Semillon Horizontals and Verticals

Recently SF Wine Center hosted a private Australian wine seminar focused on Semillon. This grape is traditionally found in Bordeaux, blended with the dominant Sauvignon Blanc, but Australia has established Semillon as an interesting standalone varietal wine that is bright and ageable. (This tasting brought me back to one of the first huge wine tastings I attended in New York City, back when I first started learning about wine and tasting en masse. At that Australian wine tasting I perfected the art of spitting in public, tasting over 60 wines, including a lot of Semillon.)

With producers like Tyrrell’s, Thomas Wines and Audrey Wilkinson, we sampled Semillon from 2015, 2009, 2005 and some older. The 2015’s, from the vintage down under earlier this year, were super fresh with a lot of lime, some tropical notes and ample acidity. The acidity was the most surprising element as I tasted through the older wines, permeating each wine and contributing to their freshness and longevity. The Audrey Wilkinson line-up was most impressive to me, with the freshness of the 2015 transitioning to the funky petrol and barnyard nose of the 2009 Reserve. I had forgotten that aged Semillon took on a petrol quality like Riesling; there was even some sherbet and talc on this one. The 2005 was toasty and complex, and the 2001 still had good acid and petrol, but I didn’t enjoy it as much as the 2005.

Most of these wines are not widely available in the U.S., but if I happen to see an older Semillon on a wine list or in a wine shop I will be sure to give it a try.

It's the Most Bubbly Time of the Year

Ahh, Champagne. Around the holidays Americans always drink more bubbly – it’s a festive time of year, and people view Champagne (or any sparkling wine) as a celebratory drink. Personally, my favorite kind of wine is the kind that bubbles, and I find any excuse I can to drink it.  Mauro Cirilli, instructor for SF Wine Center's recent Holiday Champagne Master Class, said he needs to have a glass of Champagne every day, and he suggests you do too. Don’t have to tell me twice.

Why is Champagne so special? It’s the magical second fermentation in the bottle that produces the bubbles, but it’s also the harsh growing conditions in the region of Champagne, France, that contribute to the high acidity of these wines. Champagne only averages about 1650 hours of sunlight per year, versus over 2000 for Bordeaux. This results in very acidic and unripe grapes. Through the Champagne method of winemaking, that acidity combined with extended aging on the yeast cells and just the right amount of added sugar result in complex, bright, toasty, creamy flavors that delicately dance on the tongue.

The class featured non-vintage (blends from different years to produce a consistent style) and vintage (from a single year) wines from grower houses and well-known luxury brands. Champagne can range in price from $40 to $400, and we tried a full range. Unfortunately, 2 bottles of Dom Perignon were faulty so I can’t say my first Dom experience was life changing. But among the rest there was beauty all around and I had a hard time choosing a favorite. The Gaston Chiquet was gorgeous with creamy almond/marzipan and a jasmine floral quality; I think I have a bottle of this in my cellar so I look forward to opening that in the future. The Sally had lovely lemon curd flavor and a persistent finish - Salon is always/only a vintage wine and needs to age for 10 years before drinking due to its exceptionally high acid profile. I'm a sucker for pink wine so I also enjoyed the Billecart-Salmon Rosé, with it's perfumed floral nose and pretty fruit. 

Champagne List:

1. Doyard Cuvée Vendémiaire Brut NV ($40)
2. Vilmart Cuvée Grand Cellier NV ($75)
3. Larmandier-Bernier Vieilles Vignes de Cramant Grand Cru Extra Brut 2007 ($75)
4. Gaston Chiquet Brut Cart d'Or 2002 ($70)
5. Salon Brut Blanc de Blancs Le Mesnil 1999 ($275)
6. Pol Roger Cuvée Winston Churchhill 1999 ($195)
7. Dom Perignon 1999 ($165)
8. Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé NV ($70)

For comparison, we also tried sparkling wines from Spain and California. These were very elegant and enjoyable, and for $20-30 you could easily justify opening one of these any night of the week and any month of the year.

Not Champagne:

1. Raventos i Blanc de Nit Rosé 2011 ($22)
2. Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs 2006 ($30)

What kind of bubbly are you drinking this holiday season? Or tonight?

Thanksgiving Wine Recommendations

As we approach the holidays, all this Pinot Noir has primed my palate for turkey and all the fixings. Pinot Noir is a natural choice for red wine at the Thanksgiving table, and in particular I would recommend these wines that I tried recently in wine class at SF Wine Center:

• Labyrinth Yarra Valley Viggers Vineyard Pinot Noir 2004 – Australia ($20)
• Seresin Marlborough Pinot Noir “Leah” 2009 – New Zealand ($40)
• JK Carriere Shea Vineyard 2005 – Willamette Valley, Oregon ($60)

As for white wines, ever since I worked at Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard in the Finger Lakes region of New York, I've given Riesling and Gewurztraminer prominent seats at the table. I am not alone; recently both Food & Wine and Bon Appetit magazines featured Hermann J. Wiemer in their Thanksgiving issues. The bright fruit flavors and wonderful acidity of these wines compliment traditional Thanksgiving dishes as well as vegetarian fare.  So naturally I highly recommend drinking American this holiday with one of Wiemer's many Rieslings or other white wines, including the newly released Gruner Veltliner, which I haven't tried yet but I fondly remember installing the posts in the vineyard that produced that wine. All of these wines are around $20 or under and available in many states around the country:

• Hermann J. Wiemer Dry Riesling 2013
• Hermann J. Wiemer Gruner Veltliner 2013
• Hermann J. Wiemer Gewurztraminer 2013

Happy Thanksgiving!

Burgundy: Gevrey-Chambertin and Nuits-Saint-Georges

Gevrey-Chambertin and Nuits-Saint-Georges are two of the most famous and well-regarded communes in Burgundy for Pinot Noir. As part of the Cote de Nuits wine region in the Northern part of the Cote d’Or, limestone and clay soils create the perfect environment for complex Pinot Noir. Of course, Burgundy is known for its varied and coveted terroir within each sub-region’s individual vineyards, so full-bodied Gevrey-Chambertin wines are often designated Grand Cru, while many wines from Nuits-Saint-Georges receive Premier Cru distinction. During a recent class at SF Wine Center, James Beard award-winning author and resident Pinot Noir expert, Jordan Mackay, took us through a flight of beautiful red Burgundy from these two regions.

The first four wines came from Nuits-Saint-Georges; three of these were Premier Cru. I particularly enjoyed the 1995 Robert Chevillon, with its floral but rustic perfumed nose that smelled like autumn in a glass. Super smooth on the palate, the velvety body was balanced by a nice acid profile.  The 2001 Dominique Laurent smelled like pickles at first, which I didn’t mind, but as it opened up I enjoyed the violets and roses on the nose and the lingering finish.

The next four wines from Gevrey-Chambertin were a bit more complex and earthy. My favorite, the 1998 Domaine des Chezeaux Grand Cru, had a funky, earthy nose with spice, fruit and flower on the elegant palate; this wine had great texture.

Many of the wines kept changing in the glasses as we tasted them, reminding us that wine is a living thing that constantly evolves in its various environments.

Jordan had some suggestions for wine touring in Burgundy, which is a great way to learn about the terroir. From CDG in Paris it’s about a 3-hour train ride into Beaune, the town he recommended staying in; from there you can drive around the region or bike around the vineyards. This trip may be next on my travel wishlist.

Pinot Noir Around the World

The world of Pinot Noir stretches way beyond Burgundy – though each new world version is compared to the French mother lode. Known the world over as a finicky grape, Pinot Noir is difficult to maintain since it ripens so early and is prone to rot due to its thin skin. Genetically unstable, many different clones exist and can have marked differences. In this wine class at SF Wine Center, Master Sommelier Gillian Ballance described Pinot Noir as “charming – exhibiting grace as well as power.” She took us through a varied flight of Pinot Noir from places like Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, in addition to Burgundy, Oregon and California.

First, a well-aged Pinot from Central Coast: Calera Mt Harlan Jensen Vineyard 1999, grown on one of the few limestone vineyards in California, which was planted in 1974. It was very much alive, with balsamic, stewed fruit and good tannin. Further north in Willamette Valley, Oregon, J.K. Carriere held the crowd favorite with the 2005 Shea Vineyard – a little funky on the nose but very Burgundian, with nice spice and good acidity. 

Over on the other side of the world, South African Pinot from Hamilton Russell showed its funky side with some rubber, pine and earthiness that was quite interesting and unique. Gillian explained that South Africa's wine areas lack certain minerals in the soil, so the addition of these minerals contributes to their "rubbery" quality.

Finally, we went down under to Australia’s Yarra Yarra valley in the Victoria district, a cooler area on the southern coast of the country. This wine is beautiful with pomegranate, cranberry and great acidity. It brought me back to a trip I took to this area in 2009, when I sampled my first Aussie Pinot and took a $25 bottle back home with me, halfway around the world to New York, where I lived at the time. This 2004 from Labyrinth is a steal at $20! Then, from neighboring New Zealand, a 2009 Marlborough Pinot from Seresin also showed really well, with pretty fruit, leather, good acidity and a long finish. While I’m partial to Burgundy, I found these two wines to be the most exciting of the night (and the most affordable). 

But speaking of Burgundy, a 2008 Premier Cru from Patrice Rion Chambolle-Musigny Les Charmes in Cote de Nuits showed refined fruit, floral and herbal qualities with elegant structure and a long finish. I can’t help it – Burgundy is always my favorite.

Indigenous Italy

Italy is one of the most varied wine countries in the world, particularly because they have so many indigenous varietals – over 6000! There are no generalizations to be made, especially in a country whose climates and soil are so varied from one section to another. Italian wine labeling doesn't necessarily makes thing any clearer, since sometimes the name of the grape is used and sometimes it is not. Personally, I’m always trying to learn more about Italian wines, since there are so many wines to try and many are good values. Mauro Cirilli, native of Venice and current Wine Director at Press Club in San Francisco, helped us break it down in Wine School at SF Wine Center. We started with Prosecco, the refreshing bubbly wine of the Veneto region in northern Italy. Formerly named for both the grape and the region, things got confusing when Prosecco achieved DOCG status, the highest quality designation for Italian wine, so they since went back to using the name Glera for the grape. Prosecco is not "Italian Champagne" – it’s a completely different style of bubbly wine that is meant to be light, fruity and refreshing.

Further south and off the coast of the “boot,” the Mt Etna wine region of Sicily surrounds the tallest active volcano in Europe and one of the most active in the world, with vineyards planted on volcanic soil. Mt Etna white wines are made from the grapes Carricante and Catarratto; the version we tried was dry, austere and a little bit funky.

Image of Mt Etna looming over vineyards

Vermentino, a white wine usually varietally labeled, is an expressive grape that grows in Liguria, Tuscany and Sardinia; we tried a Sardinian version grown on minerally soil, with a rich creamy palate of chamomile. Cannonau is a red Sardinian varietal that we sampled, which is their local name for Grenache or Garnacha. I love Sardinian Cannonau for its earthy and funky qualities; this one didn’t disappoint me with its barnyard, herbs, mushrooms and long finish. 

Back in the Veneto, Valpolicella is a red wine typically made from 3 grapes – Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara – each contributing important characteristics to the wine including color, tannin, spice and body. The one we tried was earthy and spicy with dried fruit character.  Refosco, a wine made from grapes with red stems, also comes from the north, in Fruili-Venezia. This wine had bright fruit and flowers with a good texture. 

Finally, on the sweeter side of things, we sampled Lambrusco, the slightly “frizzante” red wine from Emilia-Romagna, and Moscato, the floral dessert wine from Piedmont. A wide variety of wines, quite representative of Italy.

New World vs. Old World

As the line between new world and old world wines continues to blur, last week at San Francisco Wine Center we found ourselves stumped this evening as we blind-tasted through 6 comparisons of typical varietals made by old world and new world producers. With each pair, the class was literally split every time on which was which. As Mary Burnham, wine writer, explained, when we talk about old world, we mean Europe, while new world encompasses everywhere else. Old world wines are generally more earthy and savory, with marked acidity and minerality and less alcohol. New world wines are typically more fruit-forward, less acidic, and higher in alcohol. Did these generalizations hold up in this group?

In the first pair, wine #1 was fruity and dry, with grassy notes, citrus peel, and marked acidity. Many guessed it was a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc - but it was a white Bordeaux. Wine #2 was creamier, with sweet vanilla oak, lemon merengue, and peach; more complex, silky but still crisp. Were we in Pouilly-Fumé, France? Actually, Washington State. I didn’t even know anyone was making Sauvignon Blanc in Washington – this was actually majority Semillon (61%) with 20% Sauvignon Blanc – but I expect I will be re-visiting this producer, Buty.

In the next pair, many immediately thought #3 was a German Riesling due to its pungent petrol character. I got beyond that and began to think we were in Australia, since theirs take on that character as well but tend to be very lime-y and dry, which was how I would characterize this wine.  Wine #4 was more floral and peachy, like many Rieslings I’ve had from Finger Lakes producer Hermann J. Wiemer that highly mimic a German Mosel style when young.  The big reveal - #3 was from Oregon and #4 was Austrian!

The next two sets were a bit more obvious to me – Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. New World chardonnay tends to have more pronounced oak, and I almost always prefer a more refined French style. With Pinot Noir, new world versions tend to be very fruity, whereas French versions are more funky and earthy, which I also prefer. Both sets were more typical expressions of new world and old world, though not obvious to everyone.

The second set of reds was a fun one – meaty, savory and spicy with firm tannin against brambly, sweet spice and soft tannin. We had ourselves a Crozes-Hermitage Syrah against a Barossa Valley Shiraz. We learned that the Barossa Valley does not cool off at night, so the grape skins don’t thicken, contributing to softer tannins in the wine. This was a great pair that solidified my favorite for the night in the Crozes-Hermitage, since I love this style and producer and the price cannot be beat, especially for a wine that will continue to improve with cellar time.

The last set was another tough one, mostly because both these wines were very tight and could use some more aging and air. The first had a eucalyptus nose with black fruit and violets on the nose. The second was a bit more closed on the nose but we could discern some vanilla. With a few bites of cheese, things started to become clearer - these were Cabernet-dominated wines, Bordeaux from Graves against Napa Valley’s Opus One.

A wonderful selection of wines with some curveballs…

1. Chateau Lamothe de Haux White Bordeaux 2011 ($15)
2. Buty Semillon-Sauvignon Blanc-Muscadelle 2010 – Columbia Valley, WA ($25)
3. Chehalem Willamette Valley Dry Riesling Reserve 2007 – Oregon ($20)
4. Hogl Wachau Riesling Smaragd Bruck 2007 – Wachau, Austria ($30)
5. Domaines Leflaive Macon Verze 2012 – Burgundy, France ($39)
6. Wente Riva Ranch Estate Chardonnay 2012 – Arroyo Seco, Monterey, CA ($18)
7. Flowers Van der Kamp Vineyard Pinot Noir 2000 – Sonoma Mountain ($60)
8. Domaine Trappet Chambertin Grand Cru 2000 – Cote de Nuits, Burgundy, France ($200)
9. Alain Graillot Crozes Hermitage 2012 – Northern Rhone Valley, France ($30)
10. Two Hands Gnarly Dudes Shiraz 2011 – Barossa Valley, Southern Australia ($28)
11. Chateau Smith-Haut Lafite 2006 – Graves, Left Bank, Bordeaux, France ($90)
12. Opus One 2006 – Napa Valley, CA ($290)

Madeira - The Indestructible Wine

I recently attended a Madeira Master Class at the San Francisco Wine Center, led by professionals from The Madeira Wine Institute - the governing body of winemaking on the island of Madeira, Portugal. Madeira is a fortified wine known for its longevity - but did you know the best Madeira can last 300 years? Rui Falcao, our instructor, told us about the oldest Madeira he’s tried, which was from 1715! It was not only good, but very good – nowhere near tired or gone. How does this tiny, mountainous island whose subtropical climate is always 70 degrees produce one of the world’s most indestructible wines? Acidity! Like Champagne, Madeira’s wine grapes produce extremely acidic wines that are undrinkable in their normal, vinified state. But this acidity provides the backbone of a wine balanced by natural sugar levels and the addition of neutral spirit to raise the alcohol from about 9% to 18%. With the right amount of aging, a beautiful, complex wine emerges.

Madeira is always a single varietal wine. The 5 main permitted varietals vary in natural sweetness, so their wines will usually follow suit. Sercial is a dry wine; Verdelho – medium dry; Boal/Bual – medium sweet; Malvasia/Malmsey – sweet/rich. Tinta Negra is the exception to all of this: the only red varietal, vinified as a white, it can be any level of sweetness. Though it accounts for 82% of Madeira production, it used to not be talked about, but as recently as the day of this class it had been recognized as a Noble grape varietal and will be included on the label going forward.

Madeira has a total of just 900 acres of vines. Vineyards are managed separately from the wineries, and there are only 8 Madeira wineries in existence. One of these opened 3 years ago and it was the first new winery in 60 years. Clearly, Madeira winemaking is a very old tradition. (Fun fact: the fathers of the U.S. Constitution toasted its signing with Madeira!) The Madeira Wine Institute does all of the analytics on each wine and tastes them before bottling to make sure the wine matches its proposed labeling criteria. After a blind tasting, an approval allows the winery to bottle and sell the wine. Madeira wines are either a blended style (meaning a blend of different years, not grapes); a Colheita single harvest – also known as a “baby vintage” that must be aged for a minimum of 5 years to be labeled as such; or a Frasqueira/Vintage – which must be aged for a minimum of 20 years to be labeled with that vintage.

The tasting included a wonderful sampling across these grape varietals and aging categories. We learned that Madeira should be served cold (55 degrees F), and one shouldn’t try to follow it with any other wine – the finish is long and lingering and will overpower any other wine.  Despite the perceived “sweet” character of many Madeiras, the bracing acidity actually balances that sweetness, making it a friendly wine on its own or with food.

Typical Madeira aromas/flavors include toasted almond, caramel, molasses and dried fruit, like fig and raisin. My favorite was the Colheita 1996, with its honey and orange blossom character; the finish went on forever. The Malvasia 1989 was also a treat, with burnt orange peel and caramel.

Wine List:

1. H&H Sercial 10 Años - toasted almond, lemon peel, caramel, almond skin. Sweeter than expected despite this being the "dry" grape. Great acidity. 
2. The Rare Wine Co. Savannah Verdelho - cola, caramel and Tootsie roll.
3. Broadbent Malvasia 10 Años - cola, raisin, dried figs.
4. Blandy’s Colheita 1996 - honey, orange peel, orange blossom and white flowers. Persistent finish.
5. D’Oliveiras 1989 Malvasia - burnt orange peel and caramel; wonderful acidity and sweetness. 

Thinking I need to go get some Madeira for my wine collection...

The Three Big B's of Italy

Last month in wine school at the San Francisco Wine Center we were educated about the subtle but significant differences between the 3 Big B’s of Italy: Barolo, Brunello & Barbaresco.  Mauro Cirilli, Italy's top Sommelier, returned to SFWC for another round of his Italian wine series.  These 3 wines (named for their regions) are known for their longevity, structure, acidity and food friendliness.

Barolo and Barbaresco wines are both made 100% with the Nebbiolo grape. These northern Italian regions of Piedmont have a cooler climate, and the food of the region tends to be rich, so Nebbiolo pairs well with the cuisine. Minimum aging requirements for Barbaresco include 26 months in oak for regular wines and 50 months for Riserva wines. In Barolo, minimum aging for regular wines if 38 months and 62 months for Riserva. These two regions are a bit like Burgundy in that all wines are single vineyard designated. Despite their proximity, these two regions vary in climate and style due to Barbaresco’s closeness to the Tanaro River, which provides a maritime influence that helps Nebbiolo ripen a bit earlier than in Barolo. This results in earlier fermentation and less maceration, so the tannins in a young Barbaresco are not as tough as in Barolo, hence the reduced aging requirement.  Barbaresco is more approachable than Barolo earlier, but it won’t age as long. Barolo is one of the greatest wines of Italy, with its trademark calcareous soils and vineyard slopes contributing to the complex aromas of tar and roses and extremely long cellar life.

Brunello – short for Brunello di Montalcino - is in the region of Tuscany, known for olive oil and lighter foods, and the 100% Sangiovese wines complement this cuisine perfectly. Montalcino has one of the warmest and driest climates in Tuscany, and this particular clone of Sangiovese is unique to the region – it ripens more fully and consistently here than anywhere else in Tuscany, contributing to the body, color, extract and tannins commonly associated with Brunello di Montalcino. Sangio in Italian means blood, but in contrast to the Sangiovese in Chianti, Brunello is described as “fleshier.” Minimum aging for these wines is 48 months or 60 for Riserva.

Traditional wineries use large oak vats while modern wineries may used smaller French barriques. All 3 of these wines are lightly pigmented and tend to have a garnet color, with high tannin, high acidity, and medium to full body.

We tasted Barbaresco first, enjoying the licorice, spice, dried fruit flavors. My favorite was the 1990 Ceretto, from Bricco Asili. It took a while to open up but once it did I loved the roses and that smooth finish.

Barbaresco:

2007 Produttori del Barbaresco, Riserva, Montestefano (in Barbaresco)

2007 Gaja (in Barbaresco)

1999 Scarpa, Tettineive (in Neive)

1990 Ceretto, Bricco Asili (in Barbaresco)

Next, the Barolos. Meaty, savory, rich with sweet spices, violets and roses, rhubarb, licorice and fennel. The 2001 even had an interesting combination of mint crème and butter toffee along with tar and dried flowers. It was tough to pick a favorite in this group but all of them could definitely age much longer.

Barolo:

2010 Andrea Oberto, Rocche (in La Morra)

2006 Boroli, Villero (in Castiglione Falletto)

2001 Giuseppe Mascarello, Monprivato (in Castiglione Falletto)

The Brunellos were more approachable, with juicy ripe fruit and savory herbs and earth.  My favorite was the 2004 Casanova di Neri, which also showed dark violet, prune and sweet licorice in beautiful balance.

Brunello di Montalcino:

2006 Gianni Brunelli

2006 Gaja, Pieve di Santa Restituta

2004 Casanova di Neri, Cerretalto

All of these wines had amazing acidity and structure and could age even longer. They would be fabulous with a meal but we did fine with a delicious assortment of Italian cheeses.

Looking forward to Mauro's next class on November 4 - Indigenous Varietals of Italy. I can never be educated enough about this region. I'm hoping for some Lagrein, Teroldego and Frappato.

June at SF Wine Center

June was a busy month at SF Wine Center, with the Pinot Days tasting in San Francisco driving a lot of wine traffic and interest. I helped out with some events, including the actual Pinot Days tasting at Metreon and a couple satellite tastings at SFWC. Check out the SFWC Blog for more on these tastings! 

Pinot Days

Old World vs. New World with GLG Labs

Anderson Valley/Mendocino Tasting

Sharing Pinot at SFWC with The Corkdork

Lately I've been hanging out at the San Francisco Wine Center, and one day storage member John (aka The Corkdork) shared a bottle of Pinot Noir with us in The City Room. It was produced by winemaker Sashi Moorman and Rajat Parr, a sommelier who oversees the wine program of the Michael Mina restaurant group and is involved in various wine making projects. Raj is also a wine educator and writer of the book Secrets of the Sommeliers, co-authored with Jordan Mackay, a frequent SFWC educator.  As the label shows, the  fruit for this wine came from the warm Sta. Rita Hills Appellation of Santa Barbara county, which is not only the location of the movie Sideways but a region some believe to be the best place in the New World to grow Pinot Noir, due to its cool Pacific marine layer. While enjoying this easy-sipping Pinot on a pleasant afternoon, we noticed blackberry jam and delicate spice on the palate. Thanks, John and Rajat!

Wine and Watches

Last week the San Francisco Wine Center sponsored a tasting at Ben Shemano Jewelry, a beautiful second-floor showroom in Union Square that specializes in antique and custom jewelry.  For collectors of the finer things in life, the focus of the evening was on fine wristwatches from designers including Rolex, Patek Phillipe and Audemars Piguet.  For the group of about 30 people I helped pour an array of wines from around the world and shared stories about winemaking and travel. We even learned that the late owner of Pride Mountain Vineyards in Napa Valley was a former dentist. Wonder what toothpaste he’d recommend for wine stains? He actually wasn’t a practicing dentist but a consultant who advised other dentists on how to optimize their office layouts.

From the white wine drinkers we found many Sancerre lovers and even converted some to Riesling fans. It was a warm evening in San Francisco and many opted for the cold ones. We encountered those who thought Riesling was always sweet, so we educated them on the various styles of Riesling and the labeling term used to denote ‘dry’ in German, which is ‘trocken.’

Red wine fans enjoyed classic west coast examples of Pinot Noir, Petite Sirah, and Zinfandel, plus a Chilean blend dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon. A couple of magnums dared to impress bold palates and showed how the right amount of air can make a wine open up.

Inevitably, with an even number of wines it’s easy to find yourself comparing. 2 whites, 2 reds, 2 magnums. The Sancerre had a flowery nose and a rich palate. The Riesling had the distinct petrol nose that developed into stone fruit, followed by beautiful citrus and orange blossom on the palate. The Oregon Pinot Noir was earthy and leathery, while the Napa Petite Sirah had a flowery but smoky nose with spice, lead pencil and roses on the palate. The two magnums couldn't be more different; the Brown Zinfandel was immediately rich, fruity and lush, while the Chilean blend was super tight, smoky and herbal at first, eventually opening up to reveal warm spice, red fruit, and an herbal forest.  I found this one to be the most interesting, particularly as it evolved over the course of the evening.

Wine List

1. Gitton Sancerre 2012 - France
2. Peter Jakob Kuhn Riesling Trocken 2010 – Germany
3. Provocateur Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2003 - Oregon
4. Pride Petite Sirah Napa Valley 2003 – California
5. Brown Estate Zinfandel Napa Valley 2006 – California (Magnum)
6. Primus The Blend Colchagua Valley 2008 – Chile (Magnum)

Bites from The City Kitchen complimented the wines and provided a wonderful appetizer to later dinner plans. For some, the jewelry was dessert.  

Wine & Spirits' Grand Tasting

Last month my friend Oskar visited from the Finger Lakes and invited me to join him at the Wine & Spirits Top 100 Tasting, honoring the San Francisco-based magazine's chosen top 100 wineries of the year. Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard was honored for the 3rd year in a row, and I got to accompany Oskar as a representative of the winery. Going to industry tastings is always more fun with 2 people - you can share the responsibility of pouring the wine while having the chance to walk around and taste the other wines.

The best part was the Champagne and oysters section on the veranda of City View at METREON in downtown/SoMa San Francisco - great views and delicious indulgences. I tried Dom Perignon for the first time (it was ok; I've had better for cheaper) and sampled some other great names like Louis Roederer.

In the Riesling family, in addition to Wiemer's 2010 Gewurztraminer and 2009 Late Harvest Riesling, wines that I proudly helped produce, I enjoyed Joh. Jos. Prum's 2009 Mosel Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese (Germany), a similar style to our Late Harvest Riesling, and Loimer's 2009 Kamptal Reserve Langenlois Steinmassl Riesling and 2010 Kamptal Gruner Veltliner (Austria). I love this simple green label:

Again I sampled R. Lopez de Heredia's 1993 Rioja Reserva Vina Tondonia Blanco, the white Rioja I first had at San Francisco Wine Center over the summer; this is such an interesting wine. I also had their 2001 Rioja Reserva Vina Tondonia Tinto, the red version. Delicious Spanish wines.

Other notable reds included Leonetti Cellar's 2008 Walla Walla Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and 2009 Walla Walla Valley Merlot. I've had older Leonetti vintages and they have been divine, so it was nice to try the current releases and see what the wine is like in its youth. I also enjoyed Achaval-Ferrer's 2008 La Consulta Uco Valley Finca Altamira Malbec. I visited this winery during my trip to Mendoza last year but I hadn't tried this single vineyard Malbec.

I had fun bumping into Mary Burnham and Jordan Mackay, wine writers and instructors at SFWC wine school.

And as always, it was great pouring Wiemer to adoring fans from around the country.

Other coverage:
http://www.vinography.com/archives/2011/10/whats_your_best_wine_tasting_t.html

The Stars of Champagne @ SFWC

The stars aligned last night @ San Francisco Wine Center as we gathered with Mary Burnham, freelance food and wine writer and author of Food & Wine Magazine’s 2012 Guide to Wine. Mary taught us about the prized region of Champagne, France, and why the soil, grapes, and climate are so important in making Champagne. We learned about how Champagne is made, why the second fermentation is so important, and what effect the dead yeast cells, or lees, have on the taste of Champagne. During the tasting, we enjoyed a broad range of large house Champagnes and special grower Champagnes. Most of the large houses in Champagne buy grapes from different sources in the area and then blend for a consistent style every year. Grower Champagnes are made from producers who grow their own grapes and might sell some to the large houses and use some for their own production. These wines were really special, and everyone enjoyed the lineup. It was amazing to taste the different styles, compare vintage and non-vintage, and experience different vintages. Hats off to Brian for creating an exceptional tasting!

The wines:

1.            Pierre Peters Brut Cuvee Reserve Grand Cru 

2.            Laurent Perrier Brut 1996

3.            Hubert Paulet Brut Premier Cru 1999

4.            Chartogne-Taillet Brut VV 2002 

5.            Gaston Chiquet Brut Cart d’Or 2002 

6.            Vilmart Cuvee Grand Cellier d’Or 2005 

7.            Ayala Rose Majeur

8.            Krug Brut Rose 

The Krug Brut Rose was a very special bottle, and I am a sucker for pink bubbly so I loved it. My favorite though was the Chartogne-Taillet, which was toasty and creamy with great complexity and bright acidity. 

Thanks to Mary for a fantastic education in all things bubbly!

Passion Unleashed @ SFWC

Passion was unleashed yesterday at SFWC, with Jordan Mackay, James Beard-award winning author, leading our Passion for Pinot tasting class. Jordan explained the beauty and challenges of Pinot Noir as a grape and a wine, from its thin skin and light tannin to its complex flavors of berries, cherries, earth and spice. We learned about the differences Pinot can show when made in different parts of the world and why Burgundy is so coveted. Because of the long winemaking tradition in France, Burgundy is the standard for Pinot Noir. The notion of terroir is very important in Burgundy, where small vineyard plots have cult status. In a region where the only red grape allowed is Pinot Noir, the wines are distinguished by the area in which they were grown, sometimes down to a row in a vineyard, based on the soil and growing conditions of each place. Burgundy is a cold region, so getting grapes ripe can be challenging and yields can sometimes suffer, making Burgundy expensive and sometimes difficult to procure.  Stylistically, a Pinot Noir from South Africa can taste similar to a Pinot Noir from Burgundy, because of the characteristics of the grape, but the differences will be profound based on the soil and other environmental factors. It was a fascinating tour of Pinot Noir from around the world. Unfortunately one of the wines was corked, a Grand Cru Burgundy from 1999, but this ended up being a helpful exercise since many students had not smelled a corked wine before. We replaced the bottle with another, which ended up being the favorite of the tasting. It was a Premier Cru Burgundy from 1990 at its peak, meaning it was a pleasure to drink but it probably wouldn’t get any better with additional aging.

The wines:

1.  Paul Cluver Elgin Estate Pinot Noir 2008 – South Africa

2.  Matua Central Otago Estate Pinot Noir 2008 – New Zealand

3.  Domaine Jean & Giles Lafourge Auxey-Duresses La Chapelle 1er Cru 2005

4.  Domaine Taupenot-Merme Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru 1999 (corked and replaced with Domaine Jacques Prieur Volnay-Santenots 1er Cru 1990)

5.  Penner-Ash Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2009 – Oregon

6.  Sokol Blosser Big Tree Block Dundee Hills Pinot Noir 2008 – Oregon

7.  Walter Hansel South Slope Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2003

8.  Au Bon Climat Knox Alexander Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir 2008

Thanks to Jordan for a wonderful tour of Pinot Noir!

Great Whites of Burgundy @ SFWC

As the fog rolled in yesterday evening at the San Francisco Wine Center we sat down for some white Burgundy with Jordan Mackay, James Beard Award-winning author, in Wine School. First, a flight of 2009′s from different areas of Burgundy whet our appetites for the more complex wines in the second half of the tasting. From razor sharp to lightly toasted, these wines were pretty classic in their representation. Chablis was mouthwatering and minerally, Poully Fuisse was citrusy with a bit more body, and Beaune was toasty yet still crisp. 

Then we moved on to a few wines with some age on them and a bit more weight and complexity. The Mersault was really interesting with a mix of anise and ash on the nose and palate. Unfortunately the 2002′s were showing a bit of “premox,” or premature oxidation, a problem in Burgundian whites from vintages between 1995 and 2005. The exact source of the problem hasn’t been pinpointed, but possibilities include lowered sulphur dioxide treatments, cork seal failure, shape of bottle neck, and other theories. The result is wines showing oxidation before their time. The grand finale of the tasting was the real treat – Domaine Faiveley Bienvenues Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru 2009. It was creamy, crisp, complex, and long.

Jordan’s explanation of Burgundy’s regions, the differences in soil types and locations, and the classification system of the vineyards was really helpful.

The wines:

1. Domaine William Fevre Chablis 2009
2. Joseph Drouhin Saint-Veran 2009
3. Vincent Giradin Pouilly-Fuisse VV 2009
4. Domaine Bouchard Pere & Fils Beaune du Chateau 1er Cru 2009
5. Chateau Laboure-Roi Meursault Clos des Bouches Cheres 1er Cru 2004
6. Domaine de la Vougeraie Vougeot Clos de Prieure Monopole 2002
7. Boyer-Martenot Puligny-Montrachet Le Cailleret 1er Cru 2002
8. Domaine Faiveley Bienvenues Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru 2009

Thanks for the education on Burgundian Chardonnay, Jordan!

More Rioja!

I guess Rioja is my wine of the month, if I had one! Yesterday came the sad news of the passing of Enrique Forner, founder of Marques de Caceres, the iconic Spanish Rioja brand. This is my go-to value wine, with the Crianza priced around $10. It is consistent and always tasty. I actually have a bottle at home right now.

Last week we had our Wines of Spain tasting class at SFWC, featuring 3 wines from Rioja, a white and 2 reds. This Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia White Rioja from 1993 was very unique, with an almost Sherry-like expression on the nose but a creaminess on the palate. Great acidity and dry with complex flavors of marzipan and meringue. Six years of aging so the oak was very well integrated. The wine is composed of estate grown Viura (90%) and Malvasía (10%), traditional Spanish white grapes in the region.

Viva Rioja!

Wines of Spain @ SFWC

This week in wine school Jordan Mackay, James Beard-award winning author, took us on a tour of Spain. We traveled to Cataluna – home of Cava; Rias Baixas – home of Albarino; Rueda – home of Verdejo; Navarra – home of Garnacha; Rioja – home of Tempranillo; Ribera del Duero – another Tempranillo hotspot; and Priorat – famed for Garnacha, Carignan, Cab Sauv, Merlot, and Syrah. From value wines to coveted classics and newcomers, Spain runs the gamut. The Cava, Albarino, and Verdejo were all refreshing, lively and costing around $20 or less. The 1993 White Rioja was super complex, with Sherry-like notes and a creaminess that was very unique.  One of our storage members, Shirley, brought a 2005 Rioja to share, and we compared this with the 2004 Muga in our lineup. Muga is a more traditional producer and they use mostly French oak, whereas the Remirez de Ganuza that Shirley brought was a more modern style, more fruit-forward with heavy American oak. The last two wines were very special, high-end wines from Ribera del Duero and Priorat. They had a complexity and finesse that was noticeable, and the class loved these wines. Personally the Bodegas Emilio Moro Malleolus Valderramiso 2007 from Ribera del Duero was my favorite!

The wines:

1. Segura Viudas Reserva Heredad Cava

2. Fillaboa Albariño 2009 – Rias Baixas

3.  Condesa Eylo Verdejo 2008 – Rueda

4.  R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia White Rioja 1993

5.  El Chaparral de Vega Sondoa Garnacha 2009 – Navarra

6.  Muga Prado Enea Gran Reserva Rioja 2004

Bonus: Remirez de Ganuza Rioja 2005

7.  Bodegas Emilio Moro Malleolus Valderramiso 2007 – Ribera del Duero

8.  Dits del Terra Priorat 2005 – Garnacha & Carignan

Salud!

Bubbles, bubbles everywhere, but not a drop to drink... yet!

Champagne was on tap this week at San Francisco Wine Center, where our class highlighted the awesomeness of Champagne with some very special bubblies. We had a great sampling of vintage and non-vintage plus a trio of pinks. There is no prettier wine than a glass of pink Champagne. I loved the Billecart-Salmon Cuvee Elisabeth, the first "prestige" Champagne I've ever had. This retails for around $150-$200 per bottle. My pics are blurry still but I think I may have solved the problem so I hope next time is better. For now, these will have to suffice. Think of it as looking at Champagne through bubble-filled glasses.

Billecart-Salmon Cuvee Elisabeth Salmon Brut Rose 1998

Check out the SFWC blog for the full list of Champagnes!

Searching for Syrah

Lately I've been craving meaty, smoky Syrahs - the kind that remind you of bacon at Sunday brunch. It started when I first moved out here and visited a wine bar in my neighborhood where we got a glass of 2009 Emmanuel Darnaud Crozes-Hermitage Mise en Bouche, a classic Northern Rhone French Syrah. I've been looking for something similar ever since. Recently I encountered 2 that fit the bill. The first one materialized at an event we co-hosted last Friday night at the San Francisco Wine Center with Wine Gavel, an online wine auctioneer. We invited our storage clients, and someone ran down to their storage locker during the event and grabbed a bottle of this to share with everyone:

Alesia Santa Lucia Highlands Fairview Ranch Vineyard 2006

Unfortunately I didn't see the person and no one I asked could tell me who it was. But it was really delicious, and I'm glad this mystery person donated it!

Then, this week, one of the guys at work was making a delivery for a storage client and they gave him a couple bottles of wine as a thank-you. He brought them back to SFWC and shared them with us. The storage couple made the wine at Crushpad, a custom crush facility in Sonoma. I loved their 2006 Syrah "The Bailout." Really smoky and meaty with a touch of dark fruit. Full bodied, really smooth. I'm going to look into getting some of this - I hear they are looking to sell some bottles.

Both these wines are from Santa Barbara county, which I've heard is a great place for Syrah. Clearly I already have a preference for this area. Maybe I better plan a weekend trip down there.