I have some catching up to do with my tasting notes, so I'll forgo any pontificating and just get right to it. (My notes for last Monday's blind tasting I'll post separately, but Bill's post pretty much covered it anyway.)
Thursday, Feb. 21:
For this tasting, there was no pre-printed sheet with all the wines on it, so I decided to do the tasting completely without reference to the costs of the wines. Even now, I don't know exactly how much each bottle costs. I thought it would "level the playing field," so to speak.
1. Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt Riesling 2005 (Germany)
A nose of green apple, motor oil, and wet gravel is mirrored in the flavors of sweet green apple, mineral, and Vaseline. Very interesting wine--not overly balanced (feels like the sweetness and acidity are singing different tunes rather than harmonizing), but still not bad for the price (ok, I do happen to remember that this wine is not too expensive--under $20, if memory serves).
2. Talley Vineyards Arroyo Grande Valley Chardonnay 2004
This is one of the few wines Stimmel's has poured that I just have to say I really hated. Tart and acidic with bitter and yet somehow perfumey flavors. It even tasted a bit oxidized, which makes me want to hear from Bill and Sarah what they think of the next bottle, just in case this one happened to be rotten apple in an otherwise good barrel. Stay tuned . . .
3. Domaine Couteau Yamhill County Pinot Noir 2003
This medium-bodied pinot features a nose of bright cherry, fresh earth, and anise, followed by flavors of raspberry, black cherry, herbal cough medicine, and licorice. The finish is all black pepper. Palpable acidity begs for an oily fish like grilled salmon or a nice seared duck breast.
4. San Martino Villa Cafaggio 2000
This Italian red is quite enjoyable. The nose of currant, oak, salt/blood, and a touch of horse blanket gives way to a nice palate of black currant, black olive, and earth. The finish reveals notes of licorice and mint.
5. Andeluna Reserve Malbec 2003
This very nice Malbec is expectantly chunky, just the way you'd expect a South American Malbec to be. The meaty nose reveals tantalizing aromas of toasty oak and milk chocolate, while the blackberry-based flavor is infused with spice, pepper, and mint, mint, mint (with some mint chocolate thrown in for good measure).
6. Lewelling Cabernet Sauvignon 2004
This is the new world wine I've been looking for in these cold, snowy winter months. While it may lack the finesse of the Mondavi Reserve 2004 (but what doesn't?), this California Cab bursts with aromas of currant, plum, and vanilla for days. And the flavors are even better: sweet cassis, vanilla, oak, tobacco, and chocolaty spice all float effortlessly on fine, ripe tannins. Drink now, or cellar for a few years (5-7).
Thursday, Feb. 28:
These were the leap year vintages, and all I can say is that I am grateful to have been present at this tasting. This is up there with the all-time best tastings for featuring one wine after the next that makes you want to eat Ramen Noodles for a week so you can spend a few extra bucks on the bottle.
1. Robert Mondavi Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 1996 ($99.99/bottle)
This wine is simply great. The nose offers richly layered notes of earth, cedar, crushed violets, and chocolate, with a host of additional secondary aromas too complex and integrated to pin down. Exquisitely smooth, this medium-full bodied Cabernet reveals a complex palate of cedar shavings, tobacco, graphite, cherry, and licorice. In short, I'd have pegged this wine for a great Bordeaux in a blind tasting. Don't wait to drink this one; it's ready to go. (Note: Wine Advocate says drink through 2025, so take my advice with a grain of salt.)
2. Ridge Monte Bello 1992 ($149.99/bottle)
This Bordeaux-style California blend is one of the best wines I've tried, hands down. And, unlike the Mondavi, which definitely needs to be drunk in the next year or two at the most, this wine--at 16 years old (and still featuring a dense, deep garnet color)--could stay in the bottle for another 5-10 years. But why wait, considering its surprisingly bright yet unmistakably mature cherry, dried currant, sweet spice, pencil shaving, and cigar box notes? One of the only bottles I've ever come across that I'd say is a value at $150.
3. Villa Cafaggio Cortaccio 2000 ($32.99/bottle)
This Italian red's nose of blackberry, wildflowers, blood/brine, and toast gives way to flavors of ripe raspberry, blackberry, black licorice, and a hint of leather. Overall a very nice wine.
4. Richard Perry Syrah 2000 ($29.99/bottle)
This is a big wine, from the deep purple (almost opaque) color to the incredibly ripe nose of black plum, toasty oak, vanilla, and milk chocolate (the overall aroma is not unlike the Boarding Pass Shiraz). But it's the taste that stands out: the thick, full body reveals flavors of plum and blackberry fruit buttressed by layers of pronounced pepper and spice, with a hint of tobacco. Not as complicated as the Ridge or the Mondavi, but delicious nonetheless.
5. Shirvington Shiraz 2004 ($69.99/bottle)
Another very good wine in this lineup. The nose of black and blue berries, damp forest floor, and spice gives way to a very extracted flavor of berries, pepper, black licorice, chocolate, and mint, with a long, luxurious finish.
6. Montes Alpha "M" 2004 ($85.99/bottle)
Classic South American full-bodied red, with a nose of blackberries, stewed meat, roasted bell pepper, and crushed mint. Flavors of blackberry, black tar, mint, stewed tomatoes and peppers glide along a super-smooth mouthfeel. Ripe tannins give plenty of structure to the ripe juciness of the fruit.
7. Pillitteri Estates Shiraz Icewine 2004 ($19.99/half bottle)
This was my first Shiraz-base icewine, and I have to admit I wasn't expecting much. But, with a deep, reddish caramel color and a nose of honey, caramel, baked apples, and pineapple, this one took me a bit by surprise. While this dessert wine is not as complex as the Toakaij's or the Sauternes' we've tried at Stimmel's, it is still very tasty--and worth trying for paradoxically sweet and sour cherry component (not to mention the maple syrup component). A phrase from my notes sums things up: "simple, but delicious."
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
The Blind Leading The Blind
The blog is my confessional. Monday night's wine tasting theme here at Stimmel's Market offered another chance to taste seven red wines blind, and be graded accordingly, and I was on the other side of the bar, for the first time, to give it a shot myself. I joked earlier in the day that this was my chance to be in the "dunk tank", and believe me, I was soaked by the end of the night. While I'd like to argue that the lever on the dunk tank was faulty, or offer some other vapid excuse for my failure, I was simply another victim of the dizzying world of wine.
I wound up only getting 3 out of 7 correct, and while I take solace from the fact that my answers (and final score) were identical to Lance's (whose palate I greatly respect), I was blinded by my own confidence. Rich, dark, brooding red with a blast of green bell pepper on the nose - must be the Argentinian Malbec, right? Try Bordeaux. Medium-bodied red with good acidity - has to be the Rioja. Nope, try California Cabernet. Chewy tannins and a touch of leather and medium-bodied - it's gotta be the Bordeaux. Wrong again, it's the Rioja. The lesson I learned is this: certain types of wines from certain wine growing areas of the world typically possess flavors and aromas that can be expected, but they are not unilateral. "Typicity" is merely a guideline when tasting many wines.
On the other hand, I did get a perfect score of 7 out of 7 on the beer side, so I've got that going for me.
Cheers!
I wound up only getting 3 out of 7 correct, and while I take solace from the fact that my answers (and final score) were identical to Lance's (whose palate I greatly respect), I was blinded by my own confidence. Rich, dark, brooding red with a blast of green bell pepper on the nose - must be the Argentinian Malbec, right? Try Bordeaux. Medium-bodied red with good acidity - has to be the Rioja. Nope, try California Cabernet. Chewy tannins and a touch of leather and medium-bodied - it's gotta be the Bordeaux. Wrong again, it's the Rioja. The lesson I learned is this: certain types of wines from certain wine growing areas of the world typically possess flavors and aromas that can be expected, but they are not unilateral. "Typicity" is merely a guideline when tasting many wines.
On the other hand, I did get a perfect score of 7 out of 7 on the beer side, so I've got that going for me.
Cheers!
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Local Flavor
Ohio has been home to some of the best craft breweries over the years, and while dozens have met an untimely demise (a post for another time), many are currently alive and thriving. Great Lakes, Barrelhouse, Hoppin' Frog and Buckeye Brewing are great examples of the healthy local beer market here in Ohio, and are all breweries capable of producing world-class beer.
Wine is another story. While dozens of wineries dot the landscape throughout the state (most of which are located along the lake from Port Clinton all the way up to Ashtabula), serious wine is difficult, if not impossible, to find. Whether it be the soil, the climate, lack of expertise, lack of a captive market, or all of the above, the vast majority of wine produced, bottled, and sold here in the Buckeye state tends to be cloying and sweet. Vinifera grapes are tough to come by, so you're more likely to find Pink Catawba, Concord and Chambourcin than Chardonnay, Merlot, and Syrah.
So, I was more than a tad curious to hear about a winery in Sandusky (just about an hour from Bowling Green) that produces, bottles and sells only vinifera grapes, and not just any grapes - we're talking Sangiovese, Nebbiolo, Tempranillo, Petit Verdot, Semillon, and others. Well, I stopped by Hermes Vineyards ( http://www.hermesvineyards.com/) yesterday to give 'em a try. First of all, Hermes (also known as Sand Hill Winery) is on State Rt. 4, just a couple of miles north of the Ohio Turnpike. As I pulled into the parking lot in a driving rain, I was greeted by a silo and a small barn. Inside the barn is a charming and rustic, yet modern, tasting bar, complete with tables downstairs and more seating in the upstairs loft. Quite frankly, the place was unexpectedly beautiful, and it would be easy to spend a lazy afternoon tasting wines while glancing at the voluminous field of vines stretching away from the picture window.
I met Millicent, the winery manager, and she graciously poured me samples of all their available wines. All of the wines were from the 2006 vintage (a difficult one here in Ohio - especially with a wet and cold harvest), with the exception of a 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon. I tried four whites (Semillon, Gewurztraminer, semi-sweet Sauvignon Blanc, semi-sweet Riesling) and ten reds (Grenache, Nebbiolo, Tempranillo, Sangiovese, Petit Verdot, 2005 and 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, and a Port). It was a mixed bag. As for the whites, the Semillon stood out to me as creamy, a tad spicy, and varietally correct (Millicent also let me know about a sold-out Viognier which was well received by wholesale and retail customers alike). The reds were all on the lighter side of the varietal (visually, most resembled Crystal Light in a wine glass), and some were tough to drink. Others stood out as interesting, if not downright unusual. The Grenache, Nebbiolo and Petit Verdot offered a little spice and/or earth, and the 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon (the only red to see some oak treatment) had a nicer, almost silky mouthfeel.
I give Hermes Vineyards high marks for ambition in all aspects of their business - from the wonderful tasting room inside the restored barn, to the friendly service, to the amazing variety of wines that they bottle and sell. While my opinion of serious red wines made in Ohio may not have changed much, Hermes is definitely on the right track, especially as their vines mature (they were just planted back in 2002). I am already looking forward to trying some of their barrel samples from 2007 (generally regarded as a much better vintage than 2006 in this area).
Cheers!
Wine is another story. While dozens of wineries dot the landscape throughout the state (most of which are located along the lake from Port Clinton all the way up to Ashtabula), serious wine is difficult, if not impossible, to find. Whether it be the soil, the climate, lack of expertise, lack of a captive market, or all of the above, the vast majority of wine produced, bottled, and sold here in the Buckeye state tends to be cloying and sweet. Vinifera grapes are tough to come by, so you're more likely to find Pink Catawba, Concord and Chambourcin than Chardonnay, Merlot, and Syrah.
So, I was more than a tad curious to hear about a winery in Sandusky (just about an hour from Bowling Green) that produces, bottles and sells only vinifera grapes, and not just any grapes - we're talking Sangiovese, Nebbiolo, Tempranillo, Petit Verdot, Semillon, and others. Well, I stopped by Hermes Vineyards ( http://www.hermesvineyards.com/) yesterday to give 'em a try. First of all, Hermes (also known as Sand Hill Winery) is on State Rt. 4, just a couple of miles north of the Ohio Turnpike. As I pulled into the parking lot in a driving rain, I was greeted by a silo and a small barn. Inside the barn is a charming and rustic, yet modern, tasting bar, complete with tables downstairs and more seating in the upstairs loft. Quite frankly, the place was unexpectedly beautiful, and it would be easy to spend a lazy afternoon tasting wines while glancing at the voluminous field of vines stretching away from the picture window.
I met Millicent, the winery manager, and she graciously poured me samples of all their available wines. All of the wines were from the 2006 vintage (a difficult one here in Ohio - especially with a wet and cold harvest), with the exception of a 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon. I tried four whites (Semillon, Gewurztraminer, semi-sweet Sauvignon Blanc, semi-sweet Riesling) and ten reds (Grenache, Nebbiolo, Tempranillo, Sangiovese, Petit Verdot, 2005 and 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, and a Port). It was a mixed bag. As for the whites, the Semillon stood out to me as creamy, a tad spicy, and varietally correct (Millicent also let me know about a sold-out Viognier which was well received by wholesale and retail customers alike). The reds were all on the lighter side of the varietal (visually, most resembled Crystal Light in a wine glass), and some were tough to drink. Others stood out as interesting, if not downright unusual. The Grenache, Nebbiolo and Petit Verdot offered a little spice and/or earth, and the 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon (the only red to see some oak treatment) had a nicer, almost silky mouthfeel.
I give Hermes Vineyards high marks for ambition in all aspects of their business - from the wonderful tasting room inside the restored barn, to the friendly service, to the amazing variety of wines that they bottle and sell. While my opinion of serious red wines made in Ohio may not have changed much, Hermes is definitely on the right track, especially as their vines mature (they were just planted back in 2002). I am already looking forward to trying some of their barrel samples from 2007 (generally regarded as a much better vintage than 2006 in this area).
Cheers!
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Tasting Notes (Feb. 14): Bor--d'oh!
I was all ready to post my notes last weekend--early, by my recent standards--when an incredibly painful back spasm put me in bed for three days straight. So I'm only now getting back in the swing of things, just in time for the next tasting. Alas, the best laid plans of mice and men . . . .
1. Chateau Guiraud "G" 2006 ($15.99/bottle)
Essentially (if not legally) a dry Sauternes, this wine offers a complex nose of kiwi, lemon, muskmelon, brioche, and honey and flavors of creamy citrus, bread, and fresh herbs. The smooth, medium body is defined by a nice balance between crispness and roundess, with just the faintest touch of sweetness.
2. Chateau Gloria 2004 (St. Julien; $24.99/bottle)
The nose knows on this wine. Still shiny-new and very tight, the flavor begrudgingly yields some dark berry with hints of tar and leather, all sheathed in a cloak of youthful tannin. But the aroma offers a glimpse of what this wine may be in 5-10 years, with a balanced, rich array of sweet black currants, blackberry, earth, clove, and tar.
3. Chateau Lagrange 2004 (St. Julien; $34.99/bottle)
This wine, like the Gloria, needs time, though it doesn't keep quite so much in reserve. An interesting nose of cherry, toasty oak, and stewed tomatoes with peppers gives way to flavors of black cherry, tangy new leather, tar, and earth. Reasonably smooth for a young wine.
4. Chateau Beychevelle 2004 (St. Julien; $39.99/bottle)
Now we're getting into some wines that--while no doubt themselves still young and worthy of 10+ years of cellaring--have enough ripe fruit, balance, and depth to be enjoyable now, especially with a few hours of decanting (if you can plan ahead). The nose on this medium-full-bodied red is rich, ripe, and well-integrated, suggestive of black currant, black cherry, oak, and sweet spice. On the palate, shining through a curtain of assertive tannins, come sweet, bright red and purple fruits, toasty oak, and a cocoa-laced finish.
5. Chateau Bourgneuf 2004 (Pomerol; $39.99/bottle)
This merlot-based blend (whereas the others are mostly cabernet) offers a nose of blackberry, black cherry, pungent earth, and sweet spice and flavors of ripe black fruit infused with pepper, licorice, earth, and toasty spice. As with all the wines in this lineup, assertive tannins suggest aging potential, though with some decanting and a juicy steak there's nothing to stop one from enjoying this wine right now.
6. Clos du Marquis 2002 (St. Julien; $49.99/bottle)
Predictably, the wine that's two years older than the others (and from comparable vintages) is also the smoothest one of the bunch, with a nice, velvety texture that goes a long way toward ameliorating the still-brawny tannins. Aromas and flavors of plum, blackberry, peppery spice, black licorice, and leather make for a complex and enjoyable glass of wine right now, though cellaring for 5-10 or more years would no doubt yield an even smoother, more complex Bordeaux experience.
7. Chateau d'Yquem 2001 (Sauternes; $299.99/375 ml bottle)
Yes, you read the price right. Chateau d'Yquem is France's most legendary dessert wine, and this bottle is from what is universally considered to be a stellar vintage. And you can tell. Just smelling the super-rich, concentrated nose of honey, baked pineapple, minerals, candied lemon, and a whole field of honeysuckle is, all by itself, an intense and pleasurable experience. The flavors are just as astounding, with impossibly dense lemon syrup, apricot preserves, smoke, and herb flavors. The very long finish turns floral after about a minute. As one might expect, this wine has an almost syrupy consistency on the palate, though there's enough acidity to keep things in something like balance. (If I am to be totally honest, though, I think the still-expensive but much more affordable Royal Tokaji Wine Company 5 puttonyos from the Jan. 3 tasting has as much depth and sweetness as the Yquem and better acidity, creating an overall ethereal, transcendent quality that this Sauternes doesn't quite achieve. If that makes me an iconoclast, then so be it.)
1. Chateau Guiraud "G" 2006 ($15.99/bottle)
Essentially (if not legally) a dry Sauternes, this wine offers a complex nose of kiwi, lemon, muskmelon, brioche, and honey and flavors of creamy citrus, bread, and fresh herbs. The smooth, medium body is defined by a nice balance between crispness and roundess, with just the faintest touch of sweetness.
2. Chateau Gloria 2004 (St. Julien; $24.99/bottle)
The nose knows on this wine. Still shiny-new and very tight, the flavor begrudgingly yields some dark berry with hints of tar and leather, all sheathed in a cloak of youthful tannin. But the aroma offers a glimpse of what this wine may be in 5-10 years, with a balanced, rich array of sweet black currants, blackberry, earth, clove, and tar.
3. Chateau Lagrange 2004 (St. Julien; $34.99/bottle)
This wine, like the Gloria, needs time, though it doesn't keep quite so much in reserve. An interesting nose of cherry, toasty oak, and stewed tomatoes with peppers gives way to flavors of black cherry, tangy new leather, tar, and earth. Reasonably smooth for a young wine.
4. Chateau Beychevelle 2004 (St. Julien; $39.99/bottle)
Now we're getting into some wines that--while no doubt themselves still young and worthy of 10+ years of cellaring--have enough ripe fruit, balance, and depth to be enjoyable now, especially with a few hours of decanting (if you can plan ahead). The nose on this medium-full-bodied red is rich, ripe, and well-integrated, suggestive of black currant, black cherry, oak, and sweet spice. On the palate, shining through a curtain of assertive tannins, come sweet, bright red and purple fruits, toasty oak, and a cocoa-laced finish.
5. Chateau Bourgneuf 2004 (Pomerol; $39.99/bottle)
This merlot-based blend (whereas the others are mostly cabernet) offers a nose of blackberry, black cherry, pungent earth, and sweet spice and flavors of ripe black fruit infused with pepper, licorice, earth, and toasty spice. As with all the wines in this lineup, assertive tannins suggest aging potential, though with some decanting and a juicy steak there's nothing to stop one from enjoying this wine right now.
6. Clos du Marquis 2002 (St. Julien; $49.99/bottle)
Predictably, the wine that's two years older than the others (and from comparable vintages) is also the smoothest one of the bunch, with a nice, velvety texture that goes a long way toward ameliorating the still-brawny tannins. Aromas and flavors of plum, blackberry, peppery spice, black licorice, and leather make for a complex and enjoyable glass of wine right now, though cellaring for 5-10 or more years would no doubt yield an even smoother, more complex Bordeaux experience.
7. Chateau d'Yquem 2001 (Sauternes; $299.99/375 ml bottle)
Yes, you read the price right. Chateau d'Yquem is France's most legendary dessert wine, and this bottle is from what is universally considered to be a stellar vintage. And you can tell. Just smelling the super-rich, concentrated nose of honey, baked pineapple, minerals, candied lemon, and a whole field of honeysuckle is, all by itself, an intense and pleasurable experience. The flavors are just as astounding, with impossibly dense lemon syrup, apricot preserves, smoke, and herb flavors. The very long finish turns floral after about a minute. As one might expect, this wine has an almost syrupy consistency on the palate, though there's enough acidity to keep things in something like balance. (If I am to be totally honest, though, I think the still-expensive but much more affordable Royal Tokaji Wine Company 5 puttonyos from the Jan. 3 tasting has as much depth and sweetness as the Yquem and better acidity, creating an overall ethereal, transcendent quality that this Sauternes doesn't quite achieve. If that makes me an iconoclast, then so be it.)
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Is Zinfandel Dead?
This question was recently posed in an online wine forum, and the reaction was surprisingly (to me) split down the middle. Many of the posters discussed Zin's lack of "flair", too-high alcohol levels, and a general disinterest for the grape. Others were singing the praise of Zinfandel, lauding the fact that they are generally great values, are perfect matches for heavier foods, and exhibit more complexity than most people think.
Well, the discussion inspired me....to buy a boatload of Zinfandel for my home cellar! Admittedly, I've overlooked Zin myself the last year; our last full-on Zinfandel tasting was almost a year ago at Stimmel's Market, and despite the fact that I've had two outstanding Zin-based blends the last six months (Orin Swift The Prisoner, JC Cellars Impostor), it's been a long time since I've popped any at home. So, I went and picked up several bottles of Schrader's Hell Hole Zin, a few bottles of Turley Juvenile, a bunch of stuff from Armida, and a few more bottles of The Prisoner. None of these bottles cost me more than $40 (even the Turley), and all will provide immediate gratification.
The best Zinfandels are full-bodied, show lush dark fruits, and tease with a touch of pepper on the finish. Unlike first-growths and cult cabs, Zin is often times best drunk young - not to mention you won't have to refinance your home to buy a case of good Zin. I'll be trying these Zins over the coming weeks, and will be picking up some other great bottles at Stimmel's as well. If you want to share in my Zinfandel odyssey, here are some terrific ones you can pick up at the market:
Seghesio - only $20 or so, this is a great bottle. One of Wine Spectator's Top 100 wines of 2007.
Rosenblum Rockpile - Rosenblum is regarded as one of the absolute best Zin producers, and the Rockpile is their showcase bottle. A little pricier (about $40), but a big, big wine.
Kuleto - under $30, this is a steal. Loads of fruit and spice.
Peter Franus - great texture and mouthfeel, a go-to Zin for me.
Cheers!
Well, the discussion inspired me....to buy a boatload of Zinfandel for my home cellar! Admittedly, I've overlooked Zin myself the last year; our last full-on Zinfandel tasting was almost a year ago at Stimmel's Market, and despite the fact that I've had two outstanding Zin-based blends the last six months (Orin Swift The Prisoner, JC Cellars Impostor), it's been a long time since I've popped any at home. So, I went and picked up several bottles of Schrader's Hell Hole Zin, a few bottles of Turley Juvenile, a bunch of stuff from Armida, and a few more bottles of The Prisoner. None of these bottles cost me more than $40 (even the Turley), and all will provide immediate gratification.
The best Zinfandels are full-bodied, show lush dark fruits, and tease with a touch of pepper on the finish. Unlike first-growths and cult cabs, Zin is often times best drunk young - not to mention you won't have to refinance your home to buy a case of good Zin. I'll be trying these Zins over the coming weeks, and will be picking up some other great bottles at Stimmel's as well. If you want to share in my Zinfandel odyssey, here are some terrific ones you can pick up at the market:
Seghesio - only $20 or so, this is a great bottle. One of Wine Spectator's Top 100 wines of 2007.
Rosenblum Rockpile - Rosenblum is regarded as one of the absolute best Zin producers, and the Rockpile is their showcase bottle. A little pricier (about $40), but a big, big wine.
Kuleto - under $30, this is a steal. Loads of fruit and spice.
Peter Franus - great texture and mouthfeel, a go-to Zin for me.
Cheers!
Friday, February 8, 2008
Tasting Notes (Feb. 7): Syrah Around the World
If you'll pardon a bit of wandering before I get to the subject of wine, I want to talk about language for a moment. Soviet philosopher and literary critic Mikhail Bakhtin said that there are always two kinds of forces at work when we use language. Centripetal forces (like official language laws, prescriptive grammars, and usage manuals) are forces that seek to push language toward a central point of conformity and sameness. They are the "rules," as it were. Centrifugal forces (like innovation, creolization, and even sheer accident), on the other hand, are forces that constantly work to push language out from the center, toward change and differentiation.
Rugged individualists that we Americans tend to be (apologies to the one Roman who I know regularly reads this blog) it may seem that we should enthusiastically root for the centrifugal while trying to boo the centripetal off the field--that we should, in short, vigorously celebrate difference, change, and innovation. But the fact is that language, and by extension human society, can only exist in that tenuous middle space between too much sameness and too much difference. If language becomes too centrifugal, then we end up with a kind of Babel--nobody communicating with anybody. If it becomes too centripetal, it becomes moribund, going the way of Latin--something for dusty textbooks and clerics.
So what does this have to do with wine? Everything, actually. Just like language, wine is the happy (ok, very happy) result of a similar play between centripetal and centrifugal forces. Take terroir, for instance: the tendency for wines, especially good wines, to reflect "place" assures that the same kind of grape grown in different places will likely make very different wines. If terroir didn't exist, even taking into account winemakers' abilities to manipulate the final product through specialized techniques, there would simply be no point in having a "syrah around the world" tasting. There would just be syrah, period. It wouldn't matter where it came from, other than perhaps the minimum criterion that syrah actually be able to grow and ripen there.
So terroir is a centrifugal force, in that it is largely responsible for the differences among wines from one country to the next, one region to the next, and even one vineyard to the next. But, alongside terroir, there's a centripetal force at work: the varietal (i.e., the type of grape). After all, if terroir were an absolutely determining force, then there would be no reason to care whether a wine is a syrah, or even to distinguish a syrah from, say, a zinfandel. All that would matter is where it came from. But, different as syrahs around the world can be, they are not all so different from one another that there isn't--usually, anyway--at least a smidge of continuity from one to the next.
For syrah--to my palate, at least--that smidge seems to be spice. Of all the wines I tried this Thursday, only the first doesn't include some kind of spice in the tasting note note. And, yet, despite this commonality and a few others almost as prominent (blackberry, for example), it will be clear from the descriptions below that these are very different wines, and that the difference has as much or more to do with place--with terroir--as with price.
It's this give-and-take between sameness and difference that makes wine so mesmerizingly appealing to me and, I suspect, many others. Now, the notes:
1. Backsberg Pumphouse Shiraz 2002 (South Africa; $19.99/bottle)
This shiraz boasts aromas of big blackberry fruit, toasty oak, and leathery earth, followed by flavors of tart but ripe blackberries, saddle leather, and tar. The finish reveals subtle graphite notes as it lingers. Dark and nice, with an old-world quality.
2. Delas Crozes-Hermitage Les Launes 2005 (France; $22.99/bottle)
Bold aromas and flavors of wild berries, dusty spice, dry earth, and cured pork practically scream northern Rhone, of whose wines this one is a typical, and decent, example. Finishes with drying tannins. Try this one with smoked sausage.
3. E. Guigal Hermitage 2001 (France; $79.99/bottle)
Even pushing $80, this would be considered an entry-level hermitage. And, while it is perhaps less intriguing and complex than the Jaboulet "La Chapelle" from the Jan. 10 Rhone tasting, it is more balanced, with more integrated flavors, making it a real pleasure to drink. Aromas of dark berry, musk, damp earth, smoke, and leather are followed by flavors of blackberry, tart cherry, pepper, dust, and smoky cedar. The peppery, spicy finish lingers nicely.
4. Arcadian Syrah 2005 (California; $26.99/bottle)
This wine may be from California, but the nose says northern Rhone, with dark berry, animal, and smoky notes. On the palate, the fruit is more red and rounded than a Rhone, but it's followed by delicious exotic spice and black licorice. Medium-bodied, with a smooth mouthfeel.
5. Red Car Speakeasy Syrah 2006 (California; $59.99/bottle)
Almost black, this thick, full-bodied syrah offers a nose of black plum, sweet spice, oak, and earth. Flavors of ripe black plum, tar, and spice glide like satin across the palate, with a ripe, almost grapey fruit re-emerging on the finish.
6. Mitolo Jester Shiraz 2006 (Australia; $21.99/bottle)
Dark and complex, this shiraz boasts aromas of blackberry and black currant, sweet spice, and musk and flavors of tart blackberry and black cherry, dark chocolate, tar, and spice. Full-bodied, but more restrained than one would expect from a big Aussie shiraz. It reminds me, in fact, of a nice GSM--heavy on the M.
7. Cayuse en Chamberlin Syrah 2004 (Washington; $74.99/bottle)
This super-ripe syrah from Washington is definitely made in a new world style, though it, too, offers a mélange of new world and old world flavors--cherry and blackberry, oak, smoke, sweet spice, salt, and corned beef (with even a bit of cabbage thrown in). Thick, rich, and fruity but also dark and brooding at the same time, this wine prompted one of the tasters to refer to it (in a good way) as "fornicating with my mouth." How often can you say that about a wine?
Rugged individualists that we Americans tend to be (apologies to the one Roman who I know regularly reads this blog) it may seem that we should enthusiastically root for the centrifugal while trying to boo the centripetal off the field--that we should, in short, vigorously celebrate difference, change, and innovation. But the fact is that language, and by extension human society, can only exist in that tenuous middle space between too much sameness and too much difference. If language becomes too centrifugal, then we end up with a kind of Babel--nobody communicating with anybody. If it becomes too centripetal, it becomes moribund, going the way of Latin--something for dusty textbooks and clerics.
So what does this have to do with wine? Everything, actually. Just like language, wine is the happy (ok, very happy) result of a similar play between centripetal and centrifugal forces. Take terroir, for instance: the tendency for wines, especially good wines, to reflect "place" assures that the same kind of grape grown in different places will likely make very different wines. If terroir didn't exist, even taking into account winemakers' abilities to manipulate the final product through specialized techniques, there would simply be no point in having a "syrah around the world" tasting. There would just be syrah, period. It wouldn't matter where it came from, other than perhaps the minimum criterion that syrah actually be able to grow and ripen there.
So terroir is a centrifugal force, in that it is largely responsible for the differences among wines from one country to the next, one region to the next, and even one vineyard to the next. But, alongside terroir, there's a centripetal force at work: the varietal (i.e., the type of grape). After all, if terroir were an absolutely determining force, then there would be no reason to care whether a wine is a syrah, or even to distinguish a syrah from, say, a zinfandel. All that would matter is where it came from. But, different as syrahs around the world can be, they are not all so different from one another that there isn't--usually, anyway--at least a smidge of continuity from one to the next.
For syrah--to my palate, at least--that smidge seems to be spice. Of all the wines I tried this Thursday, only the first doesn't include some kind of spice in the tasting note note. And, yet, despite this commonality and a few others almost as prominent (blackberry, for example), it will be clear from the descriptions below that these are very different wines, and that the difference has as much or more to do with place--with terroir--as with price.
It's this give-and-take between sameness and difference that makes wine so mesmerizingly appealing to me and, I suspect, many others. Now, the notes:
1. Backsberg Pumphouse Shiraz 2002 (South Africa; $19.99/bottle)
This shiraz boasts aromas of big blackberry fruit, toasty oak, and leathery earth, followed by flavors of tart but ripe blackberries, saddle leather, and tar. The finish reveals subtle graphite notes as it lingers. Dark and nice, with an old-world quality.
2. Delas Crozes-Hermitage Les Launes 2005 (France; $22.99/bottle)
Bold aromas and flavors of wild berries, dusty spice, dry earth, and cured pork practically scream northern Rhone, of whose wines this one is a typical, and decent, example. Finishes with drying tannins. Try this one with smoked sausage.
3. E. Guigal Hermitage 2001 (France; $79.99/bottle)
Even pushing $80, this would be considered an entry-level hermitage. And, while it is perhaps less intriguing and complex than the Jaboulet "La Chapelle" from the Jan. 10 Rhone tasting, it is more balanced, with more integrated flavors, making it a real pleasure to drink. Aromas of dark berry, musk, damp earth, smoke, and leather are followed by flavors of blackberry, tart cherry, pepper, dust, and smoky cedar. The peppery, spicy finish lingers nicely.
4. Arcadian Syrah 2005 (California; $26.99/bottle)
This wine may be from California, but the nose says northern Rhone, with dark berry, animal, and smoky notes. On the palate, the fruit is more red and rounded than a Rhone, but it's followed by delicious exotic spice and black licorice. Medium-bodied, with a smooth mouthfeel.
5. Red Car Speakeasy Syrah 2006 (California; $59.99/bottle)
Almost black, this thick, full-bodied syrah offers a nose of black plum, sweet spice, oak, and earth. Flavors of ripe black plum, tar, and spice glide like satin across the palate, with a ripe, almost grapey fruit re-emerging on the finish.
6. Mitolo Jester Shiraz 2006 (Australia; $21.99/bottle)
Dark and complex, this shiraz boasts aromas of blackberry and black currant, sweet spice, and musk and flavors of tart blackberry and black cherry, dark chocolate, tar, and spice. Full-bodied, but more restrained than one would expect from a big Aussie shiraz. It reminds me, in fact, of a nice GSM--heavy on the M.
7. Cayuse en Chamberlin Syrah 2004 (Washington; $74.99/bottle)
This super-ripe syrah from Washington is definitely made in a new world style, though it, too, offers a mélange of new world and old world flavors--cherry and blackberry, oak, smoke, sweet spice, salt, and corned beef (with even a bit of cabbage thrown in). Thick, rich, and fruity but also dark and brooding at the same time, this wine prompted one of the tasters to refer to it (in a good way) as "fornicating with my mouth." How often can you say that about a wine?
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Tasting Notes (Jan. 31): South American Tour
Inveterate oenophile that I am, I often sneak back to the Stimmel's tasting area on Thursday afternoons just to get a peek at that night's wines. Last Thursday was no exception, and as I scanned the lineup, I was shocked to see in the "South American Tour" not only such standbys as malbec and carménère but also the varietals chardonnay, pinot noir, and syrah. Props go to Bill for exercising a little creativity when, as he put it, most people were probably expecting a lineup of "bell pepper bombs." I love many of the pepper bombs, of course, but this tasting was something of a revelation: South America can produce great wines in whole a range of styles, from rustic and meaty to elegant and silky. Here are some of them:
1. Luca Chardonnay 2006 (Argentina; $33.99/bottle)
This sleekly-styled chardonnay boasts aromas and flavors of very ripe pear, kiwi, oak, and smoke. Crisply acidic rather than round and buttery, there's still enough depth, richness, and mouthfilling body to make it recognizable as a new-world chardonnay. The long finish leaves your mouth tingling, and wanting more.
2. Luca Pinot Noir 2005 (Argentina; $34.99/bottle)
This pinot's creamy nose of bright cherry, wet soil, and smoke foreshadow flavors of ripe black and sour cherries, earth, and smoky spice. The vibrant acidity doesn't dominate but instead provides lift, suggesting a versatile food wine--pair with anything from roasted chicken or duck to filet mignon.
3. Tikal Patriota 2005 (Argentina; $25.99/bottle)
Aromas of juicy plum and other dark fruits, toast, and sweet spice are followed by flavors of wild berries, black pepper, spice, and a slight hint of green wood. A typically meaty-textured malbec-based blend, this wine finishes with tart, fine tannins.
4. Susana Balbo Malbec 2005 (Argentina; $27.99)
This tasty wine is a study in contrasts. Juicy and ripe up front, with a nose of dark berries, bramble, cinnamon, and a faint earthiness and flavors of black plum, black licorice, and peppery spice, it nevertheless finishes with bone-dry tannins.
5. Montes Purple Angel 2004 (Chile; $55.99/bottle)
The first thing you notice with this carménère is its dark purple color, followed by a big, bold, assertive nose of fresh and roasted green bell pepper, crushed berries, cigarette tobacco, and grilled meat. The flavor follows suit with very ripe, sweet black and blue berries, green pepper, and tobacco, all riding on a full-bodied, moderately tannic structure. The long finish is sweet, ripe, and rich.
6. Montes Folly 2003 (Chile; $79.99/bottle)
This syrah's nose of cherry, sweet spice, vanilla, and oak is very well-integrated and rich. On the palate, it begins with bright cherry, sliding into earthy blackberry and then vanilla and sweet spice. The long finish suggests black licorice. This is a great candidate for drinking all by itself.
7. Tardio 2006 (Argentina; $12.99/500 ml bottle)
This dessert wine has an intriguing nose, boasting a mix of candied pineapple and bent plastic (think of the petroleum-like smell you get when you put a crease in a plastic picnic/party cup). The taste, likewise, offers scrumptious sweet pineapple, smoke, and petroleum. Decent acidity keeps the sweetness from being too cloying, especially considering the low price. A good value.
1. Luca Chardonnay 2006 (Argentina; $33.99/bottle)
This sleekly-styled chardonnay boasts aromas and flavors of very ripe pear, kiwi, oak, and smoke. Crisply acidic rather than round and buttery, there's still enough depth, richness, and mouthfilling body to make it recognizable as a new-world chardonnay. The long finish leaves your mouth tingling, and wanting more.
2. Luca Pinot Noir 2005 (Argentina; $34.99/bottle)
This pinot's creamy nose of bright cherry, wet soil, and smoke foreshadow flavors of ripe black and sour cherries, earth, and smoky spice. The vibrant acidity doesn't dominate but instead provides lift, suggesting a versatile food wine--pair with anything from roasted chicken or duck to filet mignon.
3. Tikal Patriota 2005 (Argentina; $25.99/bottle)
Aromas of juicy plum and other dark fruits, toast, and sweet spice are followed by flavors of wild berries, black pepper, spice, and a slight hint of green wood. A typically meaty-textured malbec-based blend, this wine finishes with tart, fine tannins.
4. Susana Balbo Malbec 2005 (Argentina; $27.99)
This tasty wine is a study in contrasts. Juicy and ripe up front, with a nose of dark berries, bramble, cinnamon, and a faint earthiness and flavors of black plum, black licorice, and peppery spice, it nevertheless finishes with bone-dry tannins.
5. Montes Purple Angel 2004 (Chile; $55.99/bottle)
The first thing you notice with this carménère is its dark purple color, followed by a big, bold, assertive nose of fresh and roasted green bell pepper, crushed berries, cigarette tobacco, and grilled meat. The flavor follows suit with very ripe, sweet black and blue berries, green pepper, and tobacco, all riding on a full-bodied, moderately tannic structure. The long finish is sweet, ripe, and rich.
6. Montes Folly 2003 (Chile; $79.99/bottle)
This syrah's nose of cherry, sweet spice, vanilla, and oak is very well-integrated and rich. On the palate, it begins with bright cherry, sliding into earthy blackberry and then vanilla and sweet spice. The long finish suggests black licorice. This is a great candidate for drinking all by itself.
7. Tardio 2006 (Argentina; $12.99/500 ml bottle)
This dessert wine has an intriguing nose, boasting a mix of candied pineapple and bent plastic (think of the petroleum-like smell you get when you put a crease in a plastic picnic/party cup). The taste, likewise, offers scrumptious sweet pineapple, smoke, and petroleum. Decent acidity keeps the sweetness from being too cloying, especially considering the low price. A good value.
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