around $35) a run for its money.

He's also working on 2 new Cava bottlings. One is 100% Garnacha, destined to be a vibrant rosé Cava aged in bottle for 2+ years. The other is a pinkish-skinned mutation of Xarel-lo, called Xarel-lo Vermell - very cool stuff. Everyone else pulled their Vermell vines because the D.O. Penedès prohibited its use in wine production, so his vines are some of the last remaining. Now he's making a sparkling wine based on those vines that he has never produced before. I'm looking forward to seeing how both those new wines flesh out.

[HIS DAUGHTER'S FAVORITE STUFFED ANIMAL - A BUNNY - POSING HERE ON SOME OLD VINE XAREL-LO. MAYBE ONE DAY SHE'LL WANT TO WORK THE VINEYARDS AFTER SEEING THIS PICTURE?]

In a part of Spain where the running joke is that Cava grapes are grown on plots as flat as Soccer Fields, with vines that produce mass quantities of grapes full of flavorless juice, and fizzy wine is far cry from the French Champagne that it continues to be compared to --- amidst all of this, there is Marcel fighting the good fight. He is not alone, but he is destined to be one of the greats. And he is definitely the happiest one I've met.

An Act of Faith

"Looking back on it, I should have known how this would play out. But he's my little brother. And I'm his big sister. And that's what big sisters do. But I'm getting ahead of myself. I should start at the beginning..........

I was still living in my old studio apartment in the West Village. The one with plenty of sunlight and French doors that gave the place enough personality that made me forget how small the apartment was. But hey...it's New York. And as New Yorkers we have everything we need whenever we need it...except space. Space is a luxury. The $400 jeans and the $200 dinner on the other hand, well...those are simply considered everyday necessities.

[THE KISS]

Determined to get a dose of culture on an otherwise lazy day, I accepted an invitation from a friend of mine to a second-hand art show. As we walked the rows of vendors navigating the vintage circus posters and turn of the century furniture, I came across an actual-size reproduction of Gustav Klimpt's The Kiss. Art can be infectious and within moments of exposure not even a major dose of Cipro could have cured me. It was the angle of her head in the painting. It was like he broke her neck. Love can be violent, untamed, and visceral -- something that was momentarily missing from my life. I was fascinated by it...no, I wanted it, and so I bought it and brought it home. Not long after purchase I found an antique frame that was properly sized and soon it was mounted and prominently displayed on the main wall in my apartment. It felt like I had my very own museum-quality artwork at home. Almost as if I had converted my one room studio apartment into a one room mansion.

As a homebody there were many days when I would tuck myself away from the hustle of the city and find myself sinking into that painting. I was mesmerized by it. Hanging it between the French doors gave me the ability to see it no matter what part of the apartment (I mean, the mini-mansion) that I sat in. The colors and the silhouette of the image drew me in while the way that he's holding her struck a chord somewhere deep inside me. Her head tweaked in a way that levels it parallel with the ground yet perpendicular to her body. I could look at it for hours every day. It welcomed me when I came home and bid me farewell on my way out. It was the 'artgoyle' that protected me and governed my home.

[Gargoyle image from Saraccino]

After a year, or so, since purchasing the painting my brother came to visit from out of town. He was (and is) always a welcome visitor since he and my other sister are the few of us that remain close. Upon walking into my apartment I was surprised and happy that he too was taken by Klimt's piece. Who knows exactly what it was about it that he loved so much? Perhaps it was the painting itself? Or the antique frame? Or that it was displayed in a way that made it obvious that it was something of great value to me? Or simply being a jealous brother who coveted something his older sister loved so much? I suppose it could be any or all of those things.

At the time he was still in the Army and finishing his training as a nurse. I think I felt better knowing that he was working in the infirmary while overseas rather than being sent to it because he took a bullet or stepped on an IED. At the time he was stationed in Texas to finish out his years of service since returning from his final tour. He had found a place near the barracks and was living with his girlfriend in a small apartment. He liked nice things, but never had room for them. Maybe it was his military training; always packing light, just in case. There were less 'things' in his life and he kept his valuables to smaller, more mobile momentos - pictures of us, his family, or his grandfather's watch, for instance.

But now that he was back home and was getting back into civilian life it was possible for him to nest in ways that he hadn't yet done in his adult life. He was only 25 at the time and most of those early 20's were spent in the military. So when he showed interest in the painting I was excited. It felt like we connected on something very personal to me, and as his big sister I saw this as a good opportunity to give him a little direction. After a short visit he had to head back to Texas and I'd made up my mind to surprise him with something to welcome him back to a life on the homefront. So with a heavy heart I took down The Kiss from the altar on my wall and spent almost as much money shipping it to Texas as I did buying it second-hand. But it was the right thing to do...so I thought.

I went down to visit him a year later and happened to be in town while he was moving from one apartment to another...lucky me. Everything was going smoothly, and then I found it. I nearly keeled over when I saw it. How could it have come to this?

[HOW DID MY PAINTING END UP UNDERNEATH THIS]

It was covered in dust, the antique frame was broken due to the weight of other forgotten things piled atop, and then tucked into a corner where it was hidden from human contact until it was uncovered by me...of all people! I could barely believe it. I was crushed. It was ruined and there was nothing I could do about it.

So I ran into the other room, painting in hand, showed it to him, and punched him in the face. His nose began bleeding...... Okay, that's not really what happened. But I thought about it. Instead, I bottled up most of these emotions and continued to play the role of the big sister. Instead fist-fighting I asked him how the fuck something like this happened. He gave me a half ass answer, which I knew was coming, and we left it at that. The damage had been done. So we finished moving him out of his place and later went out for dinner. Anti-climactic, I know.

It wasn't until recently when I realized how much this killed me. I was sitting with my boyfriend years & years later when somehow the conversation turned to something art related and he brought up Klimt's The Kiss. All of a sudden I remembered the ordeal, and all the emotions I had tucked away came flooding up to the surface. Those emotions were strong enough that simply talking about the painting (and after a few glasses of wine) I started crying. It was like a kick in the gut. A pain that wouldn't stop aching. But after acknowledging what happened and shedding a few tears, I felt some relief. A relief that came from accepting my brother for who he is instead of who I wanted him to be. I called him later the next day.

But that's what family can do to you. You put all your love into them and when they don't return it back equally, it feels like shit. Unconditional love of family is an act of faith. It is one that cannot be measured by return, only by expense."

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I hesitate ruining this story with a lengthy wine reference, so I will say only this. As in great art, great wine is made by an inspired few and is made in the hopes that it will similarly inspire others. For the winemaker it is an act of faith based on unconditional love. One that necessitates that once the wine is bottled, it will be sent out into the world without knowing who will open it and if it will be properly received. It comes from a love of the craft, love of the land, and connecting oneself to the natural world.

For the wine-drinker, drinking great wine (unlike everyday wine) is a window into an agricultural record of a given place and time that was captured by the winemaker and was preserved for someone to enjoy it years later. But this too is an act of faith. Faith in the cork holding its seal. Faith in the many hands that the bottle has passed through in the hopes that none of them let it spoil or stored it improperly. Faith that it was opened at the right time, in the right place, and (perhaps most importantly) with the right people.

[BETTER TO ROLL'EM THAN HOLD'EM]

A key value is being able to understand that greatness comes only on occasion and in many cases at great expense. Wine may similarly disappoint no matter how much care has been put into it -- of course, this is based on our own expectations. But it can also express the care that has been put into it when the circumstances are right. Wine is a celebration of life. So as you look back on your great life experiences hopefully a few of those moments will have been shared over a bottle of great wine.

Doppelgängers

[SERENA: A HARD-WORKING SPECIMEN OF TENNIS PLAYER]

[WESLEY SNIPES: SERENA WILLIAMS' STUNT DOUBLE]

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[MAKES SPICY/SAVORY RED WINES AGED IN SLOVENIAN OAK]

[MAKES SPICY/SAVORY RED WINES AGED IN AMERICAN OAK]

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