Recent drinkings...because these were more than just tastings

JULY 31ST:



2010 Heirbloom Heritage Red blend
Blackberry and plum aromas
Slightly floral: violets
Blackberry jam and ristretto espresso
Cinnamon stick and hints of potpourri

$14.99 @ Target

AUGUST 14TH:



2011 Provenance Estate sauvignon blanc

Lemony lime aromas
Guava and pineapple
Very tropical with just a hint of sweet green grass
More grassy on palate, hit of alcohol power on the outset, diminishes the fruit character

Free for me; was a gift! I am glad too since this was not a favorite. 14.5 is a little too much alcohol for a sauvignon blanc in my humble opinion.



2006 Domaines Bunan Bandol rouge

Tart macerated raspberries on the nose
Soil and wet earth
Cherry fruit leather
Smoky yet bright acid on the palate
Chewy dried cranberry like tannins
Earth dominates: leaves, dirt but still incredibly fresh
Almost a minty finish

$25 @ Backroom Wines in Napa
Favorite wine of the week!

AUGUST 16TH:



2010 Boeckel Sylvaner

Honeyed aromas, dried apricots, wet stones, lemon zest
Bright lemony acidity on the palate with a spicy finish like pink peppercorns
Apricots with that background minerality
Bit of rs
Ripe apples

$16 @ Backroom Wines in Napa

Happy drinking!

Wine Grapes- the class version

Below is my outline for my staff training mentioned in my last post. Hope its helpful for those new to the world of wine.

SPECIES

While there are many species of grapevines, only a few are used for the production of wine. Vitus vinifera and vitus labrusca are the species names. Vitus vinifera is the most important species as most of the fine wine produced in the world comes from this species. Vitus labrusca is native to North America and while some wine is produced from these vines, they are not common. Labrusca vines contain a flavor component that most find off putting in wine. This is usually described as "foxy".

VARIETIES

Vine subspecies are typically referred to as grape varieties or varietals. Chardonnay, merlot, and cabernet sauvignon are all examples of varieties.

CLONES

Asexual reproduction in which a vine descends from cuttings from a single plant. The offspring will be identical to the original plant. Usually done to replicate desirable traits in vines.

MUTATION

When cell reproduction is imperfect a vine will develop different characteristics from the parents leading to mutation. For example, pinot blanc and pinot gris are mutations of pinot noir.

CROSSING

Offspring that results from reproduction of different subspecies within the same species. For example, cabernet sauvignon is a cross between cabernet franc and sauvignon blanc.

HYBRID

Offspring that results from reproduction between two related species. This is what we call the offspring of vitis vinifera and vitis labrusca.

INTERNATIONAL VS. INDIGENOUS GRAPES

International is the label given to grape varieties that have had worldwide success. These grapes thrive in many different climates and altitudes making them widely available and popular.
Examples: Cabernet sauvignon, sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, merlot, riesling, chenin blanc, pinot grigio/gris, muscat, grenache, syrah, and pinot noir.

Indigenous is the label given to grapes that are only successful in one place, typically their place of origin. While they may be grown in other regions, they have not been able to reach the same level of quality.
Examples: Semillon, viognier, trebbiano, nebbiolo, tempranillo, sangiovese, gewurztraminer, and zinfandel (all though this list could go on and on...)

Remember this is just scratching the surface and is meant to be a brief and hopefully easy to understand introductory guide to the wide world of wine grapes.

Wine grapes: Indigenous vs International

The first wine class I conducted for my staff was a very general overview of the world of wine grapes. One of the things they seemed to marvel at is how grapes can perform so differently one region to the next. In particular the fact that some grapes only thrive in one specific area. Living in California has conditioned us to think that any grape can grow anywhere. Personally I find it gratifying that an indigenous varietal is found at its best in its home turf. While drinking a captivating nebbiolo I savor the thought that this grape never reaches this level of expression anywhere else in the world other than in the Piedmont region of Northern Italy. Call me weird but in our globalized world its nice to enjoy specialties from a designated place.
Have a favorite grape varietal? Indigenous or international?

On a side note, has anyone ever heard of a water sommelier? Yes, this is a thing and this restaurant has a 45 page water menu: http://eater.com/archives/2013/08/06/la-restaurant-has-a-water-menu.php

Champagne on a beer budget

As a wine lover, I often find that there are so many wines I want to try but never enough money in my account to afford them. I firmly believe that wine needs to be part of my daily ritual so I have been relentless in the search for quality inexpensive wines. I have found the need to look to other wine regions outside of the one I live in to accomplish this. California does many things right but its does not do cheap and good at the same time. Most "bottom-shelf" California wine tastes like watered down vinegar. My quest has taken me to the vineyard covered country of Italy. Italy produces so much wine that even the mass produced stuff can taste pretty good. Now these are not age-worthy wines of note but for a daily table wine they more than fit the bill. As some of you may know, the wines of Europe are classified by quality. In Italy the order from lowest to highest quality is:

Vino da tavola- literally "table wine". This wine can come from anywhere in Italy and made from any varietal. The most basic of wines with little to no regulation.

Indicazione geographica tipica (IGT)- regional wines. These wines have a place of origin listed on the label which gives some promise to the consumer of where the vines are grown. No restrictions on permitted grape varietals.

It is within this category that I have found some real gems. I will confess that all the wines I am about to mention come from Trader Joe's, which is the ultimate store for wine lovers on a budget.

2011 Archeo Nero d'Avola $3.99

Rich, plummy wine with hints of spice and tar.

Smooth tannins that compliment a variety of foods.

Comes from Sicilia IGT (Sicily). 

2011 Epicuro Aglianico $4.99

Smoky, dark red fruit with a pleasing pepperiness. 

Hearty and gutsy.

Comes from Beneventano IGT (Campania).

2011 Roccalta Sangiovese $3.99

Plum and peppercorns

Dark Chocolate shavings

Surprisingly light on the palate

Mocha made with cocoa powder

Black licorice

Freshly cracked pepper

Cinnamon and clove

*just had this wine last night, so it is still fresh in my mind, can you tell??*

Comes from Puglia IGT (Apulia).

The next step up in quality is denominazione di origine controllata (DOC)- basically controlled place of origin. This level has many more standards that are quite strict governing grape varietals, winemaking, yields, and aging. 

For only a few dollars more than IGT these wines are worth seeking out. I have found that drinking these wines has taught me a lot about regional character. 

2011 Gaetano d'Aquino Montepulciano d'Abruzzo  $3.99

Light bodied with grippy tannins.

Dried cranberries and cherries.

High acidity which makes it perfect with antipasti.

2012 Gaetano d'Aquino Orvieto Classico $4.99

Peachy aromas with hints of ripe lemon and ripe pear

Slightly oily on the palate with more ripe pear and fresh peach dressed with lemon.

Blend of Grechetto and Trebbiano. 

There is one more quality level yet to explore which I will discuss another time. For now, revel in the fact that you can drink delicious, quality wines for less than $5! 

What is your favorite everyday drinking wine? Like me do you go to a region or do you sort by varietal? 

Le Corton

Today guildsomm posted a good question on twitter: What is the largest Grand Cru in Burgundy? Now for some reason the answer to this question is one of those random bits of information I have managed to file away yet always have readily accessible. In honor of little victories I have decided to dig a little deeper and explore this cru and why some people may think the correct answer is Clos de Vougeot.




Located within the Cote de Beaune, le Corton grows both of Burgundy's signature varietals: pinot noir and chardonnay, although it is more known for its reds. One important aspect to keep in mind when studying about Burgundy, is that many villages append their names to include their famous vineyard. A kind of vinous publicity stunt. In this case you may have heard of Aloxe-Corton which is one of the villages that the vineyard happens to be a part of. Le Corton is not only the largest Grand Cru in Burgundy but it is also the only red-wine Grand Cru in the Cote de Beaune. There are 20 climats (subordinate vineyards) that may hyphenate their name to the Corton AOC.

Moving right along, lets talk about another mega-producer: Clos de Vougeot.


This is a 123 acre site which is considered massive by Burgundian standards, although the output of Corton is more than twice the volume produced here! The site produces only reds and of variable quality. It seems that in Burgundy size really does matter. The smaller producers seem to be able to make better wine due to their limited output whereas the larger sites tend to over produce, perhaps trying to capitalize on their hallowed location.

I realize this is a mere snippet of a much larger story but when it comes to taking on the goliath that is Burgundy, I find it wise to focus on a few key details at a time in order to retain the information.

Maybe that's how I remembered the answer this morning!

Let's try this again

I let virtually everything distract me from writing. Usually its work or studying or tv (most common problem). I am finding now that writing is the best way for me to share my love of wine. The last few years have been crazy: i've worked at least 4 different jobs and moved 3 times. The present tense finds me living in the North Bay and working in Napa. I do manage a winebar, which is closer to my dreams, but its within a movie theatre...baby steps I guess. This position makes me realize how much I want to write and educate. I have even started a wine class at work which I plan to blog about here.

Where to begin???
Well like most wine lover's I have been lovin me some rose this summer! The hot Napa days practically scream for it and with so many to try in the market right now its a particularly fun time to try new roses.

2012 Le Galantin Bandol Rose


Lots of mineral aromas: wet stones, scraped slate, sea water
Fresh cut watermelon and sweet grass
Salted watermelon slices on the palate
Light and refreshing yet lingering
Lime salt bite like you find on a margarita glass rim

$18.99 @ Whole Foods


NV Shramsberg Mirabelle Brut Rose


Upon opening a strong aroma of fresh yeasty dough
Like bread rising
Fresh raspberries, jam
Danish
Lively raspberry on the palate
Finish of toasted hazelnuts and croissants

$23.99 @ Safeway

2012 Robert Hall Rose de Robles


Ripe strawberries, juicy watermelon, and red cherries
Round and full on the palate with a spicy dry finish
Blend of mostly syrah with grenache, mourvedre, cinsault, and counoise
Fun Rhone ala Robles

$6.99 @ Trader Joe's


Questions? Comments? Recommendations? Send em my way!

Cheers!