Vinfolio.com

Our most recent wine journey take us to one of the most noted wine growing regions in Catalonia, the Montsant D.O. (denominación de origen) located in the hinterland of Tarragona. Before 2001, the D.O. was referred to as Tarragona-Falset and today there are over 40 wineries that reside in this spectacularly hilly country interlaced with grape vine, almonds, olive groves and pine trees. Montsant forms a horseshoe around its more famous neighbor the Priorat. A similar grape mix is found here dominated by Cariñena (Carignan) and Garnacha (Grenache). The major geological difference between the Montsant and Priorat lies in the soil structure. Montsant has more silica, iron and clay, whereas Priorat is dominated by pure slate and schist. Furthermore, Montsant sits at a lower elevation than the Priorat with less rugged and terraced vineyards allowing for easier development of vineyards. Though Priorat is garnering a lot of press and may arguably produce the finest wines in all of España, certain Montsant producers are poised to take on some of the spotlight at more affordable prices.

Cellars Can Blau is a case in point. Started in 2003 as a partnership project between Spanish import giant Jorge Ordoñez and Ángel Gil of Juan Gil winery in Jumilla, Can Blau takes on a New-World approach with the hiring of Australian winemaker Sarah Morris. Ordoñez and Gil’s ‘Oro Wine’ project has worked the Aussie angle before hiring Chris Ringland with the Alto Moncayo project in Campo de Borjo and El Nido in Jumilla. Based on initial  reviews (IWC 92/ WA 92), The Can Blau label is heading to top of the record charts in the same fashion as Alto Moncayo and El Nido labels. Take top quality native old-vines, picked at low yields tempered with state-of-the-art modern equipment, and you have hedonism in a glass.

I was extremely stoked to see the release of the 2004 Mas De Can Blau Tinto ($39) on the Vinfolio site (www.vinfolio.com). It’s the older vine rendition of two wines from this house which I had to the opportunity to sample when Jorge Ordoñez came through the Bay Area about a year ago. I still can remember the night I tried the wine and was floored by the sexiness and opulence that is not usually associated with the Montsant. A blend of 35% Cariñena, 35% Syrah and 30% Garnacha makes for a compelling argument that the best examples of ‘Rhone’ blends are being made in Catalonia. Fact: ‘Greater Catalonia’ stretched all the way into the Languedoc and Southern Rhone into the late 1300s. Fans of Aussie “Sheeeraz” and California Central Coast Syrah should add this wine to their must have list. Its full throttled black fruit explosion doesn’t mean that there isn’t any Old-World sauvage character in the glass. This effort still has all the great herbs and mineral accents that you expect from this region, but brace yourself for deep saturation and extraction. This is not your grandfather’s old-school Rioja! Mas De Can Blau is definitely more (mas) with a core of kirsch and blackberry compote laced with cola and tar notes. The twenty months of French oak ageing is apparent but in check with tannin and acid. This wine can age for a good five years, but all too tempting to enjoy now with a solid 90 minutes of decanting time. This wine deserves carnage like meat on the grill. Perhaps a spicy dry rub Rib-Eye with garlic mashed potatoes and braised collard greens.

What with the stellar 2001s and 2004s that stand to benefit from cellar aging and the disappointing 2002s, I would like to offer the argument that the more value-oriented of the 2003 Piedmontese wines most greatly reward current drinking. I recently enjoyed Aldo Conterno’s 2003 Langhe Quartetto ($26) to unwind after watching a tension-inducing vampire movie. A novel blend composed mostly of the traditional Nebbiolo with 25% each of Cab and Merlot, and a splash of Barbera with each vinified individually, this medium-bodied wine was a striking blood red at the core with a slightly watery rim. I initially perceived an aroma eerily reminiscent of the dark, juicy, warm plums picked from my childhood backyard, followed by sleek black leather and blood-dampened earth. Ok, perhaps the movie was still on my mind. Easily quaffable and simply pleasurable, the Quartetto displayed a notably modern winemaking style without disregard for its venerable terroir. It was also enjoyable the following evening with braised short ribs.

I’ve just returned from a car camping trip and have determined that:

    a) Hiking-in is overrated (fine when I'm in my 20s and trying to impress a new boyfriend)
    b) Freeze-dried food is overrated (you can only "adulterate" foam eggs so much)
    c) Beans & weenies do have a complementary wine pairing

While celebrating a cousin's 45th birthday in Sonoma, I realized that 'civilized' camping needs to include something other than PBR and Jell-o shots, and much to my delight, my fellow campers admitted as much. Now, don't go changing the chow - these nature retreats/revelries are about the only chance I have to indulge my dark desire for hot dogs, unlimited Lays potato chips, industrial onion dip and marshmallow delights. But, since all the attendees were part of either the food and/or wine industry, we shared an absolute boatload of sparkling and still wines that managed the menu with aplomb. Here's a sampling of what we imbibed and what it matched to:

Ployez-Jacquemart NV Blanc de Blancs: And you thought Slim Jims had no partner! When someone broke out the summer sausage, beef jerky and Greek olives (along with the Cheetos), we popped a few bottles of this and settled in. The delicate purity and streamlined mineral/acid of this bubbly is the perfect foil to salty/savory/greasy fare. It provides lift and refreshment to the palate and readies it for the next bite.

Belle Glos 2006 Pinot Noir Blanc Oeil de Perdrix: Any food fan realizes the worth of a sturdy rosé when it comes to the myriad of flavors a camping trip throws at you. This rosé held up not only with the remnants of the Cheetos, but played right into the potato salad and couscous/spiced sausage portion of the gala. Once again, firm acidity, beautiful strawberry and watermelon fruits, and a bit of palate texture allowed the wine to handle the creamy, spicy, acid components of the pairing.

Yves Cuilleron 2006 "Candives" Syrah: OK, here we go...meat portion of the meal. The men got out their tools and started the routine of debating optimum ember glow, grill height and whether to stick-a-fork-in-it or flip with tongs. Meanwhile, the women, knowing the guys were going to end up dropping half of it into the flames, debated the merits of this lovely vin de table from the terroir of Syrah. This wine is a treat of pure and bright black plum, currants and violets, with a grip that is at once tenacious yet elegant. The bitter chocolate and white pepper spice covered all bases – hot dogs, steak and lamb sirloin.

Royal Tokaji – Tokaji Aszu "Birsalmas" 5 Puttonyos: OK, I have to admit, this is a bit esoteric, but I do have a Vizsla whose name is Puttonyo, and all my friends are wine geeks...go figure. Knowing the bakers that were going to be bringing their wares, as well as the marshmallow frenzy that would occur, I figured something with dried fruit characteristics and a stunning acid structure should do justice to all comers. And boy, did it perform! Not only with the sweet, gooey marshmallow, but with the pumpkin pie, biscotti and shortbread. Realize that Tokaji, even though it is a dessert wine, has such great acidity, that it is not cloying on the palate. Also, a little goes a long way.

Here were a few others that were enjoyed as well...my editor is pleading space constraints.

Jean Vesselle NV Brut "Oeil de Perdrix," Alvaro Palacios 2005 "Les Terrasses," Bouissiere 2005 Gigondas "Font de Tonin," Pelissero 2004 "I Piani" Barbera d’Alba.

 

2006 Weingart Schloss Furstenberg Riesling Kabinett, $20

A fairly subdued nose at this stage, gives away to intensity from beginning to end. This is a wine that can stand as a course on its own. Stoney peach, subtle almond and sloe berries come through first as well as floral notes in the background. These elements seem to dance together with a refreshing effervescent quality. The Furstenberg is always an interesting dichotomy of delicate and intense. Pair this with a baked light-meat, roasted veggies and a nice, warm winter chutney—prepare to raise an eyebrow!

Last night Food & Wine celebrated the 10th anniversary of its American Wine Awards at the de Young Museum in San Francisco. Awards honored participants in the following categories: Winery of the Year (Long Shadow), Best Wines $20 and Under (seven selections), Wine Importer of the Year (Kermit Lynch), Best Wines Over $20 (eight selections), and Winemaker of the Year (Robert Foley). The event also featured food pairings from local restaurants and top chefs.

My favorite two wines of the evening were the 2006 Westerly Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc ($19) from Santa Ynez Valley and the 2003 Calera Pinot Noir Selleck Vineyard ($60) from Mt Harlan. The Sauvignon Blanc was among two white wines awarded in the category “Best Wines $20 and Under,” while the 2003 Calera Pinot Noir Selleck Vineyard was one of six red wines awarded in the category “Best Wines over $20.” Below are some of my notes as well as F&W’s recipes for suggested food pairings:

2006 Westerly Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc
This Sauvignon Blanc really impressed me for its intensity and complexity of the nose; it has a strong minerality and vibrant grapefruit aromas that might lead one to mistake it for Sancerre. The grapes here are sourced from the Happy Canyon in the southern portion of Santa Barbara’s Santa Ynez Valley. The wine’s vibrancy is likely derived from the Canyon’s contrast in diurnal temperatures, warm days and cool nights, which create a concentration of flavor in the grapes. The acidity on the palate gave me a pleasurable pucker as well as the long lasting flavors of citrus, limestone, and floral notes. This well-priced Sauvignon Blanc would pair excellently with the following foods:  

    * Grilled Antipasto with Garlicky Bean Dip
    * Frisée Salad with Baked Goat Cheese and Bacon
    * Provençal-Style Lemon Sole

2003 Calera Pinot Noir Selleck Vineyard
Josh Jensen’s Pinots never fail to catch my attention. This Pinot was no exception with its subtlety on the nose and palate, as well as its multi-layered texture displaying bright red fruits (cherry, plum, and currant) and sweet spice (cinnamon and cloves). As I have found with so many of Calera’s Pinots, this wine will surely age well for over a decade providing increased nuance and complexity to its bouquet as it develops over time. Below are F&W’s recipes for food pairings, my favorite being the Roast Guinea Hen. I think a Calera Pinot-Guinea Hen combination would be a great alternative to the typical Thanksgiving turkey dinner. Let me know if you try it!

    * Fresh Shell Bean Soup with Pistou
    * Roast Guinea Hens with Cumin-Date Sauce
    * Grilled Broccoli with Anchovy Dressing

I keep a lot of Grüner at home and it is a great food wine or quaffer, depending on the style.  

As you know, Grüner Veltliner is an indigenous white grape from Austria accounting for over one-third of the vines in Austria. Grüner is capable of giving a variety of flavors: spicy, grassy, herby or oily.  Typical descriptors are white pepper, white rhubarb, melon and citrus.  There is definitely a freshness and purity about Grüner, from the diminished use or lack of oak, and you can often find a slight amount of un-dissolved CO2 which adds a slight lift and zip to the wines.  

The grape is perfectly suited to Austria’s cool climate and shows excellent minerality from typically granite soils.  The wines have very good acidity to balance a range of alcohol levels according to the level of ripeness.  

There is a vast amount of ordinary Grüner Veltliner grown in the Weinviertel, a district within Niederösterreich, Austria's single largest winegrowing area. These are typically the most basic Grüners, or quaffers. The best wines for Grüner are being made in the three smaller, adjoining districts along the Danube: the Wachau, Kremstal and Kamptal.

Wachau produces the most powerful and rich examples, while the more restrained and elegant styles come from the Kremstal and Kamptal, as the soil is more sandy loam.  Additionally, the terms Federspiel (meaning “falconry”) and Smaragd (meaning “emerald”) are found on the labels of Grüner Veltliners from the Wachau region only.  Federspiel wines are made from grapes harvested at a minimum of 20 degrees Brix (a measurement of ripeness) and are medium bodied, with between 11.5 percent and 12.5 percent alcohol content.  Smaragd wines, higher in quality, are richer and fuller-bodied than Federspiels because the fruit is picked at riper sugar levels, a minimum of 21.4 degrees Brix. The alcohol levels of Smaragds must be 12.5 percent or higher.

I recommend trying Rudi Pichler’s 2004 Gruner Veltliner Terrassen Smaragd ($31), which earned 92 points from the Intenational Wine Cellar, as well as 90 points from the Wine Advocate. You can also review our entire stock of Grüner Veltliner for more options. 

I have a love affair with Aglianico [ah-LYAH-nee-koh]! Maybe it’s my nonconformist attitude of branching out to uncommon growing regions that deserve the spotlight. Perhaps it’s that I need more variety in my life. For Italian wine enthusiasts, Agliancio might be familiar, but usually mentioned as an afterthought to Sangiovese from Tuscany and Nebbiolo from Piedmont. Well, the 'Aglianco Renaissance' is alive and well, establishing itself as the banner grape varietal of Southern Italy. Campania and Basilicata lay claim to the finest Aglianico with new plantings popping up in neighboring Puglia and even in Sicily. The grape is believed to have originated in Greece, but it was the Phoenicians who were responsible for its arrival, first into Basilicata and then later migrating into Campania. The name is derived from 'Ellenico,' one of the Italian adjectives to indicate of 'Greek' origin.  Aglianico was famous in the ancient world for the production of 'Falernum,' an ancient wine that was highly prized by Roman nobility and the literary community.

The vine was almost wiped out from both phylloxera and a poor economy in the late 19th and early 20th century with only a band of a few family estates willing to tend to the ancient vine.  The house of Mastroberardino based in Avellino is credited for the revival of the varietal in the late 1960s. Back then and even today, the finest Campanian Aglianico is sourced from the village of Taurasi, the only D.O.C.G. village classification in the region. The wines of Taurasi are long lived and have similar ageing qualities to Piedmont’s Nebbiolo found in the esteemed villages of Barolo and Barbaresco. I highly recommend Italian collectors to make room for some Taurasi in their cellars. These wines can age gracefully for 5 to 15 years. I have tasted well-aged Taurasi and it’s memorable for its silky layers of dried dark fruits, leather and tobacco.

Today, Aglianco production has doubled from the late 1970s and some very impressive and approachable versions may be found in the D.O.C.s of Avellino, Irpinia and Taburno with affordable price tags to boot. Genetically, Aglianico has a high tannin and acid component, which makes for a great cellar-worthy wine, comparable to great Nebbiolo. Younger vine versions are made in a softer style emphasizing primary fruit. Beyond its chemical makeup, Aglianco on the palate opens up to primary fruits of blackberries, black cherries, black currants followed by nuances of smoky tar, tobacco, licorice and coffee-espresso notes. Aglianico deserves slow roasted or braised meat dishes. However, a grilled burger or favorite steak preparation can pair marvelously with a younger, fruitier rendition.

Vinfolio is proud to feature three 100% Aglianicos and five Aglianico inspired blends from Campania, geared more for the cellar. The 2001s listed on the site can be enjoyed now, but I do recommend aerating for a solid 90 minutes in a decanter. Leg of Lamb anyone? Below are four of my highest recommendations!

2001 Caggiano - Taurasi Vigna Macchia dei Goti ($39, IWC 94)
Fasten your seat belts for an Aglianico tour de force … vigorous but elegant. Taurasi at an attractive price!

2003 Masseria Felicia  - Falerno del Massico ($62)
The Falerno del Massico D.O.C. is north of Naples, not far from Vesuvius. Old-vine Aglianico (80%) and Piedirosso (20%) are grown on volcanic ash. Maybe one of the most profuse violent blossom noses I've come across of any Italian wine.

2003 Galardi - Terra di Lavoro ($115)
The Galardi estate is based in the high volcanic hills of Sessa Aurunca in northwestern Campania, north of Naples. 80% of the blend is Aglianico rounded out with native Piedirossso and Cabernet Sauvignon. The Gambero Rosso guide honored the 2003 with the highest rating of three glasses. Worth every penny!

2001 Terredora di Paolo – Taurasi ($41, Vinfolio 92)
Campania’s largest producer and vineyard owner made an ethereal Taurasi in 2001. An extremely balanced wine in its youth! The featured offering goes beyond appellation regulations by ageing the wine for 30 months in French barrique and another 18 months in bottle.

I had some old friends over on Wednesday for a tasting of several bottles of Brunello di Montalcino, a region that has lately been of great interest to this particular group. We sampled (2) 2001s, (2) 1997s and a 100% Sangiovese Super-Tuscan as a ringer – all tasted blind.

The 1997s stole the show. I’ve recently been tasting examples from this intriguing and controversial vintage. For such a well-established region, it seems there’s no consensus on the overall quality of the 1997s – while one reviewer heralds the vintage as one of the best ever, another declares it lackluster. When opinions are across the board, there’s only one way to find out.

The two 1997s we tried were the Greppone Mazzi by Ruffino ($69) and the Argiano ($75). Both were excellent, but rather different. The Greppone Mazzi was the overall favorite of the evening, since it was the most mature, complex and expressive. Dark red and black fruits as well as beautiful earthy mushroom and tobacco notes is what this wine’s all about. Full-bodied, balanced and long, it has the stuffing to last at least 5 more years. The Argiano was a close second by a hair. I think it’s a slightly better wine overall, but is not quite at its peak. It has great concentration, impeccable balance and is truly a complete wine with an enormously bright future. Because it’s still on the upswing of its evolution, it didn’t flaunt as much plumage as the Greppone Mazzi, but will out-class it in time. It’s funny. One reviewer scored the Argiano at 96 points, another at 87. I now know with whom my opinion aligns.

The Vinfolio “Wine Team” had a nice dinner together Monday night at a restaurant called NOPA, here in San Francisco. We welcomed a new wine buyer and toasted our East Coast-based representative who is in town this week. The food, service (nice glass-service too for 8 wines) and the company was delightful—and I’m not just saying that because Vinfolio picked up the tab!

My most lasting impression of the evening though was of the two Jayer-Gilles Burgundies we consumed: 1995 Echezeaux and 1997 Nuits St Georges Les Damodes. They raised their game above the other six or so wines that circled the table and I was struck by their “completeness” at this point. 1997 was always a fairly ‘easy,’ soft vintage so even a mineral-laden NSG would usually show pretty well at this point after a few years. I’ll certainly recommend that someone pick up the last bottle of 1997 Nuits St. Georges Les Poirets ($75)—another of Jayer-Gilles’ 1er Cru. The silky 1997 Echezeaux is a fantastic bargain and most highly recommended if I’m allowed to extrapolate via these five associations: 

1. Quality of the 1995 Echezeaux from Monday night meets the friendly 1997 vintage we tested via the Nuits St Georges.
2. I have similar notes on several other J-G Echezeaux vintages.
3. 85 for a Grand Cru from an excellent producer!
4. 9 Bottles remaining in inventory—so you can try it and buy it again!
5. Highly rated by not just me, but four other critical resources!

Here are some notes on the 1995 Echezeaux (it’s the 1997 we still have for sale). Call me in a few days for the 1997-specific review which shouldn’t differ much!

Slight cedar and fig on the nose, as well as quite a bit of celery-seed. That follows on the palate with the first sip and develops into ripe dark-cherry, Mediterranean spices and roots—anise, licorice, coriander. Slightly tar-y and cola through a fairly persistent finish.

And for other velvety 1997s you can use this link: 1997 Red Burgundy at Vinfolio (10-3-07)