Part 2 - France

Provence: Cassis & Bandol, Southern Provence

Cassis

Our first trip out of the Les Baux region was to see more of Provence, specifically the Southern parts in the seaside town of Cassis and Bandol. In Cassis we wanted to check out the town and the renowned scenery, as well as the source of the dish we all know as Bouillabaisse for lunch. After lunch we had planned to visit one of our favorite wine producers at Domaine Tempier in the French AOC Bandol, just north of the town of Bandol, which was 20 minutes further down the motorway. In case you did not know, Domaine Tempier just so happens to also make the world’s best Rose wine, a type of wine famous from the Provence region.

Cassis, the marina, the waterfront, then the vineyards and crowned hilltops

Heading south from Les Baux through a slew of motorways crossing the countryside, we made our way to Cassis for a special seaside lunch. Driving off the motorway you wind your way down the switchback roads to Cassis and upon seeing your first glimpse of the Mediterranean feel invigorated by its electric and deep blue colors that seem to entice you to drive faster down the hillside. At each turn you see either a mountain top overlooking the vineyards with land stretching down to the sea below, or the blue waters of the Mediterranean reaching out to the horizon. The crests and peaks seem to keep watch over Cassis, one’s eyes are constantly drawn to the unique shapes and sizes when not mesmerized by the blue water of the Mediterranean.

Palisades south of Cassis from the beach

Cassis is still a small Seaside town, with a modest, but quite capable Marina where yachts mingle with fishing boats hauling in the morning’s bounty from the sea. There is a beach that is more pebble than sand that is not kind on feet not accustomed to the modestly rigorous tread. This being the first time we were setting our feet into the Mediterranean Sea were did not care one bit.

"Bouillabaisse"

The restaurants on the water, from what we read, were notoriously overpriced and not as good as those in the narrow streets in from the waterside. Unfortunately none of our 3 choices was open on Mondays and we chose L’Oustau de la Mar on the water instead. It had the most French people eating at it and we had a good feeling we would get the best Bouillabaisse at this restaurant on this day. By the first few bites we knew we chose correctly. Eating Bouillabaisse is not just a meal, it is an event. It is carefully coordinated with a mass of seafood. It starts with a seafood broth, then you add in crusty bread and rouille (similar to aioli with saffron). Then add in the “frutti di mare” like Monkfish, Turbot, shrimp, mussels, crab, langoustine, potatoes, and tomatoes. Pair it with a nicely chilled Rose wine from Cassis and you have perfection! The 2009 Chateau de Fontblanche rose did the trick! Bouillabaisse was the perfect foil for the strawberry and crisp citrus peel notes of the wine.

Bandol

After lunch we made our way back up to the motorway and continued south to Bandol. The AOC Bandol is actually in a few small towns and villages in the hills above Bandol. Not one vine exists in the proper town of Bandol south of the actual AOC.

The sign from the road, a small, narrow, bumpy farm road!

I discovered Bandol reading the book by famed American wine importer Kermit Lynch “Adventures Along the Wine Route”. Anyone that loves to read about wine and reading good stories must pick this book up to read about how wine and the French countryside existed 20-30 years ago. Though one can tell driving to Tempier that some has changed, with a small village of modern homes and a brand new school as neighbors to what once was all farm country and grape vines. We were lucky enough to see Lucy Peyraud who at 93 still gets around the premises just fine and easily looks 10-15 years younger. Her secret is one glass of wine every day (and probably all natural wholesome foods from the region’s bounty). Domain Tempier was Lucy’s fathers operation before she and Lucien took it over. Lucien was partly responsible for having Mourvedre put back in the Bandol region’s wines, as well as contributing heavily to establishing Bandol as an AOC. Domaine Tempier was taken to great heights by Lucien who was instrumental in taking the wines of the AOC into the modern world and out into new drinker’s hands by making acquaintances such as Kermit Lynch.

Estate Tempier vineyard,  La Migoua in the hillsides in the foreground

Mourvedre


Domaine Tempier produces one rose wine, one white, and 4 red wines. The white is a kitchen sink blend of Rhone Varietals (Clairette, Bourboulenc, Ugni Blanc) and made in minute quantities, making it a rare find at retail as it is only 3% of their production. The rose is mostly Mourvedre, about 50%, with Grenache, Cinsault and Carignan making up the rest of the blend. The red wines are Mourvedre based and quite unique as Bandol is one of the few regions that can successfully grow Mourvedre consistently and then bottle it as the majority grape as it needs abundant warmth and sunshine, something Bandol has in spades. MourvedreCuvee Classique rouge is the entry level red, priced around $35. The typical blend is 75% Mourvedre, 16% Grenache, 8% Cinsault, and 2% Carignan. The other 3 reds are each from single distinct vineyards from Bandol and each contain different levels of Mourvedre, the lowest being 50% and the highest being 100% Mourvedre. La Migoua has 50% Mourvedre, La Tourtine 80%, and Cuvee Cabassaou the most at 95%.

We tasted the 2009 Bandol Rose, then the 2006 and 2007 rouge Cuvee Classique wines. In the tasting room with us that day were a friendly English family on holiday from London.

Domaine Tempier Rose 2009

The color is a beautiful pink and copper hue. The nose is enticingly silky and fresh with strawberry and citrus fruits mixing with a note of creaminess (fig?). The palate is well balanced and full. A silky front and mid-palate of ripe strawberry, dried sweet figs, and perfect acidity leaves the palate fresh but lingering for more from the long finish. This is truly a red wine drinker’s rose that is complex and finishes long.

Domaine Tempier Rouge 2007

Dark and vibrant core with red edges. Bigger, fuller, more concentration and balance than the 2006. A notch more complex and concentrated than the 2006. A seamless, balanced wine. The tannins seem as strong in 2007 as in 2006, but more fruit carries the wine through uninterrupted. Black and red fruits like currants, cherry, and blackberry compote have a touch of provincial herbs and some pain grille.

My favorite Mourvedre: Tempier Rouge, a blend of the 3 great single vineyards la Migoua, la Tourtine, Cabbassaou, 

Domaine Tempier Rouge 2006

Similar flavors and aromas to the 2007 but the tannins seem to be more evident in the 2006 than the 2007. 2006 was still a good year and a great wine, but given the choice the 2007 seems more complete. The acidity is a little more evident here as well.

The bottling process in full swing

We toured the cellars and some of the vineyards to get a glimpse of the operation and how the Tempier wines are made. The soils, abundant sunshine and consistently warm temperatures are perfect terroir to produce the best Mourvedre grapes on the planet. The best vineyards in Bandol lay on hillsides that look like amphitheatres overlooking the Meditteranean Sea. These hillsides stress the vines as nutrients run away from the vines faster, and the angle of the hillsides lay the vines out to catch the most that the sun can deliver. The Mourvedre grape has a long maturation period that needs a long period of warm, sunny days to ripen enough to produce optimal grapes for wine.

2008 Bandol rouge in the cement fermentation tank being readied for bottling

The fermentation room has concrete and steel fermentation tanks, while the big attractions are the huge foudre (large wooden barrels, see us below in front of one) that are used to age the red wines in after fermentation is complete in the cement tanks. Unlike the wines in barrel in say Napa or Bordeaux, small barrels are not used at Tempier, and for that matter in most of Bandol to age the wines in after fermentation. While we were there the bottling line was running and I took a few pictures of the operation in action. After bottling the wines are racked with no labels or caps until they are ready to be sent out to the world for purchase.

Lisa & I in front of the largest foudre

We only had time for Tempier and made our way back to Les Baux. I can’t wait for the next time I have the opportunity to go to the AOC Bandol and see more of the vineyards and other Domaines.

They say place has a lot to do with certain wine moments and how you remember wines. In the case of Tempier, the first time I had it was a remarkable wine moment for my Dad and I. I remember having the 2005 Bandol Rose at the Four Seasons in Hawaii on the Big Island. We had a few bottles of it with insanely fresh fish at a beach side table for dinner. The other night it eluded us at Chef Mavro in Waikiki so we were happy to find it here with dinner. This was my first time with Tempier Rose and I will never forget it as I will never forget my first trip to Tempier!

Lucien and Lucy Peyraud - Cheers, what a life!

Go to Bandol and you will never forget that either! But if you can’t get there, please do yourself a favor and go find these wines to drink. You will not regret getting some of the best Mourvedre on the planet, especially the Rose for these warm summer days!

Cheers,
Tom

Part 1:                       

            

PROVENCE 

The Wine and Food of Les Baux de Provence 

     Les Beaux de Provence is nestled in the heart of the Provencal countryside, in the Alpilles mountain range near Avignon, Saint Remy & Nimes. Alpilles means little Alps as they are considered foothills of the storied Alps range. The landscape is unlike anything I have ever seen or have known for a wine region. The cliffs, hills and mountaintops are a mix of huge, bulky, but smooth granite boulders and scrub green foliage. The region and its many charms were the subject of many paintings by the famous painter Van Gough and many other artists.

To me Provence meant fresh food and traditional cooking. Provence is a special place where organic and locally grown produce has always been the way of the land. This method is not a trendy new way to eat healthy like we are now seeing here in America; it is the only way they eat. But in Provence, especially in Les Beaux, one can find not only world class cuisine, but world class wines, olive oils, vinegars, mustards, herbs, aioli, and anything else you can make out of an olive or grape.

Wines?

The best wines in Provence, like most wine from France, express the “terroir” they are raised in. Terroir is a French word that does not have a direct English translation. Terroir is more a term in France that describes the unique aspects of where a wine comes from and the physical elements surrounding and affecting a vineyard and its fruit that will determine the character of the wine. For example, a vineyard that may have herbs from Provence growing in or near them may have a slight essence of rosemary, thyme, or lavender in the aroma or flavors of the wine. Like the famed wines of the nearby Rhone region, Provence also benefits from the legendary Le Mistral wind that blows strong through the area. The Mistral keeps the air and sky clear and bright (lots of sun for the vines), as well as dry out any rains that may fall upon the vines that could cause ruin by the onset of rot. As you walk through a village, you can feel the effects on yourself from the Mistral. The sun is high and strong from a lack of clouds, but you hardly feel hot from the cooling breeze of the Mistral. This kind of weather is perfect to grow grapes in to maintain steady and even ripening of the fruit.

The wines from Provence offer great value as they are relatively unknown in the United States, but for maybe Rose wine. If I sold wine or was an importer, these would be a strong focus for me because of the value you get for the price of these wines that ranged from 8-25€, or roughly $10-30. As you will see below, we have film and plenty of written details on these great wines. Many of these wines I have found to be available in the US, but you have to look thoroughly using www.wine-searcher.com. 

Grapes? 

The traditional red grapes grown in Provence are Grenache, Cinsault, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. I was surprised how much on average Cabernet Sauvignon (20% sometimes) is blended into the wines. Given Provence’s proximity to the Rhone I would have expected that Syrah would share the spotlight evenly or more so than Grenache. A traditional Provencal blend is approximately 50% Grenache, with the rest split between Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault, Syrah and sometimes Mourvedre. The blend could be a few or all of these grape types.

The first Domaine I would like to spotlight is Mas de Gourgonnier. We shot a few videos tasting these wines and I highly recommend you find these wines for their superior value and Provencal terroir. The videos in this entry are on two of the better wines we had purchased while in Provence from Mas de Gourgonnier, located on the outer fringe of Les Beaux de Provence. We visited Mas Gourgonnier late in the day on our first full day in Provence and tasted through most of their wines. They had a charming tasting room where they were pouring all of their wines and found most of them to be good with two being quite exceptional, costing 9 and 16€ respectively! The rose was good, not great, as I expected a little more from it, but for the pittance they asked it is a good deal, as well as the Traditional rouge blend which we found charming. Rose wines from Les Baux seem to have a style that reflects more acidity, minerality and a focus on the citrus character. The following wines were our favorites from the tasting, of which we purchased both and drank them in the following videos.

Cuvée Sans Soufre Ajouté 2008, Mas De Gourgonnier ($12, available in US)(Grenache, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon)

LINK TO VIDEO

Le Clos du Paradis 2006, Mas De Gourgonnier ($20, available in US)
(40% Grenache, 40% Syrah, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon) 

LINK TO VIDEO

Earlier that day our first visit was to Domaine Mas de la Dame and we were impressed with their lineup of wines. The famed Rhone Valley oenologist/negociant Jean Luc Colombo is consulting here on the Grenache and white Rhone based wines “Coin Cache”. We tasted both and enjoyed them thoroughly; though they seemed a touch more new world than their other wines that leaned more to the classic red Provencal style. The Rose du Mas (50%Grenache, 30%Syrah, 20% Cinsault) was the better of the two rose wines they have in the lineup. Given the “Coin Cache” wines are from the oldest vines they own, I am sure they are still tinkering to get the right expression. We tasted an excellent white “la Stele blanc" that was mostly Vermentino (80%, 20% Clairette) that we liked very much and purchased one to drink back at our patio at La Riboto de Taven. Vermentino is traditionally from Italy and is one of our favorite white wines to have around the house and to entertain large groups. All of these wines are a great value so go find some!

Home in Provence = La Riboto de Taven 

We made Riboto our home for all of our days in Provence, and most of our meals. The warm welcome we received from Christine and Philippe made us feel at home and by the time we were leaving we had grown accustomed to their hospitality so much they felt like an aunt and uncle to us and we were sad to leave them. We had dinner at Riboto 3 of the 4 nights we spent in Les Beaux, I cannot recommend staying and eating here more! The morning breakfast was spectacular and a mix of croissant, fruits, cheeses and jams. Philippe happened to be a wine aficionado and guided me to many excellent Provencal wines to try at dinner from the surrounding regions. The dining room is ornately decorated with a Provencal and French country charm that seemed formal, yet relaxed at the same time. A high ceiling rose to the center of the room where a beautiful antique chandelier set the mood with its delicate light blanketing the room while beautiful paintings adorned the walls. On warmer evenings when the mistral was not blowing as hard or cool, eating on that patio seems to be the perfect spot to enjoy a Provencal meal under the stars with your sweetheart. A typical meal would look as follows, but the menu changes each day as the Chef extraordinaire Jean Pierre Novi turned out wonderful classic Provencal dishes, some freshened up with a new not-too-modern twist. I typically do not reach for dishes made with squash and eggplant, but the best dish I had at Riboto had both of those in them. The dinner menu covers were these gorgeous interpretations of the most loved Provencal foods being prepared. These were created specifically for Riboto by a cousin of Picasso, for sure a nod to the famed artist’s style.

La Riboto de Taven Menu (night 4)

Royal asparagus points in a herb vinaigrette

OR

Small red peppers filled with brandade moure

Filet of Barbue (flat fish) with l'encre de seiches sauce

OR 

Noix de veau (veal) rotie auc champignons “cornes d'abondance” (Horn of Plenty)

Then 


Cheese course (ALWAYS at meals after the main course btw!)

Then

Meringue with fresh house fruit sorbet (desert)

Meringue was such a nice surprise! Who still does meringue in the US these days? I can’t think of the last time I had it here. It was ALL over Provence. I cannot recommend visiting and eating your way through Provence!

Below are the wines we had during our meals while in Provence.

Wine 1, Mas Sainte Berthe Tradition Rouge 2008. Les Baux de Provence, Classis Les Baux blend, great value. A tradition red which we had with dinner on our first evening in France at La Riboto de Taven. The MSB was a classic version of a Provencal blend (Grenache 49%, Cabernet Sauvignon 26%, Syrah 25%). Black and red berries mixed with garrigue and herbs de Provence to deliver a classic Provencal red wine experience.

Wine 2, 2003 Cuvee Bastide “Dalmeran” at Le Petit France in Le Paradou. Nice to see an older wine still holding its own. Classical red and blue fruits mixed with delicate notes of spice and fall leaves. This paired nicely with veal.

Wine 3, Sine Nominee, de Lauxieres n◦ 5762 “Grenache Noir and Petit Verdot, from a “Sine Qua Non-like” maverick like winemaker. Petit Verdot is illegal in Provence if you want to use the Provence AOC on the label of the wine. It is also illegal to put a vintage year on the label. Thus the 5762 = 2002, a secret algorithm as the date is illegal to be on the label of a “table wine” in France. The winemaker here is a big maverick and goes against the grain. Cheers to him and his creativity! Read more here!

Wine 4, Chateau d’Estoublon 2005. Classic, more pinot noir like in character, floral, supple red fruits and aromas of flowers, with a freshness to the flavors and aromas. Chateau d’Estoublon is owned by the family that owns Breitling.

At the end of our stay at Les Baux we were sad to leave such a beautiful and charming place, but we had a lot to look forward to as our journey through France continued on to Bordeaux next. For classical French local country eating and drinking, it does not get any better than Provence!


Cheers, être continué,
Tom

See here all of our Photos from Provence!

Back In The USA!

Hi Everyone,

I am back from France but off to the west coast for a long weekend.  We will be getting some time in Napa surprisingly for an award my wife earned with her employer!

I have a lot of exciting blogs coming from our trips to Provence, Chatenuef du Pape, Bordeaux and Paris so stay tuned!!  I will have a lot of time on the plane flights to get my stories in print!

Pegau, Janasse, Mont Redon, Latour, Vieux Chateau Certan, Pichon Baron, Clinet, Ponte Canet, Angelus Ducru Beaucaillo & more!

The tower at Chateaux Latour, Pauillac, Medoc, Bordeaux, France

Cheers,
Tom

2004 de Trafford Cabernet Sauvignon
Stellenbosch, South Africa


Hello everyone!  Sorry its been a while, half slacking, half busy.  Here we have my second video blog to date.  Work has been winding down, but still quite busy and very tiring, perfect time for a vacation!  Part of the busy part has been prepping for our trip to FRANCE!  Lisa and I will be there for 2 weeks traveling for about 5 days each to Provence, Bordeaux and then Paris.  Keep an eye out to FB for some updates and pictures from the road!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MqMo042xpw


I will be taking lots of video and pictures so I should have some good stuff to post once I get back and settle into the summer here in the states. 


BTW if the video needs anything, like better audio (working on that), PLEASE do not feel bad to leave some critique!  Heck even better let me know if there is anything you want me to highlight in video or more of a spotlight on a region in writing!


Cheers!


-Tom

FIRST VIDEO BLOG!

I will let the video do the talking!

Cheers and thanks to all of you for helping me get to this point!

Paul Hobbs Pinot Noir Cuvee Agustina 2002 Hyde Vineyard

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cast5cIzrIM

Of course I would have wanted to have a video frame to link to but please understand BlogSpot STINKS and further reinforces why I need to get my own site with video feed!

UNFORTUNATELY BlogSpot will not allow me to post the video frame and host the actual video so I had to include it via a YOU TUBE link!

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE let me know what you think.  I was nervous and hope you were able to gather a few tidbits of good information and a few minutes of entertainment!

Cheers and thanks for watching!
-Tom

2009 Bordeaux Barrel Sample, ala En Primeur

This week I was lucky enough to receive a generous donation of a barrel sample from the much heralded 2009 vintage in Bordeaux. If you do not follow wine as closely as me, and there is a good chance that is true, you may not have heard but 2009 is being touted as one of the best vintages in Bordeaux history. I believe 2009 to be, from what I have read, a vintage that will be known as the first great modern Bordeaux vintage, possibly bringing together some of the best aspects of the greatest known vintages of the past like '61, '82, and '00 (arguably the best 3 to date, well maybe ’00 is arguable) in a more forward, modern style. 2009 has bridged the palates of the Americans and the British who typically disagree on anything Claret related, and have coaxed the newly rich Chinese to buy in volume from the futures campaign (or so merchants are predicting). Is this all propaganda to keep the Bordeaux hype machine going as it has suffered from three recent average to weak vintages since the last great vintage of 2005? 2008 did end up being a decent vintage, but it will suffer because it will precede the now expected great 2009 vintage. This is however great news for buyers that are also drinkers and not just investors in these liquid assets. I will describe below what goes on and what happens in a futures campaign in Bordeaux and here in the US as a consumer. But for now, let’s get into the wine and learn a little about what a barrel sample is like and what to expect.

First, I have to say thank you to Chris over at the great wine video blog "Pardon that Vine". If you have not found your way to "the World's Most Unbiased Wine Forum" you should do so and become a fan here via Facebook. Chris is also a fellow Hoboken-ite and I am very happy to have a fellow wine aficionado in town to share experiences like this.

I have had many barrel samples in the past, but they have all been from Napa Valley or Sonoma wineries. In most cases the samples tasted mostly like grapey, fruity, dark concentrated juice with a twist of bitterness from the acidity and alcohol. For me they offered no clue into what one could expect 3 years later (though the Paul Hobbs and Carlisle barrel samples were awesome). Barrel tasting, I feel, is an art and few are really good at it. Recently I have been reading a lot of tasting notes on the '09 Bordeaux barrel tastings and have gathered that most of the wines from 2009 were ripe and showing generous character, especially fruit. Speaking to Chris who did this extensively during the recent 2009 En Primeur week, he said don't pay too much attention to the nose, as the wine is not mature enough to kick real aromas that will tell you much about the wine. He also said to not sweat so much of the flavor precisions but look for texture. I also feel from what I read that composition and fruit will be things to look for on the palates of these young wines. I thought about tasting young wines in barrel in this manner: think about how something like a house or apartment building may look as it is being built. The components and parts may not be completely put together, but from what you see in construction, but with some vision and foresight you can see that it may have all of the makings of a great finished product. Try to imagine a house partially built. The property lines are drawn, the blue prints have been scripted, the frames and floors are up with most of the walls in place. If you have the right vision and experience, you can tell what will be the difference between a great house and an exceptional one 2-3 years later after the house has been moved into, landscaped, painted, and furnished (with a wine cellar ideally).

The Barrel Sample

Chateau Vieux Taillefer

$20-40 (based on 2006 prices)


Day 1

At first by habit I of course swirl and sniff the wine and get bitter, tight tannic and acidic smells. It was not pleasing at all but remember the nose is not that important. The color was dark and rich, very clean for a young, recently vinified wine. The palate was tight, exhibiting solid tannins and acidity. The nicest thing I took from it were the flavors and palate aromas of purple flowers and violets. Besides that some black fruits were peeking through on the palate. The oak was apparent as well, kind of the big sticking point and the most apparent part not in balance.


Day 3 (gas sealed)

The nose has gained complexity, but still is not telling me much besides the oak the wine has been in since October. The palate seemed to have gained a lot of weight. More texture was also coming across on the mid-palate. Maybe the air and time has hyper-matured this from a palate perspective by being open a few days? Either way it did well by the wine to be open a few days. More structure with deeper complexity came through on the palate. Deeper flavors of purple flowers, blackberries, and some minerality were apparent. The oak still seemed like it needed more time to integrate.

A few things about Bordeaux wine futures

Bordeaux wine futures are offered in waves or tiers, usually within 2 years or as few as a few months in advance of the wine finally being sold in bottle. The first wave is typically priced by the end of the first June after a vintage year; June 2010 in the case of the 2009 Bordeaux vintage. Then as successive waves of wines are released, the price ticks up until the wine is released in bottle, typically 3 years after the vintage date. So if you buy 2009 Bordeaux in June 2010, you will not likely get your wine until the fall of 2012, more than two years later. With currencies in flux, and the Euro seeming to have issues daily with possible bankrupt currencies (Greece, Portugal, Spain), this could play better into the hands of the Americans and Chinese when the time comes to buy, but really the merchants are the ones that really need concern themselves so much with the currency fluctuations. A Chateau typically sells to a negociant, who then sells to an importer who then sells to a distributor, and then a retailer in the US. So as a consumer, you have to deal with at least 3-4 layers of pricing: Chateau, negociant, importer, retailer. There are instances where the importer is also the retailer, or the Chateau does not use a negociant, reducing the layers to 3. No wonder Bordeaux prices can get so inflated, everyone takes their piece along the way to the consumer! The wines however are great though, so don't let pricing get too much in the way if you really want to try and discover this exceptional wine region. Bordeaux wine can be found in good quality for as low as $10 and many for under $30.

Cheers!
-Tom

2004 Top Flight Bordeaux Blind 

(sort of)

     Some time ago I attended a tasting of 2004 vintage Bordeaux wines.  At first it happened to be full according to the web posting. I called anyway to see what level of wines would be poured, check if there was another date or even try to slip in if I was lucky enough to find someone who maybe cancelled. I was told there may be a cancel and later that day I received the call that there was in fact a cancel - I was in!  

     The tasting was small with only 11 attendees plus the organizer.  I would say that it was split down the middle between those there that worked in the wine business and those that were there for the pure enjoyment of drinking great wines.  Personally I feel I fall somewhere in the middle.  


     The tasting was originally touted to be completely blind in that we knew that the wines were Bordeaux but not which ones they were.  As we started, we were told that we would know all but one of the wines as we drank it.  I have to say I was kind of disappointed as I wanted to test my skills - blind tasting is the "equalizer" in the wine world, humbling the most educated and respected palates and wines on any given day.  At this point I figured the last wine served blind had to be a First Growth, more on that later.


We were to taste one wine from each of the better known communes of Bordeaux:


Saint-Emilion, Right Bank 
Pomerol,  Right Bank
Margaux,  Left Bank, Medoc
Saint-Julien,  Left Bank, Medoc
Pauillac,  Left Bank, Medoc
Saint-Estephe,  Left Bank, Medoc
Pessacc-Leognan, South of the city of Bordeaux
Last bottle served completely blind


     The lineup was great, ranging from right bank Grand Crus to mostly second growth left bankers.  The lineup was as follows, all from 2004 and decanted for 6 hours:


Chateau Magdelaine, Saint-Emilion
Chateau Certan de May, Pomerol
Chateau Brane-Cantenac, Margaux
Chateau Leoville-Las Cases, Saint-Julien
Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, Pauillac
Chateau Montrose, Saint-Estephe
Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte, Pessac-Leognan
Chateau "X" Served Blind


     Each wine was undoubtedly very Bordeaux.  The smoky, toasty oak is hallmark and very reminiscent of Bordeaux to me.  After that the terroir, fruit, tannin and other subtleties will define which wine is from which region and which Chateau.  The French whole-heartedly believe in terroir and that the consistency of a  vineyard's terroir should evident every year, but of course varies in complexity and depth depending on vintage conditions.    The 2004 vintage was a good, not great vintage according to the critics.  2004 is considered to be more classic of a vintage and reminiscent of the days before global warming talk and modern wine techniques which now allow a Chateau to extract (and unfortunately manipulate) more from the fruit they are given in a vintage.


     Overall I was not blown away but came away with a much better understanding of Bordeaux.    Some of what I already knew was reinforced, though I believe I took away a better understanding of the subtleties each commune has as I was able to compare them first hand and side by side.   I thought 6 hours was too much decanting for some of these wines, especially the right bankers.  Additionally the tasting glasses were correct, but they are small.  I think the wines had sat in those small glasses for too long, not smelling and tasting as fresh as I feel they could have been.  2004 is a vintage with a higher level of acidity in the wines, something not exactly I crave in a good Bordeaux. 


     As we tasted through each wine, the lead taster spoke about the commune the wine was from and what to expect, what was typical of that region.  She also mentioned how much of each grape varietal the wine was composed of.   True to form the left bankers were mostly Cabernet Sauvignon and the left bankers were anchored with Merlot.    


     As we tasted each wine in order I was going back and fourth comparing the subtleties of Margaux and Pomerol to the power of Saint-Estephe, and the coupled finesse and power of Pauillac.  I was guessing that the blind wine initially was Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillo or maybe Chateau Palmer, possibly even Chateau Margaux.  I was hesitant on a first growth initially as the wine did not really taste any more great than the mainly second growth wines we were comparing it to.  Ultimately I had forgone DB as I was definitely thinking this wine was from Margaux.  I was right as the instructor revealed at first what the region was.  Palmer is an interesting wine as it is one of the very few Chateau on the left bank that primarily puts Merlot in its wines.  I felt the wine had more power, more structure than what a Margaux would have, this had to be First Growth Chateau Margaux and I was right as that was the wine in the brown bag!  I was hesitant in guessing Chateau Margaux, but I was right.  Lesson learned that you should always trust your instincts.


Some notes and highlights from the tasting:


Chateau Magdelaine, Saint-Emilion
Soft red fruit aromas, light ruby claret in color.  Tart cherry, earth, some leather and bright acidity.
50% Merlot, 50% Cabernet Franc

Chateau Certan de May, Pomerol

Aromas of smoky oak, dark Cherry and currants, plush.  Same plush fruits on the palate, with earth and good acidity cleaning up the finish   

70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc; 10% Cabernet Sauvignon

Chateau Brane-Cantenac, Margaux  Dark cassis and smoky oak aromas.  More palate depth than the previous two, richer deep core of fruit and silky but bigger tannins.

67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc

Chateau Leoville-Las Cases, Saint-Julien

Aromas of purple violets, cassis, barely any main oak influence.  Lots of deep red fruits and currants, fine grained and silky tannins.

76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc

Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, Pauillac  Not giving as much in the nose, more minerality, fruits.  Bigger fruit on the palate, big yet supple tannins, good acidity. 

53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot, 4% Cabernet Franc

Chateau Montrose, Saint-Estephe

More earth, barn-yard, meaty and fruit aromas.  Burly big black fruits, big tannins, huge wine, typical and what I expected from a wine from St. Estephe.

64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc

Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte, Pessac-Leognan

More animal, forest floor and some barn yard notes, red fruits and some subtle oak.  

55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot

Chateau Margaux, Margaux, Served Blind

Wonderful aromas of toasty oak and coffee, some chocolate.  Powerful, yet graceful, typical of Margaux wines.  Silky smooth and graceful on the palate with black fruits and chocolate, roasted coffee.  

Cabernet Sauvignon 55%, Merlot 40%, Cabernet Franc 5%

     I will be in Bordeaux at the beginning of June with Lisa on vacation to visit some of these and other Chateau all over the Bordeaux region.  This will be our first visit to Bordeaux and we are very excited for this opportunity to eat and drink our way through France.


Cheers!


-Tom

New Zealand Pinot Noir

What's the Scoop?

The Next Big "Pinot Hype"?

Recently I have read in a few wine publications of the great strides in quality that New Zealand Pinot Noir has made.  I wanted to see for myself because many of these New Zealand Pinot's are priced rather smart at $12-30.  Price points that are much less than Oregon, California and especially the home of Pinot Noir, Burgundy.  Burgundy is to Pinot Noir, as Lambeau Field is to the football:  hallowed ground rich in history and tradition where little has changed in the last 50 years.

I am sure many of you are familiar with the uber-value Sauvignon Blanc made from New Zealand.  With its zesty tropical flavors of guava, mango, and pineapple mixing with the hallmark gooseberry and lemon/lime flavors they are easy pleasing and hard to miss.  One could say they were one of the best wine success stories in the last 10 years.  The NZ SB's exploded onto the scene in the late 90's and never looked back.  Its hard to find a bad bottle, though tougher to find one that is unique and dare I say it exceedingly great.  I am hoping I do not run across the same problem here with Pinot Noir from New Zealand.


The main regions for Pinot Noir in New Zealand are Marlborough, Central Otago, and Canterbury on the South Island; then Hawkes Bay and Martinsborough on the north island.   The wines I chose were mostly from Marlborough as those were the better priced wines and more widely available.  Central Otago was the second most widely available followed by wines from Hawkes Bay.

I decided to run the gamut and try to get a wine from each popular region, price scale and style.  I purchased a few in the $8-$15, $20, $25 and $30 bottle to try over the past week.  A good amount of $35-70 bottles exist, but at that price point I would use that kind of money on red Burgundy or even a high end American Pinot Noir from Oregon or California.  

Since I was only familiar with a few producers, I spoke to the salesperson at a shop I purchase a lot of wine from that had a nice variety of NZ PN.  He seemed pretty down on the wines in general, stating that the best are too expensive when compared to Burgundy.  He also said that that the sub-$20 wines tend to taste like cranberry juice, OUCH!  Not to worry, I did my due diligence ahead of time and knew what I wanted.  I only took one of his recommendations and the wines I already chose he did not lambaste.  I chose one that scored well with the Wine Spectator, one that scored well with Decanter (and I was familiar with), one that was really cheap, one middle of the road, and the last the most "Burgundian" of the lot.  If any of these pan out and have any solid Pinot Noir character to them at all, they could be a good value depending on what was in the bottle and at what price.  At worst I'd get something that tasted like red wine, as opposed to Pinot Noir which is very common with Pinot Noir costing less than $15.  It was difficult to find a sample from Hawkes Bay in Martinborough as the wines from this region are much more expensive, and few good examples exist in my local shops for under $20. Many of NZ's best Pinot Noir are from Hawkes Bay (Craggy Range), but are in the $50+ range.

Here was my short list:

2007 Mt. Difficulty Pinot Noir (South Island, Otago, Central Otago)
2006 Delta Vineyard Pinot Noir Hatter's Hill (South Island, Marlborough)
2008 Yealands Estate Pinot Noir (South Island, Marlborough)
2006 Tohu Pinot Noir Marlborough Cuvée (South Island, Marlborough)
2008 Sileni Pinot Noir Cellar Selection (North Island, Hawkes Bay)

New Zealand's wine regions are split in half like the islands themselves with regions on both the North and South Islands.  Just look at the logo that starts this post!  Pinot Noir was first planted in NZ in the 1970's with little to no success.  Later in the late 90's after more attention, know-how, and most importantly investment funds from the success of Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir became the next grape to focus on the 2000's.  Many clones and plantings were experimented with varied success.  By the mid-2000's NZ was able to produce Pinot Noir wines with large enough production that could make it to the USA in enough quantities to sell (I am sure you have heard of Kim Crawford?). I wonder if similar to South Africa, many of the smaller and better wines never leave the shores to foreign buyers, but I am only speculating by saying that. 

Overall I'd say that these were very nice wines, nothing inferior or defective and showing plenty of Pinot Noir character.  New Zealand is definitely not the next Burgundy, but rather another wine region in the world that has found a way to work with the contentious grape we love and hate called Pinot Noir.  For the price, New Zealand delivers good Pinot character.  If I had to say what region they are most similar to I'd have a tough time with just one region, however if I were to describe it I'd say they are a hybrid of Oregon and California, with less oak and higher acidity.

Best of the Tasting

2006 Delta Vineyard Pinot Noir Hatter's Hill $26 

(Marlborough)

Color: Ruby to lighter red, some brick hues.

Nose: Beautiful red fruits and perfumes, earth, almost Burgundian.

Palate: Expansive palate. Cherry and a minty strawberry, earthy, silky smooth tannins, good acidity. After a while the mint turned more like eucalyptus. Well balanced. Great wine.

Best Values


2006 Tohu Pinot Noir Marlborough Cuvée $9

(Marlborough)

What a nice little wine, good Pinot Character. Acidity and fruit are its strong points, as well as some good pinot character. Nothing mind blowing but for $9, solid value.  Blows away the oak laden, under $20 crowd of generic Cali Pinot Noir.

Color: Burgundy core with rose edges, starting to fade

Nose: Some flowers, strawberry and cherry, nice Pinot fruit nose.

Palate: Some earthy cherry, sweet cranberry and strawberry-rhubarb. I love the juicy acidity....superb value!

2008 Yealands Estate Pinot Noir $12

(Marlborough)

More California than Burgundy, in fact not much Burgundy at all. However though very smart for the money.  You do get nice Cali Pinot aromas with simple cherry and strawberry flavors.  Easy to drink a lot of this quickly.

Color: Very light red, little gradation or color variation

Nose & Palate: Cherry & strawberry rhubarb flavors and aromas. Pretty wine, smooth, easy drinking with identifiable Pinot character. The palate is rather simple, not much acidity and structure, which is fine for being a simple wine but I think it could use more to lengthen and delineate more of a finish.  Good for the price.


The Rest

2007 Mt. Difficulty Pinot Noir $30

(Central Otago)              

Mt. Difficulty has shot to fame in the last few years and is a well regarded Pinot Noir producer in New Zealand.

Color: Deep purple-red to lighter red edges.

Nose: Subtle, faded in and out all night. Red fruits, a touch of earth. Pretty faint.

Palate: Stronger, more powerful palate. Cherry, black raspberry, some strawberry, & earth. Very noticeable chewy and drying tannins. The tannins, alc., and acidity over power the delicate flavors. High abv for the lack of generous fruit. 

Maybe not a great vintage or too young, this was not showing well. The tannins alone at this level are too much, then add in the high abv and it seems like too much.  I would like to try this in 2 years to see if the tannins melt away and reveal more of the fruit.

2008 Sileni Pinot Noir Cellar Selection $20(Hawkes Bay)
A nice medium styled Pinot Noir, the most like the Hatter’s Hill yet slightly less complex and concentrated. Less fruit and more earth and acidity, a little bit of funk.

Color: Medium red core with rose edges
Nose: Strawberry, cherry, sandalwood, a secondary faint touch of green herbal tea and earth
Palate: Spicy red fruits, sour cherry, citrus peel, bright acidity. Finishes a tab short.

Now readers, go get some as there are many at prices for all to afford and enjoy themselves!

Cheers,
Tom

Super Value Duo from California
2006 Zaca Mesa Syrah
2007 75 Wine Co. "The Sum"

Hello fellow wine readers and drinkers!  I have for you today two wines from California that I stumbled upon with the help of two of the leading wine publications in the industry today.  I had to try them for myself to see if the hype matched the stuff in the bottle before I was to publish them here on The Wine Forum.  The first wine is made by The 75 Wine Co. and called "The Sum".  This wine is made in an "affordable" style I am seeing more and more these days by blending Zinfandel with Syrah and Bordeaux varietals like Cabernet Sauvignon (think "The Prisoner").  The second wine was an exceptional expression of the Syrah grape from the Santa Ynez Valley, on the Central Coast of California.  

I was excited to try "The Sum" as it had received a nice review from the Wine Advocate of 90 points.  I also have found from the same producer the 75 Cabernet Sauvignon from Lake County a decent value so I had decent expectations for this wine.  I gave it an 89, but was thinking 86-87 the whole way, but thought more to the general wine drinking public that would find this more exciting than I and for the price merits a little better score than my initial assessment.  It was clearly a California made wine as you could taste the sunshine on the ripe and rich fruit, as well as the Petite Sirah (10%) that gave it more California flair.  The core is Cabernet Sauvignon at 75% of the blend and the remaining 15% Syrah.  All of the fruit is from Red Hills in Lake County, north of the Napa Valley and an up an coming wine region offering nicely priced wines with good quality.

The second wine, and more exciting to me, was from the Central Coast of California in the Santa Ynez Valley from the pioneer winery in that region: Zaca Mesa.  Zaca Mesa was founded in 1972 and first planted in 1973, eventually deciding on Rhone varietals as the optimal grapes to plan in their vineyard properties way back in the 1970's.   Many great wine-makers have worked the vines and wine making facility at Zaca Mesa including those of Ojai and Au Bon Climat.    The Zaca Mesa 2006 Syrah is made from 100% estate grown fruit from their original vineyard in the Santa Ynez Valley.  You would think it has to be good, and cheap, as they have tended the vines and held the property for so long in American wine years.  Very fresh and natural flavors and aromas were apparent in this wine, and at this price made it even more exciting.  This has to be the value of the year and the best QPR I have had to date this year.

Tasting Notes

2006 Zaca Mesa Syrah

California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley

100% Syrah

Color:  Purple red core with red edges

Nose & Palate: Spicy, peppery and fleshy. Currants and raspberry, some plum and meaty flavors. More medium bodied to full bodied. Not a fruit and oak bomb (like I was expecting). Very fresh, and racy style. Well done, I'd say blind this was new world, but from a cool climate and price in the mid- $30's. A definite re-buy of multiple bottles.

2007 75 Wine Co. "The Sum"
California, North Coast, Red Hills Lake County

75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Syrah, 10% Petite Sirah

I have seen a lot of this style of wine ala the Prisoner, Griffin, etc lately.  Not a bad thing per se, good concentration and stuffing for the money, good QPR.

Color: Red with some intense purple tinges
Nose & Palate:  Mixed bag of blueberry, blackberry and huckleberry. Savory and herbal spices combine with the lush fruit for a nice experience. Very in your face, yet restrained to not go too far as the wine retains acidity and supple tannins.
Good, easy, impressive drink...not a thinkers wine per se, but delicious and sure to please the masses.  Great price too at around $20!

Cheers and Enjoy,

Tom

P.S.  I have finished my tasting of Pinot Noir from New Zealand and will have an extensive blog with recommendations in all price categories and excelling Pinot Noir growing regions, especially those under $20, with a few over $20 and one insane steal at under $10.

Tuesday Night's Wine Selection?

Champagne of course!
Perfectly paired with: Chile Pepper Striped Bass

(healthy to boot)

To think, on a Tuesday night we opened some Champagne for no reason and lightning did not strike us! Champagne in our society is a celebratory beverage. Many of us only have it 2, maybe 3 times a year and its always because of a special occasion. Why does it have to be that way? Well, it doesn't and I am here to tell you that! If I have to wait for another New Year's Eve, birthday, or anniversary to drink some bubbly I'd go nuts so we try to have a bottle on a random night once or twice a year. We also have quite a bit of it at Thanksgiving and Christmas, Walter Evick is the family Champagne bandit at Christmas time!

We typically buy our year's stock of bottles between Thanksgiving and the later December holidays when tastings are frequent and the savings quite nice. We tend to go for grower Champagnes, not the big name Champagnes that are all the buzz with rappers and others with too much money to know or care what to spend their money wisely on. (Though Cristal is some good stuff). Big Champagne houses are fine, especially for vintage cuvees, but do not offer the complexity and individuality a grower Champagne consistently offers for the same price. I consider the grower styles something more "home made".

Guy Larmandier and Benoit Lahaye are my favorites and we get a few of those each year and a few others that may impress our palates at tastings. The Larmandier is 100% Chardonnay, a Blanc de Blanc in nature but not in name as it does not state so on the label. The Benoit-Lahaye is mostly Pinot Noir (yes, that Sideways grape) and the rest Chardonnay, about an 80/20 blend. They make a great 1-2 punch and cover two different styles to match any occasion.

Tonight however we are having a bottle of wine from some good friends of ours, one of whom I am seeing tomorrow and immediately thought to open this wine. This is an extremely unique and special wine being that is made from the three permitted grape varieties allowed in Champagne: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, & the less often used Pinot Meunier. It even has a larger than normal proportion of Pinot Meunier at 45%, 35% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Noir.

Tasting Note:

N.V. Gaston Chiquet Champagne Tradition Brut Premier Cru 

(France, Champagne)

Color: Shimmering gold with green flecks, very nice
Nose: Mixed notes of biscuit, citrus, and slately minerals
Palate: Crisp and clean finish, the acid is razor sharp and clean. Crisp green apples, limes, lemon zest and some fresh brad notes fan nicely over the palate but finish a bit short.
Chile Pepper Striped Bass

A little salt sprinkled onto the fillets balances and enhances fiery flavors from the marinade. Panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) has about one-fourth the sodium of dry breadcrumbs but offers the same satisfying crunch to sautéed fish.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 fillet and 1 lemon wedge)

Ingredients
- 1/4 cup finely chopped seeded Anaheim chile
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
- 5 teaspoons canola oil, divided
- 4 (6-ounce) striped bass fillets (about 1/2 inch thick)
- 2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
- 1/3 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
- 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 lemon wedges

Preparation

1. Combine the first 3 ingredients and 2 teaspoons oil in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add fish to bag; seal and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

2. Remove fish from bag, discarding marinade. Brush chile off fish. Place egg whites in a shallow dish. Combine panko and rind in another shallow dish. Dip fish in egg white; dredge in panko mixture. Repeat procedure with remaining 3 fillets, egg white, and panko mixture. Sprinkle fillets evenly with salt.

3. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add fish to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until golden brown. Turn fish over; cook 4 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness. Serve with lemon wedges.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 230
Fat: 9.8g (sat 1.3g,mono 4.5g,poly 3g)
Protein: 29.8g
Carbohydrate: 3.8g
Fiber: 0.3g
Cholesterol: 131mg
Iron: 1.4mg
Sodium: 274mg
Calcium: 26mg

(Recipe thanks to Cooking Light)
Cheers,
Tom