Preferential treatment

It’s official. The temperature has dropped and summer is over. Without even thinking about it, my preference for wine has changed. I’m veering away from the bright, red cherry fruity wines that would suit warm summer and autumn days. My eyes glaze right past menu selections of crisp, dry whites that offer hints of peach or grass on the nose.

Apparently, I’m not the only one thinking this way. Eric Asimov’s Nov. 1 New York Times column, “A Sturdy Red for Winter,” is a testament that there are winter selections to be had from Provence, the notorious region by the sea known for its rosé.

Asimov recommends reaching for Bandol, which is made from mourvèdre grape. The varietal is not indigenous or unique to the area, as Asimov explains, but it expresses a rich wine with characteristics of tobacco, licorice and leather, as well as supple tannins.

Such weightier wines pair well with the meals associated with autumn and winter, including braised meats and stews. It’s no surprise that as our bodies crave warmer, comfort foods, our palates follow suit.

I’m not familiar with Chateau Pradeaux, which Asimov mentions, but ironically Bar Boulud was pouring the producer’s 1994 Bandol “Cuvee Longue Garde” by the magnum last night. I didn’t make it to the bar for a taste, but I’ve added the wine to my list to try this winter.

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Potentially Perfect Pinot?

I had low expectations when I signed up for Sherry-Lehmann’s New Zealand wine tasting the other night. It’s a region I know only for its premium Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough. I had heard New Zealand Pinot Noir is emerging as a contender in the realm of Pinot production. The climate certainly is conducive to grow the grapes – not overly hot temperatures and cool evenings.

Of course, I’m an Old World girl and dubious, but with an open mind I tasted Pinots from Central Otago, Marlborough and Martinborough. To my surprise, I actually found many similarities to (gulp) Burgundy. Some expressed fruitier qualities reminiscent of Beaujolais while others were earthy and more complex. Call me crazy, but I felt validation when I read Eric Asimov’s February 17, 2010, New York Times article “New Zealand Youths With Promise.”

There were roughly 15 producers showing their wines and admittedly I didn’t get to taste them all. Of the ones I did try there were two I wouldn’t hesitate to buy. Mt. Difficulty’s 2008 Reserve Pinot Noir was without a doubt awesome. I’m not sure if tasted blind next to a Burgundy I’d be able to differentiate between the two.

The second Pinot that blew me away was from Spy Valley. The 2008 vintage reminded me of a top Beaujolais. It was a fruit forward wine with a strong finish.

Ata Rangi from Martinborough is recognized as another strong Pinot producer, but the 2008 that was poured was somewhat disappointing after hearing so many in the crowd rave about it.

What each of these wines demonstrated, however, is that New Zealand is an up and coming, if not an already-arrived, region for quality Pinot Noir. I wonder if in a few years there could be a new generation Bottle Shock.

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Natural satisfaction

The first time I drank a biodynamic wine was about five years ago at Pure Food and Wine in NY. I recall the wine was sealed with a screw cap and that made me skeptical to try the red vino. To my surprise, my dining companion and I really enjoyed it.

Over the last couple of years, it appears there’s a push towards biodynamic and organic vinification. Yet, as Eric Asimov points out in yesterday’s column of The Pour, not everyone approves of the movement.

“Most damning is the assertion that many wines regarded as natural are unclean, impure and downright bad,” Asimov says.

These adjectives used to describe biodynamic and unfiltered wines are borderline offensive. While I acknowledge that some producers practicing natural approaches to fermentation and viticulture are at risk of a higher occurrence of corked bottles, why would anyone be opposed to drinking something that is not laden with preservatives and chemicals, in addition to a higher level of sulfites? No one opposes organic produce, which also is free from pesticides.

Among biodynamic and natural produces is Movia, which is located in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, bordering Slovenia. Winemaker Ales Kristancic believes in a hands-off approach to his wimemaking, relying on the grapes to essentially produce their own wine. Whites and reds are aged in Slavonian oak casks. The white juice is left to mature on its lees for roughly two years without any manipulation. There is no racking involved, and fining and filtering rely up on the lunar cycle.

Movia’s approach may take the biodynamic efforts to a new level, but the wine speaks for itself. Even the 2002 Movia Veliko Rosso is a superb wine, yet came from one of the most challenging vintages within Italy in recent memory.

You may taste for yourself the fruits of Ales’s labor, but you may also like to attend a special winemaker dinner on June 21 at Italian Wine Merchants where Ales will present and discuss his production methods. There are roughly 10 wines to taste from the 1982 through 2007 vintages, and all are sure to please.

If nothing else, it will introduce to you the world of natural wine and prove the naysayers incorrect.

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Wines of the times

Wine trends come and go. The 2004 movie Sideways drove consumers away from Merlot, as Paul Giamatti’s character Miles eschewed the juice. Meanwhile, in the last few years, Malbec from Argentina and Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand started accounting for significant market share as these selections became trendy.

Eric Asimov’s June 1 column in The Pour, “Is There Still Hope for Syrah,” discusses the unpopularity of that grape in the U.S. It’s little wonder, given the increasing quality of wines that are emerging from Oregon and Washington State.

Oregon Pinot has been popular for several years now, but Washington, which boasts more than 30 varietals, is making a mark. Though the international grapes – Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot – comprise the majority of growth in hectares within the state, the region’s quality production, and affordable price tag, is attracting wine drinkers.

It’s also worth noting the change in global wine consumption. The Bergen Record’s May 26 article, “Facing a Shift in the Flow of Wine Drinking,” notes that Italians are drinking less wine while China is consuming more. As a result, some winemakers are producing styles that are easy to drink and will appeal to many different palates. These wines are often made from common varietals and are sold at discounts to expensive cult wines and age-worthy selections.

Yes, first-growth Bordeaux and Grand Cru Burgundy will always be coveted, but these wines are cost-prohibitive. Perhaps that’s why South American wines are becoming so fashionable. Chilean Carmenere is a great value, often retailing for under $20, and in many cases even less. Such wallet-friendly wines are gaining favor, for now. The next big trend is anyone’s guess.

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Bored with Bordeaux?

Eric Asimov’s May 18 column in The Pour, “Bordeaux Loses Prestige Among Younger Wine Lovers,” got me thinking; aside from a few “bargain” Bordeaux’s I purchased from Sherry-Lehmann last fall, I rarely gravitate toward the famous French wine.

The two primary varietals of  Bordeaux are Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Among the most reputable Bordeaux are those that belong to the 1855 Classification, which are ranked in five categories according to price.  The first growths and their appellations include Château Lafite-Rothschild (appellation Pauillac), Château Margaux (Margaux), Château Latour (Pauillac),  Château Haut-Brion (Pessac-Leognan), Château Mouton Rothschild (Pauillac), though the latter was promoted to first growth from second growth in 1973.

The Gironde River and its tributaries, the Dordogne and Garonne, divide the Bordeaux region into the Left Bank and the Right Bank. These two banks differ mainly in soil composition. Merlot is the dominant varietal growing on the Right Bank, where clay, limestone and sand make for optimal conditions for growing the grape. On the Left Bank is where Cabernet thrives amid the gravel landscape.

While Bordeaux seemed to be ubiquitous in London, on this side of the Atlantic it is certainly losing favor. I suppose part of the reason, in addition to being cost prohibitive, is that Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, proliferate in California in a style more appealing to the American palate.  Of course, California Cabs, Merlot and Meritage are sold at a fraction of the cost of the first growth Bordeaux, which after all, is really the only wine from the region worth drinking.

The New World movement also plays a role in the waning interest in Bordeaux. Many wine drinkers are turning toward Malbec and Carmènere, both more affordable and approachable. Interestingly, however, Carmènere once flourished in Bordeaux, before Phylloxera destroyed the rootstock.

Further evidence popped into my inbox today from Sherry-Lehmann. The wine store is advertising 2008 Salomon Estate’s Norwood Shiraz/Cabernet. The wine is characterized as “an Aussie take on the classic Bordeaux blend.” The wine usually retails for $21.95, but is on special for $14.95 for a limited time.

It’s no first growth, but it affirms that New World wines are gaining in popularity. Of course classic Bordeaux will continue to hold court among investors and collectors, but the reality is that the everyday wine drinker is investing in something else.

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Beautiful Brunello

It’s probably clear from previous blog posts that Italian wines are close to my heart. One of the driving factors of my going to Buffalo this past weekend is that City Wine Merchant, run by a friend of mine, was having an Italian wine tasting. The line-up included some amazing producers, including Gaja, Sandrone, and Ciacci Piccolomini.

The selections were well thought out and carefully distributed among the tables. There were roughly 25 wines in all. I was pleasantly surprised and delighted by a Damilano Arneis Langhe 2008 that was a good palate cleanser after numerous, tannic, red samples.

My particular favorite on offer happened to be among the 2004 Brunellos. While no one disputes the elegance and magnificence of the 2004 vintage, some believe the price is overblown. One need look no further than the Jan. 6 column by Eric Asimov, writer for the New York Times, who thought the region in need of a “price calibration,” as was recently seen in the 2003 vintage by several local wine shops.

It did not deter me from buying a few bottles, however. I’d been familiar with Talenti’s 2004, which retails for roughly $54. I’ve also sampled and enjoyed Poggio di Sotto’s 2004, which runs above $100 per bottle.  City Wine Merchant’s selection was by far more affordable than the latter, and the wines were offered at special pre-sale prices. Perhaps next year the vintage will be reduced, as the 2003 has been this year, but tasting such incredible wines, and knowing they will last for years, I couldn’t help myself.

Here are the Brunellos I particularly enjoyed from City Wine Merchant’s tasting, and that will soon find shelter in my Eurocave:

• Argiano Brunello di Montalcino 2004
• Ciacci Piccolomini Brunello di Montalcino, Vigna Pianrosso 2004
• La Serena Brunello di Montalcino 2004

If you haven’t tried any of the above-mentioned Brunellos, or any Brunellos for that matter, I urge you to. You won’t be disappointed.

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