VintageVino Pick of the Day: Four goodies from South Africa + one from Argentina

Today I had a quick tasting of a few new vintages from S. Africa, plus a great inexpensive wine from Argentina.
The Details:

Indaba Sauvignon Blanc Western Cape, 2009
Brand new arrival from the land below - second or third official 09 I have had. Pale as can be. Bright, clean aromatics on the nose with grassy, green pea notes typical of SA SBs. Fresh and minerally, almost chalky on the palate. Finishes dry and snappy with some good citrus and floral tones and more chalk.

Mulderbosch Cabernet Sauvignon Rose Coastal Region, 2009
Really bright cherry red color. Fresh aromatics of cherry / strawberry fruit. Dry and tangy on the palate with a medium-long finish. Very tasty wine.

Excelsior Cabernet Sauvignon Robertson, 2007
This wine is such a steal. Dark as can be. Bold, almost smoky dark fruits. Smooth and juicy across the palate with a medium-long finsh. At about a $7 retail this is one of the best buys going, period.

Rustenberg John X Meriman Stellenbosch, 2006
45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, 13% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 1% Malbec. A classic Cape Blend using the Bordeaux-five. Deep color with just a touch of fade on the edges indicating some time in wood (21 months in French, in fact). Bold aromas of plum and black fruits with some spice from the wood. Smooth on the palate with more blackberries and spice. Long-ish finish that is dry and balanced with some supple tannins.

One plus:

Trumpeter Cabernet Sauvignon Mendoza, 2007
For a $7 bottle this wine delivers. Smooth and soft across the palate, it has great dark fruits and a long-ish finish that really are usually found on much more expensive wines. Trumpeter makes very good wines across its line-up - look for them in Cab and other flavors, too.

VintageVino Pick of the Day: Dutton-Goldfield Pinot Noir Russian River Valley Dutton Ranch, 2007

I tasted this wine with Christopher Pappe, National Sales Manager for D-G, about a week ago and I had the chance to revisit this wine again today. The color is a bright cherry red with a clear quality. Aromatically the wine has a big bouquet, flavors just jump from the glass. I was standing about 3' from the glass at one point and had no problem smelling the fruit aromas. On the palate the wine is fairly delicate, but not wimpy. The flavors are bold, there is great acidity and the over all feel is like velvet. Berries and cinnamon with good minerality. This wine is dry, but not tart. Finished quite long, balanced and smooth. Highly recommend this one.

VintageVino Pick of the Day: Planeta Cerasuolo di Vittoria, 2006

Alrighty then. Finally back from Italy and so last night I decided to cook some dishes based on a few of the meals that I enjoyed in Florence and Sicily. I brought back some capers and olive oil from Sicily which, combined with my other veggies and herbs from the garden, helped lend an authentic taste to my pasta. To accompany this (as well as to try and keep my memories of the trip lingering a bit longer) I picked a Sicilian red from the well regarded producer Planeta. The Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG is actually the only DOCG currently produced in Sicily, and is located in the southeast corner of Sicily around the town of Vittoria, not far from Ragousa. The DOCG requires that 40% of the wine be made from the local red grape Frappato (which is where the cerasuolo or cherry part of the name comes from) with the remaining 60% typically coming from Nero d'Avola; 10% Nerello Mascalese is allowed, too.

The Planeta Cerasuolo di Vittoria, 2006, is exactly this blend of 40%/60% Frappato and Nero d'Avola. I found that the deeper fruits of the Nero d'Avola really shine in this wine. The Frappato though is not lost. In fact, there is an immediate bright (cherry) fruit component that dominates the aromatics, but then gives way to the blacker, earthier fruits of the Nero on the palate. The wine worked very well with my pasta dish, which included the aforementioned capers as well as basil, parsley, tomatoes, peppers, onion, garlic and eggplant - all the typical things you would find in am Italian/Sicilian dish. The pasta was light and fresh so the wine did not overwhelm it, but rather combined and complimented the flavors well. There is good acidity (from the Frappato), which helped to add freshness on the palate and balance to the spicy olive oil and tangy capers. I think this wine would work well with grilled fish, as well.

The hospitality in Italy has been fabulous...

Montblanc

Here's a shot of Mont Blanc taken this morning from my window as we
were flying over.

Quick Response to Wine Trends and Cult Disasters

Here is my comment in response to a blog post at Think Wine Marketing, which is available at this link...
http://thinkwinemarketing.wordpress.com/2009/07/09/the-wake-up-call-2/#comment-291

Well done piece. I have been saying (I work in the wine business) for the past six months to my clients (and anyone else that will listen) that however much we do not like the downturn, the lower sales, the backed up inventory, etc – that this will actually be a good thing (for wine consumption/the wine consumer and the wine industry as a whole) in the longer term. There has been a resetting of reality (your term is consumer modification) when it comes to buying wine – just as (one can hope) there has been a resetting of the unstoppable-American-consumer. You mention that savings are up, Amex charges are down – would this be a longer trend where Americans actually learn to live within their means rather than well beyond, we will all be better of. Would the American wine consumer learn to enjoy their wines, especially wines that are affordable and available on a daily basis – we would be a healthier, wealthier and friendlier nation. People are looking at new wines in new (lower) price-points and this means that the demand for wines that a few years ago would have a marginal market are now getting good attention. We are expanding our horizons beyond the ordinary, looking for the value, looking for what’s new and different because we have gotten away from the belief that price is the primary factor indicative of quality. I look at this downturn and see the effect on the wine business and culture in this country as benefiting from less “cult” wines. We all (should) know that less is more. Less wannabe cult wines means that the true cult wines (and there still are a few) will perhaps get their mojo back, and it will be more fun to find them once again. I would also point out that years ago cult did not always equate to 3 digit prices. Cult referred to rare and hard to find wines that had a legendary (or cult) following because they were Grrreat! Just because you can produce a wine that supposedly sells for $300 doesn’t mean that you should.

VintageVino Pick of the Day: Perrin Reserve Cotes du Rhone, 2007

"I have the blood of Society dripping from my chin" (or something along those lines) is my quote of the day - taken from a Social Distortion song. I'm not sure if I have the blood of society dripping from my chin, but if I did I would hope that it would taste something like this wine. The Perrin family is one of the greatest wine families in the world. With Chateau Beaucastel they produce some of the very best CdP, period (white and red). Here they may not be making CdP, but the quality and care that goes into the top of the line is certainly felt at this level with this mouthwatering interpretation of the classic CdR. A blend of 60% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre, 20% Syrah - the flavor coming from this bottle/glass is huge. Bursting at the seams. It's almost too big for the glass. 2007 is living up to the hype - at least with this wine, which is dripping off my chin right now...excuse me.

Interesting News: Chardonnay now an official variety in Rioja

A raft of grape varieties including Chardonnay have been given the rubber stamp in Rioja.

The Riojan government finally authorised a set of new varieties last week following approval from the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture and the Rioja Consejo Regulador.

The new white varieties are Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Verdejo, as well as the native Maturana Blanca, Tempranillo Blanco, and Turruntés (not Torrontés).

Ricardo Aguiriano San Vincente, director of marketing for Rioja's Consejo Regulador, told decanter.com: 'With these new varieties we are trying to make Viura more fruity and fresh as that is what consumers want.'

The white international varieties must not exceed 49% of a blend with a minimum of 51% Viura.

The red varieties now incorporated into the DOCa regulations are the little known Maturana Tinta, Maturana Parda, and Monastel (not Monastrell).

Major producer Baron de Ley has revealed it will now plant the newly approved red variety Maturana Tinta. Speaking at the Drinks Business Rioja forum, managing director, Victor Fuentes, said: 'Maturana is the hidden jewel and this year we will plant 22ha. We have been impressed with experimental plantings.

However San Vincente added: 'We will have to wait around five years before the new plantings come on stream and the first wines are available.

The regulations state no more than 2500ha of these new varieties will be permitted in Rioja. There are currently more than 63,000ha of vines planted in the region.

Rebecca Gibb
Decanter Magazine - June 3, 2009

VintageVino Pick of the Day: Tour de France and Mas de la Dame Rose

The Tour de France is passing through Provence today and that makes me think of Rose. For the lovely warm weather and in celebration of the race passing through Les Baux de Provence I am drinking some Mas de la Dame Rose du Mas, 2008 - pale and fresh and perfect for a cold seafood dish or perhaps some gazpacho. About $15, certified organic. (Imported by Palm Bay International)

Merry Edwards Winery RRV - tour with Leslie Coopersmith

On my travels through the winelands of Northern California last week, I had the opportunity to visit the winery owned and operated by Merry Edwards. You can read all about the history of Merry and her winery on the website, but the short of it is that Merry began making wines in California in the early 1970s and has made a significant impact on California wines (especially Chardonnay and particularly Pinot Noir) ever since. Her winery in Sonoma (located near Sebastopol) is not a fanciful construct to her ego, rather it is a functional, clean and well appointed machine. The focus is to make wines with technology, but technology that allows for minimal intervention, thus making wines of pure flavor and classic styling.

My tour and tasting was led by Leslie Coopersmith, Ken's daughter. The tour took all of about 10 minutes as the winery is quite small, I have seen a lot of steel tanks and wood barrels, so we proceeded directly to the tasting in private room upstairs away from the common riff-raff (that was a joke).

We started with the Pinots - there are nine (I tasted six)- then the Sauvignon Blanc. Merry also makes a chardonnay (only once every 3-4 years though) and a sparkling wine (once every seven years). (That's what I said. I guess since it takes a longer time to make, age, drink or sell she only needs to make it every seven years.)

Quick note on vintages: (by Leslie's account) 06 is a good food wine vintage (it was a longer, cool season), more acidic and tannic and with great structure; 07 best growing season in many years, more approachable and fruit forward.

I started with the Merry Edwards Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast, 2007 - this wine is a blend of eleven lots - the website says it is primarily from the Bella Sonoma Vineyard, located in the Petaluma Gap, and Leslie indicated that there was significant fruit from the Meredith Estate Vineyard, as well as several other sources in southern Sonoma. I enjoyed this wine very much, in fact I liked it immediate appeal probably the best of the bunch - this makes sense as this is the "entry" wine for the M.E. wines. Great acidity, fresh fruit, tangy and spicy. 3500 cases produced.

Next was the Merry Edwards Pinot Noir Russian River Valley, 2007 - blended from 20 lots from seven different vineyards including the San Chetti (sp?) vineyard. I found this wine to be one of my favorites; to me it had the complete package of a Russian River wine - sweet fat fruits, supple mouth feel that is smooth and broad on the palate, great acidity and length. A bit better priced than the single vineyards - I think this is the wine to buy for drinking. 3500 cases produced.

Next we switched to the 2006 single vineyard wines.

Merry Edwards Pinot Noir Flax Vineyard, 2006 - Flax is located along Westside Road in the northern part of the Russian River Valley AVA, it is a hillside vineyard planted exclusively to Pommard clones. On the website, Merry says that she only uses two French cooperages' barrels to age this wine in. I found it to be quite floral and aromatic with a softer texture, dusty tannins, good grip and overall a quite pleasant wine. One of my favorites. 450 cases produced.

Merry Edwards Pinot Noir Meredith Vineyard, 2006 - this is Merry's vineyard planted in 1996 in the southern part of the Russian River Valley AVA. The 06 is a blend of lots of primarily Pommard clones. I found the wine to be a bit more acidic and tannic than the others - it was very broad and juicy, though, with great balance and length. It has full flavors with some earthy or dusty notes as well. 1200 cases made.

Merry Edwards Pinot Noir Tobias Glenn Vineyard, 2006 - this is a very cool climate vineyard in Forestville and it is planted to Dijon clones. I found bright cherry aromas along with a core of minerality, spicy on the palate with blackberry over-tones. Good grip. Iodine, ink, minerals. 400 cases produced.

Merry Edwards Pinot Noir Olivet Lane Vineyard, 2007 - this comes from an older (1970s) vineyard planted just west of Santa Rosa, planted to Martini clone. This is one of the winery's favorites (Leslie) vineyards to work with as it is unique and stands out - actually each wine is unique and stands apart from the others. I found rhubarb and earth on the nose with juicy fruit and young wood on the palate. The finish was a bit muted probably because this wine is so young - give it 8 months to a year and it will open up quite well. 450 case produced.

Merry Edwards Sauvignon Blanc Russian River Valley, 2008 - it looks like (from the website) that this wine is blended from about five different vineyards from around the same general area (Sebastopol, Occidental and Santa Rosa), but with a definite emphasis on the Sauvignon Musque clone. The 2007 note indicate that the wine was made from an older S. Musque clone than the one typically found in younger vineyards - I'll have to follow up on that. In any event the wine was lovely. Loaded with melons and citrus with a touch of mineral and chalk, it is clean and fresh, but with some good mouth-feel, which I would attribute to the barrels ferment and lees contact (18% new, 6 mos). About 6000 cases produced in 2008.

All-in-all, I enjoyed the visit to Merry Edwards winery. It was relatively quick, but quite educational. I will be meeting Merry and Ken next week (July 8th) for lunch and will retaste a number of these wines at that point. I will also get to some of the more specific questions, hopefully. Very little of the wine is generally available, but the current releases have just arrived in CT, so help yourself.

VintageVino Pick of the Day: Bodegas Muga Rioja Blanco, 2008

I had this wine last night at a New Haven restaurant. It is an annual favorite of mine. The richness of the wine (derived from barrel fermentation and 3 months aging on the lees), combined with the clean, fresh minerality make for a delicious accompaniment to traditional tapas. I had some croquetas de clamares and croquetas de jamon Iberico, as well as an ensalada de judiones de la granja and pimientos de padron (the deep fried peppers). All of these things - even the peppers that had a touch of heat - worked quite well with Muga. Its freshness and racy acidity was perfect for the croquetas (the Iberico had a touch of truffle) but the weight of the wine was able to carry it with the salad and the peppers. I am a fan of this wine because of its year-in and year-out consistent style.

The Muga wine cellars were founded in 1932 by Isaac Muga Martínez, and is to this day a family run winery. One of only several in teh world that have their own cooperage, importing wood for the barrels directly from sources in France, Hungary, Russia and the United States.